Admittedly, many among us dream of pursuing a healthier lifestyle, but only a few are actually willing to go for it. Meanwhile, there are those who have tried and then encountered a setback and no longer have an idea how to get back on track. When it comes to going on a health journey, there really is no shortcut, but we can always count on inspirational stories and helpful tips from experts to guide and motivate us. (h/t to AllinaHealth.org)
Falling off the wagon, and getting back
Getting derailed can serve as our starting point and then we can use these tips to make sure that we move forward towards achieving a healthier eating habit.
- Look back on what you’ve done so far – To start off, reflect on your journey before you were derailed. It’s important to discover exactly what caused the setback, then from there, make a plan on how you want to get things done. This will surely make you resilient and help you easily recognize possible pitfalls. For example, if you found out that going to parties caused you to overeat and forget about your healthy diet, then try to avoid too many gatherings or at least control yourself from taking too much food. Soon, you’ll become the master of your course corrections. (Related: Negotiating yourself into good health habits: Expert shares tips for successful manipulation of your mindset.)
- Define what “on-track” means to you – Make a concrete plan by writing down exactly what “on-track” means to you. Think of all the right things you did in the past that helped you maintained good nutrition. Also include behavior, an exercise routine, and good mental health coping skills that you think helped you. List down everything that has worked for you and people who supported you. This way, you won’t have to start from scratch and feel motivated knowing your efforts paid off.
- Take things gradually – Don’t pressure yourself too much to overachieve. It’s best to take things slowly and set a realistic goal. If you try to be perfect, tendencies are you’ll procrastinate and eventually resent either yourself or your goal. Creating a plan required a lot of time, and so does your progress. Patience plays a vital role in trying to get back on track. More importantly, rid your mind of negative or procrastinating thoughts like, “Just one more slice pizza then I’ll stop.”
- Achieve one goal at a time – Of course, there stages you need to reach when getting back on track to healthy eating. Remember to take on every challenge one step at a time and be more realistic when setting goals. Give yourself a deadline on when you must achieve a goal if you must, but never try to attain two goals at one time.
- Make your goal SMART (Specific, Measured, Achievable, Realistic, Timed) – Write down exactly what you’re targeting and set a time limit for it. Start working on it and after the due date, reflect on your progress. Whether you reached your goal or not, make necessary adjustments to ensure success the next time.
- Stop waiting for motivation – Sometimes, motivation really just won’t come and when this happens, it’s up to you to get up and do something about it. Maybe it’s time to stop waiting and start looking for it yourself. It could be really hard when you lose motivation, but try repeatedly doing an action, and this may just lead to a new-found motivation.
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Here’s an extra tip: Don’t be too hard on yourself – Indulging yourself every once in a while is not a grave sin. You can still enjoy good food and think of it as a reward for reaching a goal. However, you always have to be mindful and not let the delicious treat keep you off track again.
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Sources include:
AllinaHealth.org
GoodHouseKeeping
