What To Do When You “Fall Off The Wagon”

Have you ever “fallen off the wagon” with your diet & exercise program? I have….and I know that there are a number of reasons for why we can get derailed the biggest mistake I make is aiming for perfection. Below you will find some strategies for getting back on track.

1. Start with your next meal: Don’t let a small slip up turn into a week long binge. Having an “all or nothing” mentality is a guaranteed way to stress yourself out and keep you from achieving the healthy life you desire. If you eat too much at a dinner party- SO WHAT?!? Don’t let it blow your entire week, instead start your next day off with a protein filled breakfast & move on.
2. Drink extra water: To me, the worst part about eating bad is feeling boated the next day. The morning after eating any bread, desserts or high sodium restaurant meals I immediately notice puffiness in my face, hands and abdomen. Highly processed foods, alcohol and caffeine will all cause our bodies to retain fluid, which is why we look “puffy ” after consuming them. The best way to get rid of the water retention is to actually flush it out by drinking more water. As a rule of thumb, aim for at least 80oz daily, or half your body weight in ounces (whichever is larger). Personally though, I aim to drink a gallon (128oz) of water every day.
3. Give yourself some grace & figure out what went wrong: Whatever you do, resist the urge label yourself by this event. Getting out of your healthy routine does not make you a bad person. Shaming yourself, or giving yourself a guilt trip serves no purpose. Instead, look at the situation to figure out WHAT WENT WRONG. Were your goals too aggressive given your current reality? Did you fail to plan ahead? What do you need in order for you to be successful? Determine a realistic goal, a realistic plan and get back on track.

One last thing to keep in mind, when you set out again set small goals first. Doing this will allow you to gain so traction and self confidence. Nothing is more discouraging than feeling like a failure all the time. Don’t do this to yourself by setting unrealistic goals. For guidance on where to start, see my 3 Rules for Living Fit at the bottom of this post to help get you started.

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” ~Mark Victor Hansen

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