TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING
You know the old expression "Too much of a good thing"? Unfortunately it also applies to health and fitness. I've heard it countless times over the years. "I love the way working out makes me feel. I want to do it every day". There's also "I just need to workout every day. My day just isn't complete without it". And of course we have "It's been months since I ate any junk food. I love the way healthy eating makes me feel. I don't ever want it again".
At first glance, someone might ask "What's the problem?". Let's look at these one at a time and you'll see that if a little is good, more is not better. Starting on a fitness journey can be new and exciting. And when you start getting results, it's even more so. It certainly can be motivating to see your body transform right before your eyes. This might make you want to workout every day. But there are a few problems with this. First of all, your body needs rest. Muscle growth happens when you rest. Working out is the stimulus. Then it's a matter of resting and eating properly. If you don't do this, you go catabolic meaning you start breaking down muscle. This certainly is not the goal of working out. Another thing is that because you think you need to workout every day, you'll miss many of the joys of life. You might think you have it under control, but I've seen too many people miss out on things because they were obsessed with working out. Make it a part of your life. Don't let it rule your life.
Now onto the food. Again it's easy to think you can swear off the foods you love because you start seeing results. But you can only deny yourself for so long. Eventually those cravings will become so strong that you'll snap and finish off a a large pizza and a tub of ice cream. The much better way is to allow yourself cheat meals regularly. I advise people to have it once a week. That way you take care of those cravings and still stay on track. I've known people who stayed home from parties, weddings, get togethers with friends, etc. in order to stay on their diet. Social and emotional health is also important and necessary for overall health. I've known people who weighed all their food and had a countertop full of pre-prepared meals for the whole week. It ended up being chicken, rice or potatoes, and broccoli or slight variations of them. Everything was timed too. Now ask me how they were eating six months later. I can tell you that it involved donuts, Big Macs, and fries!
Think of it this way. When you're on your deathbed and you're looking back at your life, are you going to say "Gee. I sure am glad I missed out on all those things in life. It allowed me to lower my body fat by an extra 2 percent". Make fitness a part of your life. Maybe a big part of it. But don't let it rule your life. It won't last if you do. Slow and steady wins the race. Workout, eat well, but don't forget to enjoy life. The legendary King Of Cool Steve McQueen used to say "Attack life. Its going to kill you any way".