How to Get BACK in Shape Fast, After You Really “Messed Up”…

I know when they say “Don’t get bent out of shape” it has nothing to do with being “in shape” like fitness.

But I find that your ATTITUDE and your FITNESS GOALS absolutely do go hand in hand.

And I know you already know that when you have a good attitude, you’re more likely to be able to complete your fitness goals, than if you’re just a defeatist and say, “I skipped today, I guess it’s time to give up for good.”

What?? It’s such a silly way of thinking, right? But admit it, you’ve had this messed up outlook on “messing up.”

We’ve learned to be so hard on ourselves (although my question is, if we’re so hard on ourselves, then why not go even harder at the gym, and get back in shape fast? 😉 ).

I mean, obviously we all KNOW that skipping a day or a week on our goals — but then getting right back on track — is better than skipping for a little while THEN using that as an excuse to quit completely.

So if you’re already wondering how to get back in shape fast this year, and have fallen off the 2019 bandwagon, here are some things I want you to keep in mind!!

First off, a method that maybe sounds silly or like you’ve heard it all before, but the “don’t break the chain method.” It’s SIMPLE…almost too simple…and yet EFFECTIVE!

If you have a goal you want to follow every single day…like, “don’t eat more than one dessert,” then hang a calendar on your wall, and for every day you don’t eat more than one dessert, put a big red X! Soon, you’ll have 5, 6, 10, 20 red X’s in a row, and the more you can build up, of course the less likely you’ll be to “break the chain.”

I know it sounds so simple and sometimes you see characters on TV “mark the X” on the calendar, so it’s not like I’m coming up with anything new here!! But the reason they do it on TV is, it’s a visual and even emotional cue to the audience. And YES, it’s simple…so why not go out and do it??

“Judgment Free” Day

Really ask yourself WITHOUT JUDGMENT why you stopped working out (or stopped working out as much, or whatever way you broke your own personal NY resolution).

I say “without judgment” because you might THINK you’re holding the judgment and the mayo…

But I bet YOU’RE NOT! I bet, even if you think you’re being nice to yourself, deep down, you’re judging yourself hardcore.

Human beings are really bad about judging themselves and others too, you know?

Like, think of someone who cut you off in traffic. You probably assume they’re just a terrible person and maybe you’re right! But there are so many more explanations, like maybe they’re rushing somebody to the doctor or hospital, or maybe it’s a young driver who just got their license and isn’t very good yet. Or maybe they didn’t even SEE you at all!

But of course, that’s not your first thought when the person cuts you off. Instead, you’re like, “They did it on PURPOSE!”

And we judge OURSELVES the same way. If we skip one day on our calendar, and break the chain with the big red X’s, we assume we’re just a failure.

And by judging ourselves and being down on ourselves, we do nothing but make the situation worse and lose the motivation!!

So my two solutions for you today are somewhat contradictory: DON’T BREAK THE CHAIN… but if you do, don’t think badly about yourself.

Instead, your first step to get back in shape fast should be to ask yourself:

1. how you’re doing emotionally

2. your underlying reason for why the NY resolution goal is so important to you

3. how you’re starting a new chain of X’s right now, and not going to judge yourself!!

I mean, let’s say you’ve met your goal to “only have one dessert a day” for 20 days, and then day 21, you messed up…It could be better to say you’re on a 21-day streak with one mistake, than to just start all the way over. After all, that’s already a big accomplishment!!