How to Course Correct If Your Health & Wellness Plans Got Off Track
Getting off track can mean a single missed workout, a days’ worth of poor nutritional choices, or even months of sitting around saying tomorrow will be the day I start. It can also mean going rogue every weekend or falling short each holiday season. Regardless of how you got off track or how long you’ve been off track – remember these four key actions to course correct:
1. Be Positive! The energy you put in will be the energy you get back – so make it positive and be kind to yourself. Don’t replay the past times you fell short. Instead, think of the future, and focus on the good. You should be proud of every little step you’ve made and each accomplishment you’ve achieved along the way. Not everyone takes that first step, but you did. Give yourself some grace, and be proud of how far you’ve come. Keep moving forward and keep your head up high. You can do this! We believe in you!
2. Remain Flexible. Creating a routine can help to provide some structure and balance in your day. However, daily routines cannot be followed to perfection 365 days a year. That’s life. Create a routine that allows for some flexibility. Too rigid of a routine can make you want to jump off track, but too flexible of a routine can mean not enough direction. Remember, routines are merely roadmaps, and some routes will have rough roads. It’s okay if you stall just as long as you navigate back.
3. Re-Evaluate Your Goal. We set high personal expectations, but sometimes that perpetual unforgiving pressure can hold us back from our own success. Most begin with the best intentions, but often set unrealistic and/or unstainable goals trying to change too much too fast. Instead, make a slow transition to lifelong practices, and ease your way in. Changing too much too fast can be extremely overwhelming. Start with a goal that truly motivates you, then create a defined goal that is achievable, measurable, and sustainable.
4. Hold Yourself Accountable. We’ve all made excuses, but in the end we only cheat ourselves. It’s time to hold yourself accountable. Follow up with what you set out for and create regular personal check-ins to track your progress. If you haven’t thrived on your own, then it may be time to phone a friend. Gain support from a spouse, family member, friend, neighbor or even a colleague. Have them join you in the journey or check in periodically. You can also invest financially into your goal by joining a group fitness class or partnering with a personal trainer.
If working out and eating right were easy, then we’d never have goals to be better. The truth is – no matter who you are – goals take effort. If you get sidetracked don’t feel defeated. It happens to the best of us. Remember, at some point you made a commitment to yourself to be better, and we trust you can. Put in the work, dedicate yourself and always look forward. Remember, it’s not how we fall, it’s how we get back up.