Get Back to Your Routine.
No matter how long you've been away, your first step is to get back to some kind of exercise. Even the smallest exercise goal is a step in the right direction and can remind you of your commitment to getting healthy, losing weight, or whatever your goal might be. Start small and ease your way back into a regular routine, setting goals you know you can reach. Even if it's a 10-minute walk after dinner or before work, it's a signal to yourself that you want to stay active.
Be Prepared.
Having everything you need to complete your workout is half the battle...getting started is often the hardest part of working out. If you have your clothes and gear ready to go, your workout planned, your bag packed and your snacks handy, you've taken away some of the reasons to skip your workout.
Be Flexible.
Being prepared doesn't mean you'll never miss a workout. But, you can increase your chances of getting some exercise in each day by being flexible. That means a willingness to change your plans as needed so that you can meet your other obligations while still moving your body. If you find you can't go to the gym because your boss asked you to work late, what could you do instead? Don't abandon exercise just because you can't get your planned workout in.
Stop Kicking Yourself.
We all feel guilty when we mess up--skipping workouts, eating too much, etc. Guilt can be a great motivator, but it can also be a hindrance if you use it as an excuse to abandon your healthy lifestyle altogether. That 'why bother' attitude can keep you stuck in a self-defeating cycle so, instead of feeding on that guilt, use it to propel you forward. Realize that slipping back into old habits doesn't mean you're loser--we all need to go back to old behaviors to test them out, remember how it felt to be that sedentary person as opposed to the new, more active person we want to become.
Let Yourself Evolve.
Don't be afraid to try a whole new approach to exercise. If you find yourself going back to old workouts again and again, even though they don't work in your current lifestyle, it's time to admit that workout program just doesn't work for you. Many of us approach exercise with ideas of what we should be doing rather than what we actually enjoy doing. Instead of forcing yourself into something you hate, why not allow yourself time to explore different options? Forget about what you should be doing, and find out what you want to be doing.
Forget Being Perfect.
Making exercise a habit is a journey, not a destination. It's something you'll work on every day...some days you'll do everything right, other days you won't. Focus on what you can do today to reach your goals and stop reaching for perfection. You're human and are allowed to make mistakes.
The only difference between a person who fails at exercise and a person who succeeds comes down to never giving up. A successful exerciser isn't perfect but, rather, keeps trying despite mistakes and failures. The next time you slip up, skip the guilt and allow yourself to use that slip as a learning experience. Your mistakes have something to teach you, something that could be the key to your success.
