There is a mini mantra constantly used with our clients that seems to be a mental “unlock” when it comes to framing and building better training/lifestyle/nutrition habits.
“Life happens. It always will”.
It is a reminder that, though we all strive to be dialed in and want to be “perfect”, life will always get in the way of that in some way, shape, or form.
Nutritional habits will get thrown out of whack. Fitting training within the rest of your schedule will get hard. You might just decide you need a mental break and take a few days off.
Stuff happens. Oftentimes when stuff happens, the first thing to go are the new routines around habits that you are trying to build.
There is nothing wrong with that.
Read that line again and then twice on Sunday.
But you are here reading this blog so you are probably curious as to ways to mitigate that “damage” caused when life happens.
No this is not going to be a “5 ways to do X” style of thing. Rather, a quick process to walk yourself through, because if life is getting in the way, time is of the essence.
1. Become consciously aware that life is happening.
Awareness is the key when a change is happening. If you find yourself struggling to maintain what you are doing when it comes to health and fitness as of late, take a step back for a sec and walk yourself through what you are doing now compared to what you were doing in the rest of life 2-3 weeks ago. Maybe it is extra stress at work, kids are sick, etc. Find that change. Become aware of it and then realize, you are not the one who is failing. Life is just happening right now.
2. Consciously make a choice, and commit to what can be done.
In other words, do not beat yourself up if you cannot keep up all of the things that you were doing. Prioritize and emphasize what you can still do rather than beat yourself up about what you did not or cannot do. Can’t hit the gym but have time to take a 10 minute walk? Commit to that walk. Can’t be bothered with nutrition but can hit a water intake goal? Do that. Keep up with what you can. Do not stress about what you can’t do.
3. Get back to regular scheduled programming when life allows
This one is pretty self explanatory. You might have taken a step back, now it’s time to regain that step and keep moving forward as if nothing has happened. The “damage” that happened when life happened probably is not as bad as you think.
So take home message here, life will win. It is undefeated, taking down the most worthy of foes. But you do not have to let it win in the ling run. Focus and do what you can, get back to fully on track when life allows.