Finding Balance and Happiness

Over the last year I have spent a LOT of time on physical activity, mainly the gym. And where this has been great for my weight loss goals, I miss my family time. Now that Ive switched from loosing weight( well mostly) to training for big runs, I have better learned how to make the most of my work outs. Gone are the days where I leave work and go to the gym to climb on the elliptical for 60-90 min followed by 15-20 on the row machine or 30 on the bike, there was literally months that I spent an hour and half to 2 hours at the gym in the evening. I have learned how to get the best bang for my buck ( or in this instance TIME) I am diligently adding strength and weight training into my week. Before I had none. I now do 3 days a week ( Monday before spin class and Wed and Friday at my home). I will be so honest with you here on the strength training aspect. I was scared of this for so many reasons. Like I said before I didn't want to be in the weightlifting section at the gym, I am still so insecure and most likely always will be ... I didn't want to gain #s even though I knew they said it would be muscle gain which after the gain would in turn burn more calories resting than the fat it replaced so therefore speed up weight loss afterwards. And really getting on the cardio by myself and not really having to move from that section till I was done was appealing. I mean I didn't have to talk to anyone, re-set anything, gather supplies ( weights yoga mats, yoga balls etc). I just had to plop down my stuff and get to it. It was easy and lets face it I like easy. I've also added a couple classes, Spin on Monday night and Core on Thursday( being in a class atmospere is in an of itself a struggle for me this goes back to my insucuritys BUT I do it and truth be known I feel great afterwards). Monday ends up being a late night still bc Spin does not get over till 7:25 but Thursday I am done at 6 and I don't stick around and do cardio after like I would have a couple months ago. I am comfortable enough with my weekly work outs I don't feel the need to put in anymore time on Thursday night. Also I no longer even go to the gym on Wed or Friday. They are my days to come home do my weight circuit and spend the rest of the evening with the family. Tues I typically, unless its bad weather run at the park by my work .. Still I am home by 630. So much nicer than leaving the gym at 7 or 730, 5 nights a wk. I finally feel like I have gotten some sort of balance. I know Ive said it before I am very much an all or nothing type of person. This has always scared me a little bit during this Odyssey ( who was it said on their blog we need to call it that, I like it :) ) Ive always been so scared to miss a work out bc in the past missed one, turns into missed a wk, turns into do I still have that membership to the gym months later. Same with meals I have tried the whole cheat meal or cheat day idea, for me I just cant do it. NOW does that mean if I am at my sisters house celebrating birthdays with my nephews I wont have a piece of cake... NO If I want a pc I will have a pc. But I am not going to schedule my cheat days or meals... a pc of birthday cake in my opinion is life not a cheat anyways.
So I guess what I am saying is that if you are struggling to find a happy balance between, family, work, meal planning, workouts, etc. Hang in there it is possible, the happy balance is different for everyone but you will find the balance.

PS  this is me when my cheat meal goes horribly wrong... LOL isn't he so cute :)