As an eternal athlete, I often think of life like a basketball game. There is a time to turn on the offense, and there's a time for inpenetrable defense. A player must have both strengths and must be able to switch from one to the other in a split second.

 

In every day terms, we must play both offense and defense with our finances. The hours we spend earning our income is our offense, and the efforts we make to save our money, or spend it wisely, is our defense. The effective (and wealthy!) financial athlete must be good on both sides of the court.

 

Similarly, we must play offense and defense to achieve optimal health. When we choose bright, colorful, fresh, healthy foods, we're on offense. When we avoid processed foods (think Velvetta -- yuck!!), sugar, saturated fats, and empty calories, we're playing defense. Both are necessary for a healthy and satiating diet.

 

Attaining optimal fitness also requires offense and defense. Our offense is intensity-appropriate, total body workouts -- including aerobic exercise, the building of muscle, functional movement, and flexibility. We should incorporate regular movement -- both high-intensity and low-intensity -- into our daily routines. In other words, there shouldn't be a day in your life without purposeful movement. Our defense, on the other hand, is rest and relaxation. Adequate sleep (and that means 7 - 8 hours per night!) is essential for building muscle, boosting immune functions, staving off stress hormones, and even losing weight. Relaxation -- not of the sitting on the couch variety, but rather of the pure joy of living type -- is critical as well. Slow meals with good friends, cooking with your family, long walks at sunset, reading an inspiring book while lounging in the sun -- these activities, and others you enjoy, should be regular activities in your wellness defense.

 

Remember, life is a balance. We need to be both pro-active and reactive to stay the course of our choosing. And a solid offense and defense always -- always -- wins the game.

 

Take the shot and protect the goal,