It’s difficult enough to begin a regular exercise program and to decide to eat healthier but it’s even more difficult to do so during the summer months where most of us leave our regular schedules and take off to some destination in the name of a vacation.
Getting back up on the horse that threw us off is hard for everyone and many people simply refuse. Motivation is what gets us back up and returns us to our healthy routines after vacation breaks.
If you find yourself procrastinating or dreading returning to your fitness routine, you’re not alone. Different people find motivation in different ways
For some people, its being conscientious about their health and for others, it may be totally aesthetic. For some it may have been a short term goal that got them to where they wanted to be.
Whatever it was that motivated you to begin with, try remembering why it motivated you. Ask yourself if it still motivates you or have you changed. If change is the answer, maybe you simply need to change your whole approach and find a different routine.
Grasp these breaks as a way to start fresh when you return instead of trying to pick up where you left off. Think outside the box and force yourself to try something you never did before.
I’m envisioning a zumba class loaded with men. I can imagine the weight side (what I often call the ‘he-man’ zone) of the gym with all women hoisting plates and barbells around.
Force yourself to take a class in something you think you hate or cannot perform. You may find some surprises and it may be the lift you need. Variety is available in the fitness world today.
Another thing to realize is you may not really need to pick up exactly where you left off. Don’t be so hard on yourself. If you were in a great running routine that you just find yourself unable to return to, start walking or cycling instead for a while. If you’ve been in resistance or weight training mode and are too bored with it to return, drop it for a while and return to some basic calisthenics. Any movement is better than no movement.
Getting off of an eating binge is just as hard as returning to a physical routine of some sort. I seldom eat ice cream mainly because it’s way too high in sugar, fat, and calories but also because it’s so darn good that once I start I can’t stop. I don’t keep it in the house as a general rule because when I do get it, it’s nothing to polish the entire container off in one sitting (I’m talking my family, not just me).
Summertime vacation and ice cream go hand in hand so with all these ice cream places popping up, we found ourselves eating more than usual. After four days straight of indulging in something that on average I have maybe once a year, I realized I was losing touch with my own vacation motivation.
Awareness and a desire to be healthy and a loathing of failure is my motivation…what’s yours??
Jacqueline Smith is a certified personal fitness trainer and owner of The Right Condition and has additional certifications in Pilates, sports nutrition and group aerobics and is also certified through the Police Training Commission as a physical conditioning instructor. To contact Jacqueline via email please use this link: fitness@newtownpress.com
