Setbacks Happen - Stick to Your Goals
Setbacks are inevitable. We all have them in every area of our lives. Even the people with the most regimented diet and exercise habits have bad days and have lives that get in the way of best intentions. Don’t let these setbacks discourage you. Keep your eye on the bigger goal. Here are some ways to move on from setbacks so that they don’t end up derailing all of your hard work.
Determine what changes you need in your life to make your goals a reality. If you keep running into the same road blocks each time you start to make changes to your diet and exercise, determine what exactly those road blocks may encompass, and do something to change them. For example, you have decided to exercise every other day, but something always comes up and you don’t do it. Take steps to make it a priority in your day. Put it in your schedule. Another example, you’ve decided to make healthy eating a priority, but you eat out for business frequently, or your friends invite you out for burgers or pizza. Look at the menu online ahead of time and decide on a healthy option. Eat a healthy snack before you go so you aren’t tempted to partake in the wings or nachos your friends or colleagues may have ordered. Remove as many obstacles to your goals as you can.
It’s not all or nothing! Moderation is the key. If you decide to eat a piece of cake, stop there. Don’t eat the whole cake. Eat a few potato chips, not the entire bag. It’s ok to eat those “forbidden” foods sometimes. I prefer to call them sometimes foods. Often, people have this mentality, “I cheated and ate a donut, I might as well have another!” Then, I already ruined my “diet” for the day, I might as well skip my exercise and eat this cheesesteak for lunch.” If you do eat something you wish you hadn’t, stop there, move forward with your day and make an even bigger effort to make healthy choices as the day goes on.
Enlist the help of a friend or family member who may provide an outside view and identify obstacles that you may not be aware of. Sometimes other people are able to see something we are not
Talk with your family and friends about your goals. If you make it clear to the people you love that this change in your life is very important to you, they are more likely to be understanding and supportive. This also could be a good way to encourage these people to join in with you to make changes in their own lives, making it a group effort. Strength in numbers!
Shake it off! If you do slip up, which you will, don't let it make you fall all the way back down the hill. Get back up, brush yourself off, and keep aiming for your goals!
