Restarting Your Fitness Journey

It’s not easy. You may have been there before or you’re there now. You finally got fit and reached your goals. Then life happened and all of a sudden you’re back to where you started feeling discouraged and lost. The thought of starting over becomes overwhelming as you think of all the hard work you’ll have to put in again. Keep in mind, a fitness journey is just that, a journey. You can’t beat yourself up and look back. You have to look forward and push on in the present. There will be times in life where you’re able to hit all your goals and stay consistent. Then there may be seasons of life where you fall off a bit, lose motivation, or go through a personal hardship that throws you off. 

If you’re getting back into your fitness journey there are several key factors you can implement that will help you achieve the goals you have met before. 

Make A Plan and Stick To It

One of the easiest ways to stay consistent is to have a plan that you can rely on when you don’t know where to start. Remember you’ve done this before. Go back to old routines that helped you in the past or start a new plan completely that supports where you are now. There are so many resources (many free) that you can utilize. Online resources such as accredited personal trainers on social media, paid coaches or trainers, workout guides, etc., can be beneficial for those that may feel lost when they’re just getting back into the swing of things. The beginning of a workout plan is often the easiest part. It’s the sticking to it that presents more difficult due to daily unexpected occurrences. There are days you may not feel like it but that’s where you have to turn motivation into discipline. You won’t always be motivated so just stick to the plan no matter how you feel. Starting out with no plan is a sure fire way to ensure failure, inconsistency, and no progress. 

Establish What Your Goals Are 

Having sustainable goals to reach over a period of time is important to your fitness journey. Having no goals means not knowing what progress you should be making. Make a list of attainable goals and stick to them consistently to see the results you’re seeking. This can be weight loss goals, fat loss goals, muscle growth goals, or endurance goals. Make it something personal to you, something you can be proud of when you accomplish it. 

Be Realistic About Your Goals 

If you’re like me, I know you want to lose the extra weight as soon as possible, or get your muscle gains back ASAP. Being unrealistic about your goals and the timeframe it’ll take to get there is another way to rush into failure. Setting realistic goals helps to not feel discouraged when you don’t reach the impossible standards you set for yourself. If part of keeping track of your goals is calorie counting, weighing yourself, or taking progress pictures, set yourself up for success by having healthy expectations of these things. If you’re in a calorie deficit and counting calories, be careful about setting your calories too low. Undereating will be detrimental to your fitness journey. Of course put yourself in a calorie deficit, but make sure you’re at least eating enough for your activity level. If weighing yourself is how you prefer to see your progress over time, be weary of becoming too obsessed with the scale. Our weight fluctuates so much during the day and even over the course of a few days. Instead of weighing daily, try weighing weekly, biweekly, or monthly, whatever makes you feel most comfortable while still maintaining a healthy relationship with the scale. Taking progress pictures is another great way to track progress and can even show the non scale victories such as body recomposition. Similarly to weighing yourself, take progress pictures in a frequency that is realistic in showing real progress over time. Have patience and be tactful about how you’re going to reach and track each milestone. 

Understand Nutrition vs. Diet 

Nutrition is one of if not the most important aspects of fitness. You may have heard it before, results start in the kitchen. It’s not about a “diet” or a “fad”. Think sustainability. What is something you can sustain for a lifetime so that when you do reach your goals, you don’t fall backwards when you stop eating that way. Nutrient dense foods will fuel your workouts and aid in overall health. Don’t overcomplicate it and don’t think nutritious foods can’t be delicious. When cravings hit, honor those cravings, in moderation. Moderation is key when it comes to anything in life. Too much or too little of anything can quickly become a bad thing. Craving that ice cream or your favorite chips? Eat it in moderation. Learn how to fit your favorite foods into your macros or into your calorie deficit if that’s what you are going for. Many of your favorite foods can be easily modified in a more nutrient dense way. There are endless recipes online and social media apps like Instagram and TikTok. It’s easier than ever to find quick, easy, nutrient dense recipes to try and follow. Be mindful that you don’t eat too little as that can sabotage your ability to get through your workouts and to push yourself properly. Avoid falling into the diet culture trap, and stick to the basics, ensuring all your body’s needs are met while also enjoying all your favorite foods in moderation. Developing a healthy relationship to food is key in achieving long term success in your fitness journey.