No matter how determined or committed you are to reaching your health and fitness goals, there will be some bumps along the way.
Here are some of the most common setbacks and tips to help you plan and prepare for temporary derailment.
It starts with having a plan and sticking to it. Decide ahead of time on certain days and times that will work with your schedule to exercise and write it down.
If you’re often tired in the evening, scheduling a morning routine will ensure that you take care of your workout first no matter what life throws at you throughout the day.
Having a scheduled fitness routine or class that you adhere to can also be an important factor to success.
Injuries can’t always be prevented, but the majority which are exercise-related are derived from repetitive movements combined with weak muscles and bones. Listen to your body and respect its limitations to stay injury free.
A way to keep your motivation high is to set a new goal for yourself and periodically switch up your exercises and activities to keep things fresh and fun.
Think about setting S.M.A.R.T goals:
S- Specific. The goals should be easily understood and specific to tell what is to be accomplished.
M- Measurable. The goals should be measurable so there’s no question of attainment .
A- Attainable. The goals must be attainable and are not too difficult or too easy. Easy goals are not motivational and overly difficult ones can lead to frustration.
R- Relevant, The goals must be relevant to the particular need or ability.
T-Time bound. The goals must have specific deadlines for completion.
Believe it or not, showing up late for an exercise class or forgetting something for the gym is one of the most common fitness setbacks.
A sure-proof way to avoid this setback is to
keep a backup gym bag with extra workout clothes, running shoes, water bottle, etc. in your car, office or gym locker.
Most missed workouts are a result of feeling tired or sick.
Whether it’s a stomach ache, headache, cold or flu, you can’t always keep yourself healthy year-round.
But you can help prevent yourself from getting sick by eating a healthy diet, frequent hand washing and taking time for yourself.
Exercise helps ward off sickness and it should be a part of your overall wellness plan. Sometimes a light workout can actually make you feel better.
Being sleep deprived and tired can also affect your workout motivation. Plan to get enough sleep—seven to nine hours. Sleep helps your focus, mood and energy levels.
When recovering from surgery, it’s important to rest and follow the doctor’s orders to have the best possible outcome for recovery.
A post-surgical fitness and exercise routine is very important to a full and speedy recovery from any type of surgery.
I’m recovering from hernia surgery myself right now, so it’s going to take some time to get back to my fitness level, but I will ease back into my routine with slow, low impact and light exercise and a great deal of patience and listening to my body.
So take full responsibility for your health and fitness regimen. When a setback comes, it’s too easy to say “Oh, I’ll do better tomorrow” or “I’ll start up again on Monday.”
Avoid falling into that trap, as you can’t put it off, the time is always now.
