by Kerry Taylor
If you’re like me, there can be many obstacles that get in your way in your pursuit to stay active and in shape. There’s family time, work schedule, getting sick, vacations, travel, children’s schedules and, especially at this current time, the summer. Some of these obstacles are realistic and then there are the ones we search for, you know what I mean, we all have “found” an excuse at one point or another to help us not do something.
We advise that you always strive to stay on track when it comes to taking care of yourself. But if you do happen to get off track, the tough part is getting back on track. Why?? Because we become our own worst enemy. We made it okay to stop our routine for one reason or another. Now we have to play the mind game of getting back on track. It’s not as hard as we make it if we can get out of our own heads. Here are some things to think about to help get you back in order.
Go straight there, do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars
We always say, “getting here is the hard part." Get yourself in the door and we will take care of the rest. So, one simple thing you can start to do is just go straight to wherever your workout destination may be, whether it’s in the morning or if it’s right after work. Just go!
Schedule it when you are least distracted
Be tactful- if you know the second half of your day is crazy, go in the morning. Yes, that means doing your workout before the “dreaded 7am hour,” but is your health worth it?? If your mornings are tough, then adjust and get it done in the afternoon or evening. Completely short on time? Shorten your workout, maybe try a H.I.I.T session with the time you have allowed to workout.
Live in the now
Do not live in the past, you will only get down on yourself. Thinking of where you were, or the progress you’ve made before your hiatus will only piss you off. You will start to aggressively chase the old you to get back there and eventually hit a wall and crash. Be okay with working from where you currently are and move forward. You will be where you want to be in no time and possibly surpass the you, you were before your hiatus.
Track it!
Track your progress somehow. I know the usual thing is for people to stand on the scale and use that as their main unit of measure, but why? If your goal is weight loss I understand, but If you truly are trying to change, make sure you use a few other measuring tools. Losing weight can get complicated, just like life. So maybe use body fat measurements, time yourself in a short distance or long distance run, maybe it's an exercise measuring stick like max bench press or kettlebell snatches for reps in 5 mins. Using these will help you see how far you’ve come. I, personally, like to use MyZone as a tracking tool. It shows me where I’ve been, how my progress has been, calories burned, my effort in my workouts, and bonus- I get points for each workout. Looking back at your progress will help you stay the course until you get back into your rhythm.
Get 1 degree better every day
Don’t aim to get better at everything everyday, every week, or every month. Aim to get a little better at 1-3 things every day, week, month and you will be back on your horse in no time.
If you’re like most, you may have gotten off track, which is easy to do. Allow yourself an opportunity to get back on track. Don’t wait for summer to be over, start working at it now. It’s going to take some time to get your groove back. Getting activity, fitness and health back into your life is something you will never regret, I guarantee it. It will make you, your life, your relationships, your work ethic, the time with your loved, ones a million times better.
If you’re not a part of the 212 Health and Performance family, we would love the opportunity to help get you back on track, and go on your journey with you. If you are a 212er already and you’ve taken a little hiatus, your phone will be ringing soon. ;-) ! Wink, wink!!
Until next time, continue to live life 1 degree above the rest.