Don't worry. It happens even to professional bodybuilders.
Sometimes, life just gets in the way of working out regularly and eating a healthy diet.
Maybe work got hectic. Maybe you went through a difficult time in your personal life. Maybe you just chose the wrong plan last time and couldn't stick to it.
It really doesn't matter what caused you to veer from your plan, and it doesn't matter if you gained back a pound or two or more. You can't change the past, and there's no point fretting over it or dwelling on it. What's important is moving forward.
Before you read any further, stop and take a breath. Tell yourself it's okay that you strayed. If you try to move forward without forgiving yourself and letting go, you'll be approaching things stressed out and anxious, and that's not the best way to set the tone for success. Really get okay with yourself and resolve to make a positive change.
There. Now that you're set, it's time to get back on track. The good news is that it doesn't have to be hard. Follow these tips and get a fresh start.
This time is the time to succeed!
Have a Plan
You can't succeed without a plan in place, so before you begin just trying to make changes, take some time to put everything down on paper. Consider the following:
How often are you going to work out?
Most experts recommend starting off with 4 to 5 days of exercise when you're coming back from a break, but you need to make a realistic plan that will suit your schedule.
How long will your workouts be?
Again, the most common recommendation is to start off with 45 to 60-minute training sessions, but it's more important that the workouts will work for you. Shorter, high intensity training sessions could provide the same benefits, depending on your goals.
What specific exercises will you do during each workout session?
Be specific and hit the gym with a plan in place for every day. Otherwise, you could wind up doing one or two sets and then leaving again.
How many calories will you eat every day?
What percent of those calories will be protein, carbs and healthy fats?
What foods will you eat for your first week back?
Make a shopping list, so that you won't end up bringing home junk food when you head to the store.
Accept Where You Are
It doesn't take long for the body to begin to lose muscle strength and endurance during a break. In fact, you may be surprised how quickly you get tired and how much you have to scale back the difficulty of your workouts when you return to the gym.
But guess what! That's okay. You can get back to where you were and keep moving forward once you get there.
Prepare yourself now for what you'll experience at the gym, so that you don't end up disheartened and unwilling to return.
Remember, fitness is not a competition
While you want to continuously improve, you don't have to measure up to anyone else or even to your past self. Just keep hitting the gym and stay focused.
Change Things Up
If you want to have a truly fresh start, don't go back to the gym the exact same way as before. Download a new playlist to your iPod, so you can stay motivated by a new soundtrack. You can put together your own or purchase a ready-made playlist of top workout tracks.
Don't listen to music while you train? Maybe purchase a new pair of shoes or some other new gear. Investing time or money in your new start can help you succeed.
You may also want to try a new form of exercise or even a new gym when you head back. Just look for a way to make this start a new beginning.
Stop Making Excuses
If you want to get back on track, you need to stop making excuses and take action. There won't be a better time than now. It's normal to dread the thought of getting back into the gym, but if you're not careful, you can let yourself continue to postpone and delay things indefinitely. When you have the desire to change, focus for that and resolve to getting started. Yes, you may feel tired and sore the first few days, and it may seem like you're literally dragging yourself around the gym; however, after a week of sticking to your plan, you will fall into a routine, and things will get easier.
Learn From the Past
This is the most important part of getting restarted, you need to think about what made you give up last time. What specifically got in your way? It may be that the circumstance was beyond your control and that you're ready to succeed now that it has passed or has been resolved.
But what if you lost motivation and fell off the wagon because of it? In that case, you need to do a little soul searching. It's not about blaming yourself. We stopped doing that before step one, remember? Instead, you need to think long and hard about what made it hard for you to continue.
Learn from your Mistakes
Did you not like your diet? Were you not seeing results quickly enough? Were you feeling too tired? You won't be able to make this time different if you don't fully understand what went wrong the last time. Not only do you need to get to the bottom of what happened, but you also need to think about what you can do to avoid it this time whether it's finding another eating plan, setting more realistic mini goals for your progress, supporting your body with a healthier diet or something else.
As you get back into the routine of working out and following a healthy eating plan, don't forget about adding supplements back into your diet as well. Nutritional support is of the utmost importance when you're getting back to exercising and dieting after a break. Your body will be going through many changes and will need the right fuel to respond to them.
Sportsfuel can help you get back on a supplement plan that will support your efforts at the gym and help you make the most out of your fat burning diet plan. You can shop our range of supplements now or contact us to get personalised advice regarding which supplements are right for you.
