3 Steps to Health and Fitness After Failing
I did it again and I’m so frustrated with myself but really, there is no one to blame but myself. Falling off the health and fitness routine is so easy. Starting over is hard! Why do I keep finding myself in this ridiculous merry-go-round of fitness and health?
A few months ago I had gotten into the habit of walking or slow-jogging every day. It was a great routine. 1-3 miles, shower, have an apple cider vinegar drink, then get to work. I wasn’t losing weight quickly but I was definitely losing weight and feeling pretty good. I was sleeping well, drinking less coffee, and had more energy.
Then the Florida summer heat and humidity hit, which usually comes with thunderstorms. I became inundated with work-related things and worried about taking daylight hours away from the priority list. With a harried schedule, the majority of my “meals” were coffee and Goldfish, and dinner became my largest meal eaten at the end of a long day – right before I fell asleep.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!
It’s not the first time I’ve done this. Likely, it won’t be the last time I circle back on this crazy hamster wheel. Here’s the thing… I’m nearly 50. I cannot lose weight by simply changing my diet anymore. I HAVE TO EXERCISE. I have to get my cardio up. I have to eat better, rest better, and BE better. Most frustrating is that I KNOW BETTER. And yet, as soon as I start feeling good and seeing results, I stop the good things and return to the bad habits.
I get up again
I am recommitting myself to a better health and fitness routine and I really hope that my internet family will check in and cheer me on. If you feel like you’re struggling through this same stupid cycle, then maybe it’s a great time to join me. We can do this together.
Here are 3 key steps to come back to a health and fitness routine.
- COMMITMENT
- FINDING BALANCE
- NEVER GIVE UP
COMMITMENT
Make a commitment to yourself.
Here is how my mind works. I get to a point where I can’t stand myself anymore. I don’t like how I feel. I don’t like how everything hurts because I’m fat. I don’t like how my thighs rub against each other when I walk and I don’t like how my belly is protruding out nearly as much as my breasts.
I’ve stated everything that I don’t like. Now it’s time to state the goals and commit to them. The key here is to make small, reasonable goals that are achievable.
I commit to exercising EVERY DAY for at least 20 minutes. If it’s too hot or stormy to walk, then I will do something else like burpees.
I’ve done the 30 burpees in 30 days challenge.
Burpees Suck but they do the job
The first time I did the challenge, it took me about 3 hours to get all 30 burpees done. It was scary because I thought I was going to fall on my face and eat my teeth, but I did it. The next day I was faster; and the day after that, and the day after that. I should have committed to another 30 days – but I didn’t.
FINDING BALANCE
One of my most used excuses is “I’m busy”. Guess what? I’m always busy. If I’m not busy with work stuff, I’m busy with busy stuff. But if I’m making a commitment to myself then I need to put my ass on the priority list.
Finding that work/life balance is hard especially since I work from home. I’m accessible and at my “office” all day, every day. 30 minutes is NOT too much to ask to do something healthy.
NEVER GIVE UP
The biggest hurdle I have is stopping once I feel good. I need to change my mindset and never give up. It’s easier to continue with the health and fitness routine than it is to stop, get fat and start over. I know this. You know this. So, I need to stop giving up and just keep going.
I’ve mentioned the apple cider vinegar drink a couple of times and I promise that I will write more about it; the benefits I’ve found from it, and why I’m recommitting to starting that again.
It was the 30-day ACV challenge that I started, completed, then stopped.
So, let’s summarize the 3 steps to health and fitness after failing.
I made a promise to myself to lose weight, get fit and stay healthy. I am making the commitment to me because I love me, and frankly, I want to live long and well.
This commitment to self includes finding a work/life balance that doesn’t cheat me from achieving my daily goal of exercising every day.
Finally, I pledge that I will never give up this journey because I want to feel good. I will continue because I want to live in health and wellness. It is said that if you state it out loud and publicly, it’s easier to hold ourselves accountable. I can try.
Want to join me?
Send me your Day 1 health and fitness journey selfie and tell me what your achievable goal is. I’d love to feature you in an update. meredith@wildoneforever.com