Nobody's Perfect: Overcoming Setbacks and Regaining Motivation

Nobody's perfect. Not even me. Ha ha, no I'm totally kidding - ESPECIALLY not me!

Over this past year, I seem to have inadvertently made quite a reputation for myself amongst family and friends as a bit of a "health nut". I remember, back before I became interested in nutrition and fitness, how I used to view people who were supposed "health nuts." Out of sheer ignorance I assumed that they, first of all had a screw loose, but secondly never indulged in anything that wasn't considered healthy. In my mind, they saw themselves as superior to the unfit and were obviously above junk food cravings, unhealthy habits, and were definitely perfect ALLLLL the time.

All I can say is: Good God I hope that's not how people see me! 

Because that is DEFINITELY NOT ME!

Yes, over the past year or two I have made a very conscious effort to lead a healthier lifestyle: eating certain foods, devoting a lot of time to exercising, etc. And yes, it has had great benefits, including looking and feeling better, having more confidence in myself, and just being happier and healthier, overall. I am aware of all of these great things that being more fit has brought me, and yet it does not make me immune to falling off the wagon now and again. 

So over the past month or two I have definitely felt myself losing some steam when it comes to my healthy habits. My diet has been somewhat erratic, and my motivation to push myself harder in the gym has been a little on the low side. Although I have forced myself on most days to stick to my workout schedule, I know deep down that my workouts have not been as intense as they could have been. And truth be told, I'm definitely feeling the effects that my mistakes have had on my body.

My guess is that this sounds familiar to a lot of people. Chances are, at some point in your life you've gone all gung ho about something only to lose your enthusiasm over time, am I right? Whether it be a diet or exercise plan, a new hobby, or a project around the house, it tends to be in our nature to throw everything we have into a task for a short time and then retreat back to our old, comfortable ways once the novelty has worn off. 

What is the best way to overcome this phenomenon? You could start by being aware of it. A little self-reflection can go a long way in a situation like this. For me, it took a couple of sleepless nights of asking myself why I was feeling this way and really stepping back and reflecting on why it bothered me. Was being fit and healthy still something that was important to me, or was it just a passing phase - "remember that year that Sara got really skinny? Yea, she gained all that weight back and got fat again!" I certainly don't want that to be the case. No, I decided. I made this decision for life and I'm sticking to it. I don't want a quick fix fad diet so I can drop 6 sizes in a week. I want to BE healthy, for real. 

So what to do when you've made this decision and then lose a step or two - or ten? Well...the only thing you can do: accept it, and move on. You can't change the past. All you can do is reaffirm your reasons for setting the goals you have, and keep on pushing toward them. Nobody is perfect. Even the most successful people in the fitness industry have admitted to having those days or weeks or months where they "just don't wanna".

And that's ok - it happens to everyone! But the only way to succeed is to not give up. To do that you need motivation, right? That's the hardest part - staying motivated...and do you know why? Because it's mostly on you. Sure there are plenty of external sources of motivation - a good support system is super-important to have, but unless you are truly motivated on the inside, nothing you do will really stick.

Feeling good about being strong and healthy...that's my motivation.
What's yours? ;)

So sit down and have a heart-to-heart chat with yourself (maybe not in public, or you might look crazy!) about what your goals are and WHY you want them so badly. If you are completely honest with yourself, this will likely be all you need to hop right back up onto that wagon, because while YOU may not be perfect, your reasons for wanting to be healthy ARE the PERFECT motivators!  :)




Don't forget - if you need a little more motivation, "Like" my Facebook Page, for recipes, pictures, and to follow along on my health and fitness journey!