5 Things NOT To Do When You Fall Out of Your Fitness Routine
Life throws curve balls that catch us off-balance. Tragedy hits (God forbid). Or vacation (Yay!). Or sickness (Ugh). Or worse... the 2 year old starts waking up during the night again. Whatever the cause, our exercise routines are usually the first to go. Here’s what NOT to do when you find yourself off-track:
1.) Beat Yourself Up.
Negative self-talk will never motivate you. It will drag you down and leave you hopeless. Guilt is a sneaky little fella because it comes naturally when we disappoint ourselves, but then it throws us into a cycle of feeling guilty that we feel guilty, which usually ends up paralyzing us. Surround yourself with positivity, with motivational words, pictures and people who will inspire you to get back into rhythm.
2.) Eat all the wrong things.
I know. I KNOW! All the things call to you… the things in the cabinet and the freezer… even the milkshakes from Chick-fil-a down the road. And when something interrupts our fitness routine, the slave-master food voices seem louder and more powerful. If you know this cycle happens, though, then you can be crafty and out-smart the cravings before they strike. Make a list on your phone of your favorite healthy foods, the things you enjoy eating that aren’t junk. That way, when the curve balls come, you don’t have to think of what to buy at the grocery store. In a matter of minutes, you can grab the goodies you enjoy while passing by the cookie aisle like it’s no big deal (and by “goodies” I mean apples and peanut butter).
3.) Stay up late.
Lack of sleep will only serve to propel your downward spiral. Thus, the self-sabotage begins. If you picture a physically healthy lifestyle as a three-legged stool-- exercise, proper food consumption and quality sleep being the three legs-- then you’ll value the importance of this element. Without it, your healthy rhythm is broken.
4.) Keep it a secret.
For whatever reason, we lean toward keeping our struggles quiet. Maybe we’re embarrassed. Or we assume we should be strong enough/smart enough/ motivated enough to reinstate our workout routines all by ourselves. Take it from Helen Keller when she said, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Talk to a friend! Allow someone the chance to encourage you and challenge you through this difficult process. Plus, putting a plan in place is more fun with a friend.
5.) Wait until you feel like working out again.
HUGE mistake here, especially since you’ll RARELY be overcome with a sudden urge to exercise. Consider spending less time following your heart and more time leading it! Believe it or not, often the act of performing a duty or task can actually change your “wants.” Put your next workout session on the calendar, go to bed early and set out your workout clothes ahead of time. Before you know it, you’ll be back into the swing of your fitness routine!
Fall in love with the process
and the results will come.- Eric Thomas, former NFL player