Last month a newsletter subscriber asked me for advice on the common problem of “getting back on after falling off the eating-healthy-and-exercising-wagon."

The answer is multi-faceted. If injury or illness is involved, this is a more involved question. Assuming no injury, but simply life getting in the way, here’s a four-step process to get you back on:

1. Recommit: Whatever caused the lapse, it is critical to re-engage with why you want to get back on the wagon. Start with your initial vision – your picture of yourself looking good and feeling great, what I call Physical Wealth. If you haven’t already, write it down. Does the vision still inspire you? If not, revise it. Get crystal clear on your reasons for wanting to maintain your healthy habits – or in this case, start them back up – to provide a powerful motivator for reaching your goals.

2. Fact Find: What caused the fall in the first place?

• Was your exercise program too strenuous, or were you following a rigid diet? If the plan and strategy are faulty, getting back on the wagon is no guarantee you will stay on – you need to revise.

• If it was a case of all-or-nothing thinking, put together a back up plan so that when your schedule is disrupted, you can adapt.

• Were you expecting too much too soon? When making initial changes in exercise and eating habits, the tendency can be to expect big changes quickly. This can mean anticipating weight loss that doesn’t occur as soon as hoped for or expecting to workout six days a week or eat “perfectly,” becoming disappointed when reality falls short of expectation. Improve your expectations based on your goals, your schedule, and your lifestyle.

3. Measure and Set: Be realistic about where you are now by measuring a new baseline. Are you working out twice a week or not at all? If you monitor steps and heart rate with your workouts (which I recommend), measure your level of fitness and activity at this point. Look at your eating habits. For instance, are you back to skipping breakfast or lunch? Once you measure your starting point, set three to five 12-week behavior-oriented goals (behavior you can control – e.g. cycling three times a week – versus outcome – losing 20 pounds). Ensure the goals are specific, measurable, and achievable. Continually set 12-week goals every three months to move you closer to your vision. 

4. Continuous Celebration: Give yourself credit for any improvement, no matter how small you perceive it to be. Realize that when you work your plan, your body is making changes whether or not you can see them outwardly. Simply appreciating that you’ve stayed with a new habit for two weeks can be enough to keep you on the wagon. And, the more you look for results to celebrate, the more results you will see!

Need help getting back on the wagon?
Contact me for a
complimentary coaching session.

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Last month I did something I have never done before: I officiated the wedding of my friends, Jeff & Randi, on 07/07/07. My typical role at a wedding is that of blubbering guest (it starts the minute I hear the bridal march). Fortunately or unfortunately, as officiate, I was not supposed to cry.

The setting was beautiful, at a charming little church called Chapel Hill in Shandon, CA. Randi was gorgeous in her gown… Jeff choked up during his vows (so did Randi)… and somehow I held myself together. Okay, I did have to take a moment to breathe deeply, but I did it.

Both bride and groom expressed how much my officiating their wedding meant to them. Honestly though, it was as much a gift for me to share in their day in such an intimate way. That’s the way it is with giving from the heart, isn’t it? Somehow giving and receiving blend together so well that the benefits extend to all. What joy!

In health,
Heather Moreno

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The seeds of the day are best planted
in the first hour. ~ Dutch Proverb

How true! Ever notice that if you wake up late, spill coffee on your shirt, or get stuck in morning traffic, that it sets in motion a chain of events that have you wishing the day were over before lunchtime? And when it happens, it’s all our own doing. Purposefully or not, we intend to have a bad day – and we get it.

This proverb speaks to what many experts say, that taking time first thing in the morning for tasks such as prayer, meditation, goal setting for the day, and visioning, sets you up for an optimal experience. It is a challenge for me to sit still for long, so often my exercise time becomes my visioning and thinking time (it also satisfies my desire to be productive!). When I do this in the morning, my head is in the right place to keep me focused on my most important activities and promotes an optimistic attitude.

If you find yourself hurrying through the day and not achieving the things that are most important to you, or feeling pressured and drained, consider how you spend that first hour. Put forth your intention for the day, playing in your mind how you want it to proceed. See yourself easily overcoming obstacles that usually get in your way. This process by no means ensures a perfect day, but focuses your mind where you want it to go.

When you plant seeds in your mind in that first hour, it affects the other 23 hours. Make sure to plant what you want to grow.

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