Greetings!

 

I hope you had a fabulous week!  Mine has been busy and blessed!  Life has a funny way of either being a quiet lull or everything happening at once. 

 

When things get crazy, or you end up sick or injured and aren't able to stick to your usual training routine it can be challenging to get back into it.  You may feel that you lost so much time, what is the point of jumping back in?  Why not just give up?  You may feel like you can't pick up where you left off, and now you have to start all over again. 

 

I'm here to assure you that you can. 

 

The FIRST thing you need to remember is that life will always happen.  It's rare that you will ever get through a training plan or stick to your idealized routine perfectly. 

 

Shit is gonna come up.  Don't let this mess with your head!

 

How many times have you started a new "diet" or fitness plan with the expectation that this time is going to be different?  This time you aren't going to mess up.  This time everything is going to go according to plan.  And then what happens?  Life.  You get sick or injured, someone in your family gets sick, you are out of town, you are assigned extra responsibilities at work.  There will always be something. 

 

How do you deal with these setbacks?

 

Give yourself a break - this is not the time to be hard on yourself because you feel as though you failed.  I'm pretty sure you don't need the added stress of self-loathing, so lose the negative self-talk.  Remember that life is what it is.  No matter how much you want to be in control, you have to come to terms with the fact that you are not.  Instead of fighting reality, accept the challenges you are up against and use your energy to find solutions. 

 

Do your best - Let's face it... this is all you really can do.  Whatever the circumstances may be figure out how to make the best of your situation.  If you haven't had time to shop for healthy food, what are the healthiest options available to you?  If you only have 15 minutes to work out today, what workout is going to maximize that time?  If you haven't had enough sleep, what type of movement is going to support your goals without adding additional stress to your immune system?  Your best may not feel like you're doing enough, but in time those choices will result in progress, or at the very least help you to maintain the progress you have already made. 

 

Ease back into the routine - This may be a tough one for some of you, am I right?  You missed a week of your workouts, you went off the rails with your diet last weekend and now it's Monday and it's time to fix all of that TODAY!  Let me remind you, results are cumulative.  You aren't going to lose all the weight and gain all the muscle in one week, nor will missing a week of training or having one weekend of overindulging ruin months of consistent effort.  Take it slow. 

 

If you have taken time off from working out, scale back your effort as you get back into it.  Use lighter weights, take longer breaks, do shorter or fewer workouts than you had been before.  Going overboard in an attempt to make up for time lost or calories consumed could result in feeling so sore you can't sit on the toilet.  Trust me, that is not an experience you want to have.  Leave your ego at the door and train smart. 

 

If your diet has gotten a bit out of hand, don't give in to the all or nothing mindset.  Restrictive diets are impossible to maintain and usually result in binging.  Approach your diet from a place of mindful moderation.  Focus on eating fresh whole foods with an emphasis on lean protein, lots of veggies, and unprocessed carbs.  Allow yourself to enjoy the foods you love in moderation to prevent cravings that may lead to binging.  Check in with yourself before you eat.  Learn to recognize the cues of hunger vs. boredom or stress.  Know what proper portion sizes are for your goals.  Notice when you start to feel full and stop eating once you feel sated.  Eating well should not be torture and you don’t have to completely avoid the treats that you love to have a healthy diet. 

 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is a long term effort.  It's not about fast results and short term transformations, but consistent effort over time.  Slip-ups and roadblocks are to be expected.    Approach these challenges with acceptance and understanding and allow yourself the space to make mistakes.  Failure gives us the opportunity for growth and improvement.  A pause or a few steps back does not signify the end.  Regroup, refocus, and keep moving forward!