Look, I’ll level with you. I swear I write about how to come back from a slump in fitness/exercise/good health efforts more than I write about the actual ‘doing’ of it all. I’d feel embarrassed about it, but in all honesty, I’m happy to keep it real. Because I reckon most people I know can relate. I also think that half the battle with looking after ourselves is how we get back on the wagon, when we slack off or let other life shit get in the way.
I am not going to lie. I have been exhausted. Lazy. Distracted. Unmotivated. Making excuses. And it’s starting to show.
I’ve had some valid reasons not to exercise – constant blood tests and medications (secondary infertility SUCKS) have been a big disruption to my routine. But at other times? Not so much.
I’ve maintained the weight loss I achieved in 2015 (as in I haven’t put anymore on), but I’ve watched my body fat percentage slowly increase. I’ve felt my legs getting heavier. I know I’m losing the tone I was so proud of a few months ago. I know I’m going to huff and puff and feel lousy before I feel better, when I get back on my treadmill.
And I’m not really cool with that.
It’s probably been at least a couple of months since I had a good exercise routine (or at least some semblance of an effort I was excited to make). I’ve been eating crap. I’ve been feeling crappy. I KNOW this is the first sign that I need to take better care of myself, but I often ignore it.
It’s taken me all this time to find that thing that makes me want to actually get out of this slump (instead of just thinking/talking about it). And that something is getting back to my Fitbit obsession. I was OK without a Fitbit for a while – when my last one was found to have a fatal hardware fault (RIP) I realised that I no longer needed to rely on it for motivation (that was obviously nice while it lasted). Now, I’m realising I need a visual reminder of what I can achieve. I need to see how many steps I’m doing (or more to the point not doing). I need to take part in challenges with my friends. Keep myself accountable. Enjoy the competitive side of my personality (in a healthy way haha).
I also need to remind myself of a few things if you don’t mind:
Using fatigue and anxiety as an excuse not to exercise/eat better is a silly argument. Thing is, it’s a cycle. I know that if I eat healthy food and exercise regularly I have more energy, better moods and my anxiety lessens. I have to suck it up and get over that initial hump. Of course I’ll be more tired at first. But when am I ever not tired? I can’t use that excuse, because I’m an adult with responsibilities. We’re all tired!!
Remember how good you feel in your active wear, Kez? Good active wear sucks everything in and has an air of aspiration about it! It’s comfy and stretchy and makes me feel more bouncy in my sneakers and ready to go. I need to get back into it. Literally.
Hello – exercise is justified me time! You know? That thing you have SO LITTLE of at the moment?? Just do it. It’s better than no me time at all, that’s for sure! Mr Unprepared gets his cycling time. I need mine too! Sure, it’s less than both of us would prefer, but geez – beggars can’t be choosers!
When I exercise well, I fuel myself better too. For some people, working on their food/nutrition first works. For me, it’s the fitness thing. When I’m exercising well, I am less likely to eat badly. I start to crave healthier things because I love the feeling of being fit and well. I eat less junk because I want to have the energy to exercise and junk food doesn’t give that feeling to me. I start to see progress in my body and it motivates me to make better choices.
Exercise is good for my self esteem. And no, I’m not just talking about looks. I feel more confident when I’m getting regular endorphin hits. My brain works better (which means I have marginally less awkward bumbling moments haha). I look in the mirror and I love what I see, even before the changes are noticeable. Because I feel empowered and I know I’m doing good things.
So. That’s it. I am coming back. I am kicking my arse back into a healthier lifestyle. It will be gradual progress but it will be progress. I don’t want to go backwards anymore! I want 2016 to be an awesome year for ‘Kez Gets Physical’.
I don’t believe in fads or quick fixes or temporary measures to reach goals. That’s what keeps me getting back on track when I falter. It’s never too late and health should be about every day choices I make for the rest of my life. I will never be perfect (emotional eater – hello), but I can live better.
Who is joining me? Have you had any stumbling blocks lately? How do you get around/through/over them?
