3 Steps to Bouncing Back When You Fall Off the Fitness Wagon

Falling off the wagon sucks.

I’m sure you’ve been there too. Your diet and workout plan is going great until it’s not. You have a bad day at work, you get in a fight with your boyfriend, your cat pooped on your bedroom floor… I don’t have a cat but the other stuff resonates.

And all of a sudden you’re like screw the gym! I’m staying home to watch Scandal and eat a whole tub of ice cream. And you know what?

That’s okay. When my clients check in, I ask them whether or not they met their macro targets and follow it up with “If not, DON’T WORRY!” Why?

Because beating yourself up over the past doesn’t help anything. Plus, you’re human and life happens for all of us. I have days, sometimes weeks, where my workouts and diet are all over the place. Here are a couple tips for falling off the wagon but sticking the landing on the way down:

1) Give yourself some grace.

Chances are good that you needed the break for your psyche! A great trick is to think about what you would say if this was your girlfriend coming to you, saying “I messed up and I’m so mad at myself.” What would you say to her? Chances are you’d tell her to give herself a break because her boyfriend was being a turd or she had her time of the month and just really needed that whole tub of ice cream. Treat yourself the way you’d treat a friend and you’ll feel a lot better about bouncing back.

2) Get yourself thinking about your WHY again.

Why did you start working on a healthier lifestyle in the first place? Was it to lose a pant size? Was it for that cruise you’re taking over spring break? Was it to enter your first bikini competition or to feel more energized during busy, stressful work days? It’s soo important to know your why and come back to it on days when you’re feeling off track. Put it on a sticky on your mirror, post it up on your fridge, write it in a journal, or tell your friend to remind you of it when she sees you slackin’.

3) Make a game plan.

Figure out what you can do differently if this happens again. How did this happen and how can we prevent the same mistake happening twice? With my clients, if they struggle to hit a certain macro target, this is our cue to adjust their targets to allow for more of their favorite foods within the same overall calorie goal. If you know you’re going to eat a whole tub of ice cream when you’re sad, save yourself the calories and buy Halo Top. If you know on Fridays you always end up skipping the gym to go out, plan your workouts for the morning. Risk mitigation, friends. It’s powerful!

I hope you found this helpful! Your fitness journey is a mental battle. Sometimes, it’s all about outsmarting your own brain. If you need more help with strategizing, hit reply and I’d be happy to brainstorm how to keep your commitment on point and your comeback game strong.

Hope you’re having a beautiful Friday! <3

Xx,

Em