There seems to be 2 popular seasons for fitness. The first of which is “swimsuit/vacation/summer prep” which usually starts as people start to emerge after holidays in late January all the way till March. The other is just following summer and all it’s various holidays (Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, 4th of July, and Labor Day). It’s that reality check of…..”oh shit, I may have let it go a bit but I’m ready to reeeeeeeel it back in.” The reason I feel comfortable speaking about this topic is because TRUST ME….I’ve been there. I’ve been there in both instances of just feeling like I’ve let go of my fitness routine and healthy eating regiment. Not as much in the last 5 years as my early 20’s, BUT nonetheless I have had those feelings of trying to figure out how the hell I’m going to get it together. First, BE KIND TO YOURSELF. You can’t undo a whole summer in one week – nor do you need to! Be patient in the process and just get started.
The biggest disservice you could do for yourself right now would be to call it quits. Even if your goal seems far away, it’s still possible with a little hard work and consistency. I think it’s easy to tell you “what to do” to get back on track. In fact, I believe I’ve written a few blogs before about getting back on track after indulgent times. But I thought the topic of sabotage was just as important. I want you to get rid of your limiting beliefs when it comes to getting fit. I have compiled a quick list of 5 things that could potentially be sabotaging your fitness goals so that you can go and CRUSH IT the finals months of 2017.
1.) You throw in the towel every weekend.
Do you know this person? Are you this person? I’m talking about 3 days of going totally ham like it is a holiday weekend (but every weekend). The word workout isn’t in your vocabulary on weekends. If it’s not pizza, sugar, or alcohol – you aren’t interested in participating.
MY TIP: Don’t take on everything at once cold turkey. You don’t by any means have to workout all 3 days and not ever indulge in fun foods, BUT maybe try to add one good thing in. You can still enjoy your weekend and be active. Maybe you get a couple of workouts out of the way Friday and Saturday morning. Maybe instead of enjoying 3 heavy meals a day on weekend days, you choose 1.
2.) You wait for an opportune time.
You have a wedding to go to at the end of October so you are just going to wait until a couple weeks out. Your goal is to look really hot at those holiday parties in November/December so you still have PLENTY of time. Right??? NO! Choosing times to be fit is setting yourself up for a long road of yo yo dieting and crushing your adrenals. The more extreme the approach, the harder it is going to be to maintain when you aren’t doing that exact thing.
MY TIP: There’s never going to be an opportune time. Life always gets in the way and for some…..working out does not come easy. It becomes….”Oh, I’ll tackle this task next month.” But here’s the thing: Next month, turns into Christmas, which turns into spring, etc. You get the gist. Make a decision NOW to start. It doesn’t have to be aggressive if you can just keep at it year round. Consistency is the key to longevity when it comes to fitness.
3.) You don’t set boundaries.
Is your workout time constantly getting interrupted or easy to cancel on? Try not to set unrealistic goals. If you know you won’t wake up at 4:30 AM, maybe consider changing that time. If you know you don’t have energy at the end of the day, don’t schedule a workout. If you are easily interrupted by husband, wife, children, parents, friends, family, etc > SET BOUNDARIES. If your workout time is important enough, you will make that known. It’s not something to be embarrassed about. It’s a form of self care and that’s just as important as going to the bathroom (HAAAAA). I know it’s not as easy as what I’m saying. I do however think if you want to workout bad enough, you will make it happen regardless of circumstances. I realize not everyday is cake walk and some days just AREN’T GOING TO HAPPEN because LIFE HAPPENS. But what I can tell you is that if you consistently make an effort on the days you can, you’ll be more likely to have success when it comes to reaching your fitness goals.
MY TIP: Schedule workouts as best you can and ask for help if you need it. Don’t be afraid to ask for assistance or support from those who are around you most. I once had a client say she feels guilty asking her husband for help because she feels she should be taking care of him. Meaning she takes care of the kids and she preps dinner. He gets to kick back and relax. Listen, it’s 2017. Times have changed. I won’t go on about this topic, but consider having those deeper conversations if you want/need the help and support of your significant other.
4.) You aren’t eating mindfully or healthy.
You can’t out train a bad diet. I’ve seen many many clients who get so frustrated because they train their asses off. Literally! They put in major work training anywhere from 5-7 days a week hard. It’s easy to think you are going to get super fit by putting in this much work at the gym. If it isn’t paired with good eating though, you can basically cancel it out (If you are lucky). Some people actually put on weight because they are training hard and eating way more calories than they should be. They may put on some muscle, but mostly fat if it’s a high caloric/high sugar/high (bad) fat diet.
MY TIP: Be mindful with your eating. You don’t have to eat healthy 100% of the time, but how about 75-80%? If cooking isn’t your thing, maybe you can carve out a meal delivery service into your budget? OR subscribe to a nutrition/recipe blog you really like. There are so many resources out there today for simple recipes under 10 minutes (YES…..10 minutes)! As someone with zero patience when it comes to cooking, I still find a way to eat healthy most of the time. And I don’t always have meal delivery service. I’m cooking my own meals for most of the year.
5.) You don’t have a plan.
You want to get fit ASAP but you didn’t really think about how you were going to do it. Making a plan always helps and will be key to your success. I’m talking about down to the day, time, and type of workout. For some people, this is a game changer! Being able to just look at a calendar and know what you are going to do each day will greatly increase your retention rate.
MY TIP: If you hate the gym, buy an at home program. Maybe consider purchasing some simple pieces of equipment for your “home gym.” Purchase a program that you are excited about trying! Of course I’m going to plug my own, because this is my e-mail. But there are thousands of programs to choose from all over the internet. I currently have a 6 week, 12 week, and 30 day program on the Kick-Ass Training Guides. You can bundle them all or just try one. If you have any questions or are considering, feel free to visit my PROGRAMS PAGE.
