It happens to the best of us. A few
great days (or even weeks) of following your fitness and nutrition plan and
then—BANG—life happens. A late night out with friends, a last-minute Day trip, a sick child at home, or something as simple as a bad mood can force you
off track. Maybe you’ve missed your fitness session. Maybe you simply don’t
have the energy (or desire) to prepare a healthy meal. Regardless, you’ve hit a
wall. You’re having an “off” day.
Sometimes an off day is
just that: one day off track. You wake up the next morning back to being
motivated and focused on your goals. Other times, it can take several days to
regain your fitness mojo. At these moments, off days can
be vicious—but they can also be stopped.
I've got a few tips for finding your Mojo again...
# 1 Change the internal
conversation
Undervalue the bad times and overvalue the good ones.
We have been conditioned to harp on our mistakes and gloss over our successes.
It’s time to change the internal conversation and pay more attention to the
things that bring us confidence so that we can continue to live a fun, healthy,
and energetic life.
In sports, professional
athletes and coaches often say that the person who wins is usually the person
who can best recover from errors. Top athletes have learned to identify their
mistakes, but instead of dwelling on them, they quickly learn from them and
move on. They also take the time to pat themselves on the back for all of their
achievements, both big and small.
I win that gets rewarded gets repeated. So reward yourself for the little wins and stop focusing on all the little set backs.
When life gets in the way
of sticking to your training or nutrition plan, take one minute for positive
personal reflection. Identify the key things you could do better next time to
prevent this off day. Then, focus on at least one achievement you have already
made that day (or perhaps yesterday). Use your past achievement to give you the
confidence and energy you need to make your very next meal or training session
a positive one.
# 2 Change the environment
Having an off day can cost us the motivation to exercise and eat healthy.
Instead, we crave instant gratification in an unhealthy, overflowing bowl—or
carton—of ice cream or an extra hour on the couch. Fortunately, there is a
quick fix to this problem.
Research continues to prove
that motivation and productivity increase with a change in environment. In
fact, a commonly used phrase in sport psychology is: “A change is as good as a
rest.”
Any type of change, such as
stepping outside for some fresh air, turning on motivational music, or finding
a new healthy recipe, can spark some motivation to move forward toward
achieving your goals.
Whenever you feel a lack of
energy and inspiration, change up at least one aspect of your environment and
experience what it’s like to have your batteries recharged and motivation
restored!
If I'm having a "Grouchy Day" I will often turn on the music and crank it up. I can't help but dance around the house a little and very quickly after I'm in a much happier and positive place!
#3 Use the five-minute just move rule
Sometimes, the hardest thing to do is get up and start to move. However, once
you start moving, it releases feel good, motivating hormones like dopamine and
endorphins. When this happens, you’ll find it much easier to keep going.
During off days, make a
deal with yourself to commit to five minutes of fitness. Most often, five
minutes is all it will take to get the heart pumping and the energy flowing,
inspiring you to stay for the entire training session. Also, it’s okay if you
don’t have 100 percent effort to give that day. If you only have 50 percent, do
your best to exert all of it. I guarantee you’ll be proud of yourself and your
off day will be long gone.
For nutrition, if you don’t
feel like spending 20 minutes in the kitchen preparing a healthy meal, commit
to grabbing something simple to eat, such as a glass of Shakeology, that’s
satisfying yet still healthy.
Off days do not have to
completely throw you sideways. With these three tools, you can quickly recover
from an off day and keep moving forward with the confidence and excitement you
need to live the life you want.
