The most common health and fitness plan and program seems to be one of first plan our yoga classes, and then our meals. Only once we have the structure of discipline in place do we mentally allow indulgences to fill in the white spaces.

if things carry on for a fill day or longer, we may even  call this “falling off the wagon”.

But what would happen if you took the opposite to your body, prioritizing and planning rest and indulgences FIRST?

I used to do take a very structured approach myself: I highly planned my fitness and food plan, which left me internally conflicted when inevitable invitations for weekends away or birthday parties would arise. Would I attend? Would I attend and exercise discipline? Would I attend and watch everyone else or would I participate?

It sucked and I often felt like I either required a lot of willpower, was over-sacrificing or just not having any fun.

So I flipped it. I allowed good habits to fill the time between indulgences, and scheduled and prioritized those instead. The good habits became the white space.

Knowing that our fundamental human skew is toward productivity, creativity, homeostasis, and balance, planning our indulgences first and allowing for positive habits to fill the remainder of your time sends your body a signal of trust, partnership, relaxation and a knowingness that you will do the right thing when given the latitude to do so.

It’s incredibly freeing.

There’s no longer a need for me to exercise willpower, discipline, exertion, exclusion. I say yes to the 20% of things that make me happy: I enjoy champagne and dark chocolate. I have meals out where I choose whatever I want.

And in the white spaces, I have smoothies and do yoga and eat plenty of beans.

I’ve given myself mental and physical freedom to trust that the end goal of attempting to achieve ~80% good habits, can best be achieved by planning the 20% of indulgences and throughly enjoying them.

It’s been said in human productivity circles to plan your vacations first and allow “work to fill in the time between vacations”.

Consider doing the same with your body and allowing your green juices and yoga classes to fill in the time between drinks and desserts and indulgences.

Cheers.