You’ve been eating right and have upped your workouts or maybe have been religiously exercising at home on your off days from the gym. The pounds have finally started to melt off and you’re seeing results. Then the weekend hit. There was a family celebration and you overindulged. Now you’re feeling guilty, frustrated and did I mention guilty?
It’s okay! You’ve just proven that you’re human. You can get right back on track. And the scale may simply not reflect your indiscretion.
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Losing weight and sticking with a program calls for lots of hard work. It is not uncommon for people to slip up from time to time. In fact, some programs even encourage weekly slip-ups. Even if yours doesn’t, you don’t need to beat yourself up and think all efforts have been in vain.
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Instead of throwing slipping into the “oh well, now I’ve blown it, why keep at it?” mentality, consider taking these steps to overcome the setback you have faced:
- Own your error – Admit to yourself that skipping routine exercise or binge eating was not in your best interest. While an occasional blooper is not uncommon, you want to get yourself in the right mindset to avoid making bad habits your habits.
- Tell your trainer – If you’re working with a trainer, tell them about the setback. No, your trainer is not going to yell at you or make you drop and give him/her 20. (Well, ok, s/he might make you work a bit harder at your next workout.) Instead, your trainer will likely have helpful advice for getting back with the program and avoiding bloopers in the future.
- Consider the trigger that set you off – Try to figure out what made you do what you did. Perhaps you were craving sweets? Maybe you were just too busy to get down to the gym? It could be that friends dropped by with your favorite take-out food in hand? Whatever the case, try to recognize the trigger so you can avoid it in the future. Do let your trainer know about possible triggers. S/he can help you come up with alternative behaviors that can help you down the road.
- Forgive yourself – None of us is perfect! Not you, not me, not your trainer. Slipping up is perfectly human. The mistake is not the problem. It’s the steps you take following it that matter. Let the error go and resolve to stick with the program and refocus yourself on the goals you have set. One or two setbacks doesn’t mean those goals are not attainable.
As much as most people would like it to be, weight loss is not an overnight adventure. To realize healthy, safe and lasting changes in weight, time is the key. Keep in mind that all of the good habits you are starting now are not a diet, and it’s not about “being good.” These are daily lifestyle changes that will stick with you for the rest of your life. Looking at it from this perspective, makes it easier to handle the slip-ups. You haven’t “been bad.” You’re just trying to make today a little healthier than yesterday. Occasional detours are often a part of the road to weight loss. Just make sure to clear your mind and get back on the right path when they happen.
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About the Author
Ginny Grupp is the owner of AlaskaFit, LLC, Anchorage’s premier fitness and wellness company. If you’re ready to begin your own journey to better health, please call 783-1241 right now to receive a complimentary nutrition and fitness Consultation (valued at $87).
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If you’re not yet ready for our free consultation offer, please click the box to the right and download our free “Healthy Meals in 10 Minutes or Less” and get started on your own right now. Remember, it’s not about getting into shape, it’s about getting into life!
