When you are working towards reaching a fitness goal, it can be very easy to fall off track. This can be down to a number of reasons, such as lack of motivation, lack of energy, a busy work life getting in the way, or just a holiday break. It can be a strenuous period because you may have lost the routine and consistency that was helping you make initial progress and, as a result, a downward spiral of no exercise and binge eating can follow.
So, while it is understandable and normal to have a blip every now and then, it is very important to put it behind you and get back into a routine as soon as possible. However, for some people, this can be easier said than done. It can be a real challenge to find that drive to regain the consistency and continue working towards your goal. This article will give you tips on how to achieve exactly that.
Think Of The End Goal
People can go off track for many reasons, but one of the most common is a lack of motivation. This can happen at any time and can affect the rate of your progress. So, before you do anything, you need to be ready mentally before you are physically. To do this, you have to remind yourself of why you started in the first place. What drove you to make the decision of getting in shape? Was it to improve your self-confidence, have more energy during the day, feel stronger, or just look good on the beach for your summer holiday?
You will have a deep, emotional reason why they want to get into shape – that is why you started. So, you need to remind yourself of that reason and visualise how you want to look and feel at the end of the process. You then need to relate each task to your end goal and realise that you won’t get there unless you perform each task consistently and to the best of your ability. Once this becomes clear in your mind, your motivation to get back on track should drastically improve.
Have Clarity Of What You Need To Do And How To Do It
Once you have regained your motivation, you then need to have an action plan of how to reach your goal. You may already have this in place from when you started and if so, then continue with that. However, if you don’t, it is important to figure this out as soon as possible so that you have clarity and structure in place before the hard work begins.
This means having a training and nutrition plan that is tailored towards your goals, your work schedule, your training experience and the equipment at your disposal. You then need to figure out how to integrate this into your life and what times work best for you. Improving other areas such as performing a sustainable form of cardio, sleep, stress, digestion, water intake and NEAT (none-exercise activity thermogenesis) is also going to be key to your progress.
Have The Right Support And Guidance
If you are looking to get back on track, you may find it hard to go at it alone. Firstly, it can be hard to consistently motivate yourself to keep going and stay disciplined with the most important areas. Therefore, having a coach, mentor and someone you know to regularly support you is going to be key, especially during the times when you are down and not inspired to train or stick to your diet is going to be vital for getting through tough times and staying consistent.
Having someone by your side is also important when it comes to doing the right things well. This can range from exercise execution and tempo to adjusting your calories every few weeks. Without the knowledge required, it is risky to make changes yourself and you may not even know if you are performing the required tasks to maximum effect. So, a coach or mentor who will make the right decisions when required and make sur that you are getting the best reward for your efforts is vital.
Do Your Food Shop Early
One of the most important things you can do to get yourself back into a routine is to do a big food shop that will last you for several days or even a week. If you have no food in the house, the temptation to order a takeaway or go to a restaurant increases, which means that you are getting yourself off to a bad start. By doing a food shop, you are buying all the necessary foods for your fitness goal(s) and setting yourself for the week.
You can then work on preparing your meals if you have a busy job or cook as you go if you have more time on your hands. This will help you make healthier and better choices with your food and bring back a structure to your days, therefore getting you back on track with your nutrition.
Weigh Yourself and Take Photos Of Yourself
One final thing you should do is weigh yourself and take pictures of your physique as soon as you decide to start a routine again. This will give you an idea of where you are starting from drive you to keep going, week-by-week, once you start to see progress. If you don’t have anything to work towards and you can’t see where you started from, it can be very difficult to notice if you are doing the right things correctly and making progress. Once you start to see your body shape changing and a lighter reading on the scales, it is going to deliver happiness and encourage you to keep going.
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