Week 3 Challenge - Dealing With "Life Happens"

Well here we are at the END of week 3 and I am just now posting your weekly challenge.  My apologies.  As you all know life sometimes gets in the way of your daily goals/tasks.  That's what happened to me this week.  I celebrated a birthday, had company in town, training for a half marathon, playing soccer, working, writing blogs...the list goes on of things I did in the last 7 days.  So what do you do when "life happens"?  This week's challenge is to learn how to deal with these unexpected setbacks/problems/adventures.

Maybe you are on your weigh-loss journey.  Maybe you've met your goal and now you are in the "maintenance" phase.  Maybe you are just trying to get by each day, one step at a time.  Wherever you are in your life journey, it's important to learn how to handle the small stuff.  Sometimes life hands you a big pile of you-know-what right in the middle of your journey.  Don't let that deter you from working towards your goal(s). Check out a previous blog on setbacks.  In a small attempt to be cheeky, take everything with a grain of salt.  Stay focused on your goal and keep pushing forward.  Rearrange your schedule when life happens to schedule a little "me-time".  Whether that "me-time" is a workout, a manicure/pedicure, a massage, a walk in the park, or just a good ol' fashioned scream and cry, be sure to have that time for you.  Remember, whatever life hands you (good or bad), it's only a small step in your big journey.

So how do you deal with these stressors in life?  Be patient.  Your goal this week (oops, I mean weekend) is to start learning how you deal with obstacles.  If you are working towards a goal (weight loss, eating healthy, reducing stress, etc), take a few moments to jot down potential obstacles that will prevent you from meeting that goal.  Once you've completed that, think about (and write down) how you will handle those obstacles.  Planning ahead will help when life deals you an obstacle.  You know the Boy Scouts' motto..."Always Be Prepared".  Why not adopt that in your life?  Be prepared for obstacles.  Be prepared for changes to your goal.  Be prepared to step up and not let life get in your way.

Good luck with this challenge and remember, post your comments/thoughts/struggles on our Facebook page or at the end of this blog.  Til next week........

Setbacks...Helpful or Harmful?

We've all been there before.  We've worked hard to reach a goal or complete a task, when "Bam!"...something gets in our way.  Life happens...kids get sick, the boss gives you more work than you can handle, the car breaks down.  Remember the saying "two steps forward, one step back"?  Does that have positive or negative connotations for you?  If it seems negative to you, why not turn that statement around..."one step back, two steps forward".

It's natural to feel guilty when you have a misstep.  The trick is not letting the guilt overwhelm you and take control of the situation.  A misstep in your fitness or weight loss goal is just that...a misstep.  If, as a child, we gave up every time we fell when learning to walk, where would we be today?  Sometimes it is easier said than done.

Missteps come in many shapes and sizes.  Maybe you planned a family vacation and it interrupted your regular exercise routine.  Perhaps you were seeing positive changes in the way your body looks when the holidays approached and you snacked a little too much.  Instead of beating yourself up about what went wrong, ask yourself, "where do I go from here".  Take a look back and reevaluate what happened and how, if possible, you can prevent that misstep in the future.

Staying motivated during setbacks can be difficult.  Keep the negative thoughts at bay by getting back to your regular routine as soon as you can.  Talk about your setback with a friend, family member or workout partner.  Plan ahead for the next time you are faced with the same setback.  If holiday parties and festivities put too many food temptations in front of you, eat a healthy meal BEFORE you attend the party.  That way you won't be tempted to indulge in all of the goodies.  Sample a few but you since you have eaten prior to the party, you should only want a few, if any, of the temptations.  Even though we cannot plan for sicknesses or mechanical failures (cars, washing machines, etc.), we can have a back up such as a home workout plan.  DVDs are a great back up plan for the times you cannot make it to the gym.  The neighborhood park is an excellent outdoor gym.

Remember..."one step back, two steps forward".  Setbacks can be helpful because it can redirect your focus.  Stay motivated and stay positive.  Also, don't try to "double-up" because you had a setback.  Maintain your focus and be committed to do things right as much as you can!!  Need a little extra help with motivation?  Come in to PROMATx Health Club and talk with a trainer or nutrition specialist.  We can help you get back on track.

"Fall seven times, get up eight." 

-- Japanese proverb