Have you been struggling to stick to your health and fitness goals? Maybe you have a few “good” days where you eat well and exercise, then feel yourself falling off the game plan. Consistency is one of the most difficult but essential elements when changing health habits. It can be easy to fall into the trap of criticizing and getting down on yourself for not being “perfect” with your workouts or food plan. None of us is always anything, and the idea of perfection shouldn’t be an aspiration given how quirky, messy, and topsy turvy life can get. You can stop negative self-talk to reach your health and fitness goals. Positive self-talk is empowering, but it’s also practical. That’s why I created 5 cheers/affirmations to power up your path to good health.
Sometimes We Need a Cheerleader (Until We Become Our Own)
Sometimes we need a health and fitness cheerleader—someone who’s in our corner and gives us positive reinforcement at our low moments. That’s where I come in. I’ve been there. Read my weight loss story (it’s a work in progress). I’ve been where you are. I’ve been at the bottom, letting my low moments define my day and putting my healthy habits on the backburner to deal with some other fire.
And yet, as many times as I’ve fallen off the health habits wagon, I’ve gotten right back on. I’m not afraid of failure anymore. After losing more than 60 pounds (and, honestly, recently putting back on 15), I know that I have what it takes to get back to my best weight. I’m not confused, though, thinking that the number on the scale represents my health status. My health is about more than numbers; it’s about feeling fit, well, energetic, and confident. I eat well and exercise not because I’m chasing a number, but because I know that lifting heavy weights, eating whole fruits and vegetables, and making time to be mindful of happy moments will feed my soul more than any food ever could.
I’ve had a rough couple of months—first facing an empty nest as my daughter went off to college, then having to be the primary caregiver for my mom when she had a stroke. The last two months have been super stressful. They rocked me to my core, and most days, I felt I had little to give myself. I pushed many of my workouts and healthy meals aside for a month when the stress mounted. Now that my life is more stable, I’m back to reclaim my fitness by jumping right back into my healthy routines.
If You’ve Fallen Off Your Healthy Routines, You’re in Good Company (*It’s what you do next that matters most)
Have you fallen off your healthy routines and put your health and fitness goals on pause? If so, you’re in good company. Most everyone has fallen off their plan. Those who have success with sticking to their health and fitness routines fall off at times too. What they don’t do is give up. They don’t berate themselves and start a long narrative of negative self-talk. They recognize that they need to course-correct and get busy doing just that.
Time passes, and we adapt. More times than I can count, I’ve had to pick myself up, dust off my rower and reintroduce myself to my kettlebells. I’m doing that right now. As I have a small respite from the stress of my mother’s illness, I ease back into my healthy routines. I’m back to weekly shopping and meal prep and making time for myself (even while caring for my mother at home). Along the way, a few good friends check in on me and sprinkle loving wishes on my day. They tell me I am strong and express their love and friendship. They are my cheerleaders. Now, I’m strong enough to return the favor.
Top 5 Cheers to Good Health (Infographic)
Here are my best cheers for all of you beautiful, talented, strong, intriguing women who might be feeling a bit overwhelmed at the moment and in need of a pep talk. These cheers are for you! Please internalize them, take some time to think about how they apply to your situation. Then, return to them when needed to get back to your work to wellness. Share them with your friends, and spread positivity.
- You will rise again! It does not matter how many times you fall. You will get up. It is a matter of when not if. Perhaps today isn’t your day to work out or plan a nutritious meal. Maybe today, you’re focused on the simple act of breathing while you get through your exhausting to-do list. I’ve been there, and you don’t need to beat yourself up about your lack of “adherence” to some diet or exercise program. Please trust in yourself that you will get back up and get back on track when you are able. If you’ve sampled the incredible benefits of eating well and exercising, you know they are worthwhile. You will want them again sometime in the future. Don’t panic.
- You are worthy just as you are! Even if you are struggling to meet your wellness goals, you are worthy of self-love just as you are. You do not need to change to be worthy. Your health and fitness goals may guide you to a feeling of greater wellness and health, but once you have achieved them, you are no more or less worthy than you were before. A scale does not measure your worth. You don’t measure your worth by the number of times you work out or how many fruits and vegetables are in your grocery cart.
- You are strong and brave! Recognizing that you want to change your health and fitness is the first critical step to positive change. Some people never allow themselves to set goals because they’ve convinced themselves that they can’t be achieved. You know better, and you want more, and you are willing to work for it. Through the work, you gain experience. You use that experience to remind yourself that you can do amazing things, so you try again. The taste of success beckons you on. Perhaps you’re not there today, but soon.
- Every Positive Effort Counts! No one is watching over your shoulder to see how many minutes you stay on the exercise bike or whether you’ve eaten fish or loaded nachos for dinner. No one is judging your progress or scrutinizing your results (only we do that to ourselves). Every moment of self-care and positive action counts. Sometimes 5 minutes of exercise is as much an achievement as 30 minutes in terms of your commitment to self-care. You could make the argument that prioritizing 5 minutes of exercise on a day filled to the brim with challenges and stressors represents a more significant commitment to your health than 30 minutes on a routine week. Don’t discount your small efforts. They are just as important a part of the fabric of your motivation and drive, and intention as grand gestures.
- Don’t look back! Forward Momentum! You’ve surpassed the past; that time and place are gone. Forward motion is where it’s at! We start with a fresh slate every day. What small action towards better health can you take today? Five minutes of deadlifts? A 15-minute walk? A salad for lunch? Start with what you can do today with relative ease, and build from there. Any time you find yourself thinking about what you didn’t do yesterday, STOP yourself! That’s a waste of time and spirit. We all have limited emotional resources these days. Use yours to move forward, not hash over missteps of the past.
These five cheers are small, and you already know them deep down in your heart. But perhaps you need a little nudge in a positive direction. When you need a cheerleader (and can’t find the energy to be your own cheerleader), come back here for inspiration.
Drop me a comment, and add a cheer. If we cheer each other on, we grow healthy together. That’s how we all get wellness on repeat!
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Maintaining a good nutritional or workout routine is important, but anyone can fall off it, which isn’t anything to be ashamed of. It’s simply a matter of getting back into it once more. Great insight here that should help people do exactly that!
Absolutely, Carola! The shame is such an obstacle to moving forward with consistent healthy habits. If we can put that shame aside, and lose the negative self-judgment, we can move forward to get back on track once more. It’s about changing our mindset. Thanks for commenting!