The Importance of Breaks and Time Off for a Balanced Lifestyle, Even for an Athlete
The Importance of Breaks and Time Off for a Balanced Lifestyle, Even for an Athlete
Today we live in a hectic world, where time is a fundamental component of every person’s life.
When we talk about time, we mean how we organize it, and it is precisely at this stage – when the space dedicated to rest is often reduced to a minimum or, even worse, not considered important – that we need to pay attention to it by applying methods and routines in line with our lifestyle.
Obviously, making proper use of the timing of our days is the foundation of a balanced, healthy life. We cannot overlook the importance of nutrition, which together with time organization plays a fundamental role. These two pillars – time and nutrition – are incredibly synergistic: too often we use the “time excuse” to justify less-than-ideal food choices.
“I didn’t have much time”
“I was in a hurry”
“I would need 48 hours a day”
The problem of not having enough time, combined with disordered eating (the inability to choose dishes properly, together with unbalanced preparation when cooking, seasoning or pairing foods) is increasingly common. At the same time, the desire to make the right choice drives us to look for a guide that helps us make the right food decisions. Eathlon is the ideal answer to all these needs: effective, intuitive and available on your smartphone. The Naples-based company, in fact, digitalizes the role of the sports nutritionist with a tailor-made service for the needs of each individual client. It offers a meal plan personalized to the sport practiced and to the person’s physical characteristics and goals, with an innovative methodology that sets it apart from all the others on the market.
Eathlon, as a digital platform, saves a considerable amount of time on top of the advantages technology offers. First of all, organization and quality of service.
What makes this aspect so important is above all its ability to help every user organize their grocery shopping and daily diet. It tells us when it is time to take a break, so we can recharge our body and mind. Mind-body balance is in fact crucial if we want to lead a healthy lifestyle, a balanced one that lets us reach our goals, whatever they may be, without resorting to strange and often unhealthy routes.
Of course, even though everyone aspires to a healthy lifestyle, each person’s way of living determines their own “category”. People who exercise regularly at medium-to-high intensity, for example, are considered athletes, but, just like everyone else, depending on their habits and goals, they will have to pay attention to the same things.
An athlete who lives for goals and by the results achieved needs a proper lifestyle more than anyone else, one that takes into account not only training time but all 24 hours: the balance of training and recovery, the balance between sleep and wakefulness, the planning of working life, the management of stress and distress, and the control of one’s emotions.
It often happens, in fact, that an athlete’s training phase is structured with meticulous care so that it is as effective as possible. Just as often, though, these skills are accompanied by limited knowledge that does not contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Nutrition and recovery phases – active and passive – above all.
Many times, especially in the past, the importance of breaks was underestimated, both within a single session and between sessions over the long term.
This led to numerous problems, both physical, such as overreaching, which calls for a short break from the sport or physical activity practiced, or, even worse, psychophysical ones: overtraining. A real pathology that requires a long break from training and, of course, from competitions as well, because the athlete’s body and mind are unable to perform movements, even the simplest, most basic and automatic ones.
These conditions, which are more common in athletes – that is, in people who should be better equipped to withstand heavy training loads – show how important it is to consider breaks for everyone. Even for those who take up physical activity after a sedentary life.
From the analysis of an athlete above, it becomes even easier and clearer to understand how important it is to organize your time to build a life of well-being and balance, whether you are an athlete or not.
Amateur athletes, even though they train at low intensity, often lead a lifestyle that causes them to experience stress – or rather distress – that negatively affects their health. If we add to this a limited awareness of the small daily habits that, when it comes to food, can positively offset these imbalances, there is no doubt that the support of a professional is essential.
Finally, let’s not forget one element mentioned in an earlier paragraph: sleep.
Although it is often neglected (just like the meal plan), sleep quality is the foundation of every person’s health. Poor or irregular rest can lead to simple difficulty concentrating or to real chronic conditions that make it hard to lead a balanced life.
We can therefore say that training, nutrition and sleep, as well as planning breaks and time off in every person’s life, play a preventive and, if you like, therapeutic role. It is no coincidence that today every athlete is followed with targeted nutrition programs and trained to manage their emotions.
That is why it is so important to know about new solutions, as Eathlon aims to be, for people who take care of themselves even at an amateur level: adopting the right practices for your lifestyle can make the difference.
Let us conclude, then, by saying that a balanced lifestyle must not do without the proper use of your time, organizing it as well as possible, never forgetting how crucial breaks are in every person’s life, including – and above all – for those who move and exercise at different levels.
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Author
Andreu Gaudiano Molero
Graduate in Sport and Exercise Science, massage therapist and personal trainer. Founder and technical director of Evon studio. Expert in functional training and recovery.
