Three Lessons to Stay on Track

I get it. Life is busy. There are kids to get to extra curricular activities, groceries to buy, cars to maintain, houses to clean, dogs to walk, laundry to wash…and the list goes on. Plus, don’t forget work and the driving time to get there and get back home again.

With all this chaos in our lives, how do we actually find time to manage our fitness goals? Because getting healthy with nutritious food and exercise is important, right? It sure is!

So, when life gets messy, how can we actually stick to our fitness goals?

Coach Matt Myers from Team Nerd Fitness has been coaching and helping folks reach their fitness goals for over 15 years. Matt’s seen it all and has developed 3 great strategies for helping out when life gets messy.

Here are Matt’s 3 Lessons:

Lesson 1: “Normal is a myth”

How often have we said this to ourselves: “Life’s a bit crazy right now, but as soon as things get back to normal, I’ll get back on track.”

But there is no “normal” life. Our lives are constantly evolving and changing. Think about it: A busy week comes up at work. The kids get sick. A family member needs help moving across town. Then, when things seem ready to calm down, something else comes up (as it always does). So do we just give up on exercise?

According to Matt, the best way to tackle life’s chaos is to make a plan that anticipates the inevitable upsets life is going to throw our way. Rather than letting our fitness goals derail, we adapt.

For instance, have a quick 15 minute workout ready for those times when you’re rushed, stressed, or just too tired to make it to the gym.

Create nutritional habits to fall back on, like eating protein with every meal. Prep meals ahead of time or have healthy grab-and-go snacks on hand for when you’re in a hurry, like fruit, meat sticks, homemade protein balls, or cheese and nuts.

Matt says, “By having multiple ways to stay on track, you continue to build momentum even when life is chaotic.”

Plus, prep means no excuses for copping out on your goal of daily physical activity and healthy eating!

Lesson 2: Zoom In, Zoom Out

“I really want to get in shape, but I just have so far to go!”

“I used to be in great shape, but now everything just seems so hard.”

Sound familiar? No doubt it does, because we’ve all had these thoughts at some point. And these thoughts are perfectly normal, but Matt has observed that over time, these thoughts actually drain people of the energy they need to persevere and keep going.

So, how do we combat these thoughts?

Zoom In: “What do I need to do today?”

Zoom Out: Every couple of weeks, ask yourself, “Am I heading in the right direction?”

Zooming In helps shift your focus away from “I have so far to go” or “I’m not there yet”. Instead, you can focus on daily actions, like:

Did I do my workout today?

Did I get a protein and veggie with each meal?

In a week or month, step back and look at the bigger picture. Ask:

What’s going well?

What challenges did I face?

What needs to change or what goal needs to be adjusted?

According to Matt, that rhythm – daily focus coupled with big-picture check-ins – is how the magic of change happens.

Lesson 3: Make It Meaningful AND Doable

Change is all about finding the right balance. Too easy, and you won’t make any progress. Too challenging, and you’re likely to give up or not do it consistently enough to make a difference.

What’s meaningful and doable will be different for each person, and will likely change over time.

For instance, the right level of challenge may be:

Working out 3X a week and tracking macros daily.

Taking a 20 minute walk each and every day, and prioritizing fruits and veggies at each meal.

Eating slowly and mindfully at each meal, and creating a bedtime routine for better sleep.

Whatever you decide, make it something that will move the needle on your progress but still be consistently achievable. The key word here is CONSISTENT. Small changes over time add up to big gains. Goals that are meaningful to you that you can do consistently will result in forward progress.

The key takeaway from these three lessons is this:

Plan for the inevitable catastrophes that will derail your plans, and have alternatives ready to execute. Don’t discourage yourself by thinking too far ahead. Rather, zoom in on what’s possible and doable NOW. Make small, consistent changes and set goals that are meaningful and will take you where you want to go without overwhelming you.

Life is hard. Life is busy. Life is stressful. But your health and well-being are important. Making time for yourself isn’t selfish, but vital for longevity.

Become who you want to be, one step at a time.

You got this!

Reference: www.nerdfitness.com