6 Tips for Getting Back on Track

By Amy Medling, founder of PCOS Diva

You are human. It is neither practical nor reasonable to expect to eat completely healthy whole foods every single day. The occasional planned indulgence is necessary, so you don’t feel deprived of something you enjoy in exchange for feeling strong and healthy. It is also natural for your exercise routines to be somewhat uneven, especially at certain times during a woman’s cycle. This is why I encourage the 80-20 rule. Strive to stay on track 80% of the time, and be gentle with yourself if the other 20% are off plan.

Sometimes, however, we go beyond the occasional indulgence, get way off track, and “fall off the wagon” entirely. For whatever reason, we will pitch all the diet and lifestyle routines that keep us feeling good and go back to eating foods which inflame our systems and leave us bloated, logy, and off balance. I get it. Life happens. We all need a break from routine once in a while. When you’re ready to get back on track, here are a few tricks that can help you.

6 Tips to Get Back on Track

Examine why you stopped.

Did you suffer a trauma or loss, undergo a great deal of stress, was the routine too demanding to maintain, or did you just lowly drift away from your plan? There are many reasons people get off track, and before you can get restarted, you must figure out how you got off and address the issue(s) so it doesn’t happen again any time soon.

Revisit and write down your “Big Why”.

Why do you maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle? Do you like the way it feels when you are strong, confident, and healthy? Do you want more energy? Are you trying to get pregnant? Maybe you’re trying to avoid the mental and physical pitfalls of an unhealthy lifestyle. Your Why must be deeper than “I want to lose weight.” Consider the real reason behind the obvious goal. Be as specific as possible and write it down. You can even post it somewhere to remind yourself from time to time.

Choose 3 habits to work on this week.

Be gentle with yourself. All the good habits you have built up over time do not need to return in a day. Choose 3 things that have the biggest and most immediate impact and start with those. For me, it would be a well-thought-out breakfast smoothie, a walk every day, and taking my supplements.

Move every day.

Movement is important for both your mental and physical health. Notice I say “movement” and not “exercise”. Get your mindset geared to movement being a part of your day. You don’t need to be sweating it out on a treadmill for movement to count. Do something active which makes you feel good. That may be yoga, a walk, a dance class, gardening, or a spin class. Find what makes you feel good and move it!

Do a whole food cleanse.

If you want to reboot your whole system and start fresh, a whole food cleanse may be the way to go. A good cleanse or detox will take the pressure off your liver (your natural cleansing system), gently flush toxins from your body, and reset your diet and movement habits. Avoid radical cleanses which have you in the bathroom all the time, hungry, or only involve special drinks. My Sparkle Cleanse is a good example. In the program, you drink 2 smoothies a day, take your supplements, and snack and dine on whole foods.

Recommit to your morning routine.

Start your day right and the rest will follow. I like to wake-up a little before everyone else in my house and have a quiet moment to meditate and stretch or do a bit of yoga. Then, I drink a glass of lemon water, take my supplements, and enjoy a protein smoothie. This routine leaves me centered, energized, and ready to take on the day.

Conclusion

The pursuit of perfection is a recipe for failure. Perfection is not attainable. The occasional planned indulgence or slip up is a necessary part of any healthy lifestyle. The important thing is what you do afterward. Choose to take care of yourself and get back on track after a day or years “off the wagon” and you will be glad you did.

Amy Medling, best-selling author of Healing PCOS and certified health coach, specializes in working with women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), who are frustrated and have lost all hope when the only solution their doctors offer is to lose weight, take a pill, and live with their symptoms. In response, Amy founded PCOS Diva and developed a proven protocol of supplements, diet, and lifestyle programs that offer women tools to help gain control of their PCOS and regain their fertility, femininity, health, and happiness.