What to do when you fall out of sync with your exercise routine
Often life gets in the way of sticking to your exercise routine, making it seemingly impossible to get back on the wagon. Here are some tips on how to move past the self-blame, and get back into the swing of things.
These days, it doesn’t take much for something bigger – and more pressing – to get in the way of regular exercise. Whether it’s working long hours, juggling the kids’ needs, or meeting family/community responsibilities, there’s always a catalyst.
At times, it can feel like a double edge sword. You know you should exercise to help alleviate stress and keep your energy levels up. But at the same time, you’ve just got too much on to commit the time.
And this can be particularly disheartening if you’ve made strides in your fitness. For some of us, not being able to stick to our routine, can breed self-limiting thoughts. It leads to less exercise, couch (wine) time, and a general feeling of sluggish-ness and unease.
Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. That was me the other week! The good news is that you’ve got the tools right now to get you out of your lack-of-exercise-funk. And it all starts with your thoughts.
Here are my five top tips for getting back to your fitness routine:
1. Keep positive. Just because you’ve missed a few sessions of yoga/gym/running/dance doesn’t mean your intention to get fitter and stay active has wavered. It doesn’t undo all the hard yards you’ve done. The very fact that you want to get back into exercise is proof you’re building a healthy habit mindset.
2. Take a non-judgemental look at why. And by this I mean looking at what’s cropped up to make you detour. It’s not labelling them as excuses, but taking a step back to see what’s changed in your circumstances – personally and mentally. Taking this self-care approach helps to reframe your thought process and can help move you into action.
3. Keep perspective. You are not training (are you?) for the Olympics or Commonwealth Games. Here, missing training would really matter! So it’s ok to miss a few sessions. Sure you have goals, but they won’t be hindered too much if you’ve got the right frame of mind.
4. Visualise yourself back. Sometimes we think we’ve let too much time lapse, and we won’t be able to handle going back to our routine. This is where visualisation really helps. Just think back to the last time you were doing your fitness thing and remember how strong/fit/good you felt. It’s all muscle memory. You’ve done it before, and you can do it again.
5. Ease your way back in. If you have left it a little long, take it easy. Don’t rush back to the level you may have been at before. Don’t worry, it won’t take long till you’re back to your previous fitness level.
Have you got a great tip to share about getting back into the swing of things? I’d love to hear it. Please post in the comment box below.
If you’ve enjoyed this post and want them delivered to your inbox, hit the subscribe button on the page. And don’t forget to also follow me on Facebook.
Until next time,
Maryanne K
