Your GO-TO guide for getting back on track with healthy living after a stint of poor choices in regards to nutrition and fitness. Simple tips and tricks you can incorporate TODAY for tuning back in with your body and mind. Prioritize wellness with these suggestions for resuming your normal healthy choices and routine!
Thanks to Babbleboxx for sponsoring this discussion!
Hi all! How’s everyone doing out there? Can you believe we are already more than halfway through summer? I can’t.
School will be starting soon for kids and teens and this year I WILL BE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AS WELL! With grad school starting soon and summer coming to an end, I’ve really been craving routine and more structure in my day-to-day life.
When quarantine first started, I got into a really bad routine. Waking up too late, inconsistent workouts, weird eating patterns, still figuring out hormonal health stuff…my body out of balance. But over the past 3 months or so, I’ve been really diligent about getting back on track with feeling good. Mentally AND physically. The small (but significant!) changes I’ve made have really helped me get back into my usual routine of healthy living and wellness-minded choices.
I think we could ALL use tips like this on occasion depending on what’s going on in our lives (travel, work stress, family issues, going back to school, etc.), so I decided to dedicate today’s post to sharing some of the KEY things I am going to do (and doing!) to ‘get back on track’ with healthy living. A few weeks or months of being out of your normal balanced routine is not going to make or break your life as a healthy person…but it doesn’t hurt to make some pointed choices to return to your usual self, ya know?
A few small changes can make a HUGE impact…so hopefully these suggestions help you too!
Don’t make it a moral issue
In other words, don’t let this minor speed bump turn into a roadblock. EVERYONE has setbacks. Your unhealthy choices DO NOT make you a bad person. They make you HUMAN. You’re not BAD or a FAILURE or destined to unhealthy forever just because you slipped up. Think of the setback as a way to develop coping skills and learn to move forward with a new motivation for wellness minded choices!
Think BIG PICTURE
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…a day, a week, or even a MONTH of poor health choices is not going to make or break a life dedicated to wellness. Sure, you might experience some setbacks, but in the grand scheme of things, you have a whole lot of years of healthy choices in the bank (and ahead of you!) to make up for a few missteps. Chances are, over a lifetime, you’ll have good days and bad days when it comes to food and fitness choices. Slipping up once in a while isn’t that big of a deal! You can always make up for it later in the next week, day, or moment. Each day is a series of moments added up together after all! Live in the present and make your next move a SMART one.
I LOVE my to-do lists, but daily goal setting is a bit different. The night before, or even right when you wake up in the morning, set 1-3 health and wellness focused goals for the day. If it helps, WRITE THEM DOWN!
With food, stick with simple meals filled with REAL, whole foods. Make whole grains, lean proteins, and fresh produce the bulk of your menu. Plan some fun foods here and there so you don’t feel deprived (and wind up back at square one!), but for the most part stick to the basic tenants of clean eating.
Meal planning has been HUGE for me and I’ve recently been loving getting plant-based meals from Veestro.
Veestro offers fully-prepared, 100% plant-based meals and ships them straight to your door anywhere in the USA. All the meals are made from high quality ingredients, taste delicious, and make sticking to a healthy plant-based diet SO convenient. No shopping, cutting, chopping, or real prep required. All the meals are made fresh, shipped frozen, and ready to heat and eat when they arrive.
Some of my favorites from Veestro are:
Soba Noodles in Peanut Sauce
Chick’n Nuggets
Tortilla Chili
You can get 25% off any order with code BABBLE25 – expires October 31st, 2020.
For fitness, get back into your normal workout routine! That looks different for EVERYONE, but one thing holds true for all: it’s what makes you feel your best. Whether it’s yoga, weightlifting, or going for a walk, get used to having regular movement in your day again! Your body and mind will thank you for that and you’ll immediately feel more like your old self.
Schedule your workouts
Pig-backing on what I said above, MAKE TIME FOR MOVEMENT. Write it down and actually schedule your workouts as you would a meeting with a client. If it’s in your calendar, you’re more likely to actually GET IT DONE.
This is also a great opportunity to maybe try something new! Schedule a fitness focused friend-date or try an outdoor fitness class being held in your city! Shaking things up may just get you more excited to get moving again.
On the subject of preparing ahead, laying out my workout clothes the night before has been helping me a ton. It’s one less step I have to take in the morning and makes getting up and to my workout even more seamless. I just grab my leggings (I’ve been loving the new NoNonsense Wide Waistband Sports Leggings…their the perfect length and made from the most comfortable lightweight fabric), my sports bra, shirt, shoes, and even fill up my water bottle right before bed.
You can use code Sport25 for 25% off the NoNonsense Leggings I mentioned above! 😉
If you wear a wedding ring or any other sort of jewelry daily, don’t forget to lay out your RingHero wristband as well! It’s the perfect, convenient place to store your rings and small jewelry items while you’re working out so that they stay protected and don’t affect your workout. I use it to hold my apartment key when I go for runs!
Use code BabbleBoxx10 to get 10% off your order with RingHero.
Drink Up
Water water water. Our bodies, not only need but, THRIVE on water. Whether your digestion is off, you’re feeling bloated, or have a headache after some time off from healthy living, WATER can help. Aim to not only hit the recommended daily allowance, but surpass it daily!
In addition to my daily water intake, I’ve been adding Ancient Nutrition Collagen to my beverages. It mixes in perfectly with water, smoothies, and even coffee. I love that it provides extra support for my skin, nails, hair, joints and gut with five types of collagen from four food-based sources.
Speaking of supplements, I also have been taking Ancient Nutrition’s Zinc + Probiotics supplement, which features 20 mg of enzyme-activated zinc and 2 billion CFUs of probiotics and is an immune booster. It also supports healthy digestion which is always helpful for me to feel my healthiest.
Find some accountability
Whether it’s using your social media account or finding a friend to share your goals with, having some method of accountability is KEY for staying on track. Right now, I am relying on my friends to provide encouragement for my efforts and to also check in with daily. Whether you choose a friend or family member, tell your accountability partner your intentions and goals and check in regularly to help keep you focused!
Remind yourself of how you’ve felt lately
This is HUGE for me. Especially when I struggle with getting off track. When you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom, take note of how you feel physically and mentally in those down moments. When you are consistently making poor food choices or skipping workouts, chances are you feel awful physically and mentally. But if you make it a point to remind yourself of those bad feelings, then it will usually be enough to motivate yourself to make the next positive choice.
Stay positive
While I am ALL about body positivity, I am not perfect with it in every way. I’ve been dealt with body image struggles my whole life, but even more so when I am not feeling my healthiest. If I find myself slipping into the bad habit of talking to myself in a way that I would never talk to someone else (like a friend for example!), I try to be more conscious of that negative self talk and stop it in its tracks.
A little positivity goes a long way and that includes not being negative to the way your body currently looks or feels. You may want your body to go back to the way it looked or felt prior to your change in routine, but that’s not going to happen overnight. Plus, constantly saying negative things about yourself is not going to help. You can still love your body as it is at the time and work on changing it to make it healthier and happier!
Find a creative or spiritual outlet
It’s so important to have some sort of outlet for your mind that allows you to express your creativity outside of work, responsibilities, or even your healthy living routine. Mental and spiritual health go right along with your physical health, so it’s important we don’t overlook this aspect of our overall wellness.
This looks different for everyone and allows you to reground, de-stress, and maybe even connect with yourself and the world around you on a more spiritual level. And when I say spiritual, I don’t mean religious (although if you are religious than that’s perfect for you!). Reconnecting with your spiritual side could mean…
- blocking out 10 minutes to practice grounding outside daily
- taking a yoga class
- practicing meditation (I love the Calm app!)
- using tarot cards or an oracle deck, like the those in Amenti Oracle Feather Heart Deck and Guide Book: Ancient Wisdom for the Modern World, to give you guidance and insights on things currently happening in your life (the book delves deeper into the meaning of the cards, as well ways to apply their teachings in your life and spark your imagination)
Be gentle with yourself
This process is not easy…and even a lot of these tips are easier SAID than DONE. Especially when you’re going through health issues that are out of your control like I have in the past! So give yourself grace. There WILL be slip-ups on your journey to health and happiness, but that’s life. It ebbs and flows…as does healthy living in general. Take a breath. Put a smile on your face. Remember that each day begins anew. Acknowledge that you are strong and capable. And channel the fact that every down in life means an up is just around the corner. 😉
No matter what has disrupted your healthy routine, I think this roundup of tips can help you resume your healthy living habits. Or maybe you’ve never prioritized health and wellness to begin with…these tips may help you get started on a whole new path to living your best life possible!
Do you ever struggle to ‘get back on track’ after travel or other life disruptions?
What are your strategies for resuming healthy life choices?
Do you think you’ll try any of the strategies I suggested in this post?
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31 responses to “How to Get Back on Track with Healthy Living”
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Nice post! I believe in balance so even if I’ve splurged I don’t feel bad. I agree getting back on track is key!
Thank you so much for stopping by to read, Heather!! Glad you agree!
Everyone splurges when traveling! It’s ok! I don’t look at it as “poor choices” as I don’t view any food as bad, I preach everything in moderation. If you overindulge while traveling just getting back on track at home as you state is all that’s needed. I mean you only live once and experiencing the food is so fun.
Great perspective, Patrick! I wish it were that easy!
This is such a great post. I especially like the tip ‘Remind yourself of how you’ve felt lately’. I am guilty of overeating too and it’s never a good feeling afterwards. I will try this tip next time I am on the edge of overeating, thanks!
#BrillBlogPosts
Thank you so so much Petra! I am so glad you stopped by to read this post and that you think it can help you! 🙂
Nice tips! A reminder for everyone to get back on track. Staying healthy is so important. Thanks for these wonderful tips!
Thanks so much, dear! I am glad you found the post helpful!!
I have discovered healthy living is a lifestyle a way of life. I do feel and look better with a healthier lifestyle. Walking is a part of my healthy life.
Thanks Betty! I am glad you stopped by to read!!
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday and come back soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you so much!
Just the motivation I need right now. Congrats, you’re featured at the This Is How We Roll Link Party.
Aww thank you so much Susan!! SO excited!!
I am coming off of knee surgery and really need to get back to working out. Found you on Bloggers Spotlight
Me too! I’ve been neglecting it a TON.
Hope you have a great weekend and thanks so much for sharing your post with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Thanks Helen!
[…] WHOLE REAL NOURISHING FOODS (essentially go back to BASICS with my diet…there has been way too much packaged, processed foods/protein powders and […]
[…] How to Get back on Track with Healthy Living from Healthy Helper […]
This blog entry is great!
Thanks Carla!
Thanks for being human!
Thanks for reading!
[…] Your Personal Wellness When we are feeling down or upset about something, it can be hard to get motivated to engage in […]
Hi Kaila, I know it helps me to blog and/or journal about issues I am trying to work through. I’ve spent several months writing about self-care and self-compassion, as I grieve the death of my adult son. My last post is about mindful eating and I thought there might be “food for thought for you” there or in one of my other posts. I’m visiting you at Saturday Sharefest. Nancy Andres @ Colors 4 Health
Thank you so much for stopping by, Nancy! I am so so sorry to hear about your son. <3
I think your suggestions for getting back on track to living a healthier lifestyle are exactly what I needed to hear to get back on tract. I make sure I keep track of all the chores and errands I need to run during the week, why am I not making some time to at least walk. If I add it into my schedule, as you said, I will have a better chance of making it happen!
Definitely!! It’s all about pre-planning the things we need to fit into our day to make us healthier.
I’m visiting from the Lou Lou Girls link up today. These are great tips! They’re encouraging as well as applicable. It is important for us to be gentle with ourselves and remember whole person health. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for stopping by!