You were doing so well, you were going to the gym regularly, eating healthy, getting enough sleep, drinking plenty of water, getting things done, had lots of energy, and then BAM! Life hits. Whether it was illness, life events, a work crisis or emotional struggles, we have all been there. It is easy to grab take out or that bag of chips, it is easy to sleep in just a few minutes longer and skip the workout. You know you will feel better if you just do those WOD’s or cook Paleo tonight, but you just don’t have the motivation. What can you do? Well, sometimes you just have to let it all play out. Do the best you can, and try to do some of those things that you know will help. The main important things to do are to sleep, hydrate, and eat healthy. Make those the top priorities and deal with those life issues.
But, when you are ready, how do you TAKE BACK CONTROL and get back on track?
1. Take an honest look at what happened. Look at the triggers for poor eating, lack of sleep and skipping workouts. Knowing these triggers will help you in the future when life hits again.
2. Take a moment to reflect on WHY you live a healthy lifestyle. Look at what your priorities are/were. Revisit your goals again. Knowing your goals, where you want to be, and why you want to be there, will help motivate you to get back on track.
3. Re-focus. Look at the extra stuff in your life. See what you can cut out. Have intense focus on the priorities of working out, sleeping and eating right. Do these things no matter what it takes. Perhaps you cut out TV, going out with friends, etc. for awhile, just to get the important things back into your life on a regular basis.
4. JUST DO IT. Even if you don’t feel like it, do it. Studies have shown it takes 3-4 weeks for a habit to form (roughly 21 days). Of course, this varies from person to person, but the idea here is repetition. The more you repeat a behavior, the more it becomes a habit. You don’t have to have your heart into it at firs. JUST DO IT. The more you do it, the more you will begin to see the benefits, and before you know it, your motivation returns.
5. Plan. Get your planner out and put in the items you NEED to do. Workouts, meal planning, sleep, grocery shopping, ordering your CSA or Farm items. Think through what you do to keep yourself healthy and put it in your planner. If you plan, you know it is coming, and it will help you to DO those things you need to do.
6. We are our own worst enemies sometimes. We place pressure on ourselves as to where we SHOULD be rather, than where we are. So, check your ego at the door. Don’t be so hard on yourself if you are not where you USED to be. Remember, it took you some time to get there. Suck it up…and do your best with where you are at – give it your all. That is all your trainer asks of you, and that is all you can do.
7. Get back to the basics. Have your trainer help you assess where you are at and what you can do. Stays hydrated with water, and keep your diet to simple, Paleo foods. Recipes should be simple. Snacks should be easy and simple, save the gourmet dinners to a later time when you have more motivation. Get these three things into your daily routine quickly, and I think you will begin to see results again.
It’s your life, take control back!
