Getting back on track…

You may have noticed it has been a wee while since I’ve posted a blog…  I’ve been so busy I just haven’t had a chance. And I wish I could say that this just applied to this blog, but it’s also my training. I haven’t properly worked out in a week or so, which for me, is ages. And when I don’t work out, my eating also goes pear shape. That though, has been happening for longer than the week. So basically I’m in a rut and need to get out of it. I need to get back into my healthy lifestyle, and actually practice what I preach. 

So I thought I would create a blog on getting back on track, which is as much for me as it is for you. I know summer holidays have just finished, lots of people are looking at kick starting their healthy lifestyle so hopefully this will help 🙂

First of all I want to say, we are all human. Life happens and we can’t be perfect 24/7. For some reason we are so obsessed with being perfect all the time that when blips happen, people panic and self criticise so much. 

A. That won’t help.

B. You don’t have to be perfect all the time.

C. It happens to everyone.

The most important thing is to minimise the amount of time this happens for. At the end of the day, one bad meal won’t harm your progress or one missed gym session, but one week, one month… Now these habits become longer term and that’s what we need to prevent. We need to help you get back on track, and the following steps should help you. They should help you get back to a healthy lifestyle.

• Drink lots of water. This is self explanatory but one of the best ways to get back on track is to drink more water. 9/10 junk foods are extremely high in sodium and processed crap, and will dehydrate you. Drinking water will obviously rehydrate you and start replenish what is lost. When you’re dehydrated as well you get hunger pangs and are likely to pig out. Drinking water will prevent that and hopefully prevent unnecessary eating. Water is essential to getting back on track really. 
• Move your body! I know I know, when you’re bloated, eaten crap, not moved in a while, working out is the last thing you want to do. And I’m not saying go straight into a crazy HIIT session but start off small. Go for a light walk, start off small and do light sessions whilst you get back into it. A light sweat I promise will do the world of good, it’ll help ease the bloat and a good sweat will start to get rid of those toxins.
• Build up slowly. If you’ve had a couple of weeks, month off, going straight back into it is going to be hard. For some they need to dive head first, but for others, when you let it slide for a while, it can knock your confidence and you simply don’t know how to get back into it. For me, I make sure I slowly cut out my bad habits (chocolate is my current vice which I’m trying to stop), and I start off with little walks. This works for me where I can build up my health slowly, making sure its manageable and before you know it, I’m back smashing those classes.
• Start RIGHT NOW. Don’t wait until Monday, a new month, New Year… These are great as times to set new goals but don’t wait to start fresh. It doesn’t matter if you start at 5pm with a good dinner or if you start on a Thursday, just start. Your body doesn’t care when it is, it just wants to be healthy. It just wants it nutrients and it wants to be fit. Why wait to do that? Waiting a few days, hours etc won’t achieve anything. Do it as soon as you get the urge to. Don’t let that momentum go. 
• Go easy on yourself! Nothing will be achieved if you beat yourself up. You’ll just get down and keep in that cycle. Like I said, it’s so normal. I’m a bloody part time PT and hold my hand up to falling off the wagon. It’s fine. It happens. We’re human. It’s OK. Go easy on yourself and start fresh. 
• Get help!! I’m not saying go get a PT, some people may need that and that’s fine, it’s what we’re here for. But most people leave their healthy lifestyle because they’re bored or like me, it doesn’t fit their current routine. So change it up and find help. Whether that’s a friend and you want a buddy to go to the gym with, or whether that’s finding a different class to restart your regime, or looking online at new recipes, or finding a fabulous blog to inspire you 😉 sometimes we all need a helping hand to get us back on track and that is absolutely fine. There is no shame in asking for help to kick start. 
• Just do it! Stop thinking about doing it and just do it. I don’t really have an explanation for this. Just do it.

So I hope that helps. Even if you disregard all the tips that I have given you, hopefully you will at least be thinking about getting into a healthy lifestyle. And if none of that helps, writing has helped me to kick start my routine again, so that’s one bonus.