Fact: snaccidents happen. And when you’re at a weekend barbeque soaking up the cool vibe, it’s easy to inadvertently soak up a few extra calories too.
Second fact: That’s life! You shouldn’t be so wrapped in weight watching that you pay more attention to calories than you do to good company.
Occasionally getting caught up in birthdays, celebratory drinks or holidays is a darn hard weight loss hurdle. And in our eyes, a fair excuse.
Our modern lives are filled with worthwhile excuses. Taking care of children, working hard on your career, and coping with emotional challenges are just a few examples.
Despite that, we still get super down on our diet fails. In actual fact, allowing ourselves too much time to feel crumby about a blunder keeps us from reaching our weight loss goals. Don’t delay – bounce back in a jiffy with these expert tips.
Forgive yourself
We’re sorry to report that you’re not perfect. No one is! Take comfort in the thought that everyone makes mistakes, and if we didn’t move past them, nothing would get done.
“Forgiveness isn’t something we’re always very good at, especially when it comes to ourselves. We are often our greatest self-critic, forgetting that like everyone else, we are human; imperfect, fallible and prone to falling back into old habits, especially when under pressure or stressed” says cognitive health (aka brain expert) Dr Jenny Brockis.
“Setbacks are normal and one hiccup doesn’t imply failure. What happens on an occasional basis is insignificant to your bigger goal. So, acknowledge the mistake, pick yourself up and carry on with your original plan.”
Remember your why
You started this journey to better health because of something profound. The reason why you are trying to get healthier is a powerful tool for motivation.
Psychologist Dr Tim Sharp (aka Dr Happy) describes the ‘why’ as, “even more important than the ‘what’ because this is where our motivation comes from; this gets to the heart of our real purpose; and accordingly, it’s what will help us persevere during difficult times and persist over the longer term to achieve our goals.”
Now is the time to remind yourself of that.
Feed your body with the good stuff
The longer you keep feeding your body delicious (but devilish) delights, the longer it will take for you to ween yourself off them again. Fill your body with lots of fibre to get the digestive conga line moving; protein to keep you fuller for longer; and ramp up the veg to get a healthy dose of goodness in you!
Get your move on
The fastest way to get yourself out of a physical and mental slump that comes with a binge is to move!
“Regular excise is a fabulous way to boost your feel-good hormones; dopamine, serotonin and endorphins, while reducing levels of our stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.
Elevating your mood with exercise keeps you in a more positive mindset and boosts energy levels. Feeling energised and happy raises confidence, making it feel easier to stick to your goals.
Best of all, just 20 minutes of aerobic exercise has been shown to elevate happiness levels for up to 12 hours. So, what are you waiting for? Get moving to get happy” says Dr Brockis.
Set your goal
Just because you’ve failed at something, doesn’t make you a failure. Close that door and move onto the next one. Do this by setting a new small goal! Set yourself a target of moving every day for five days; eating healthy for a week; or cutting alcohol for a few weekends. Make it an attainable achievement so that you can celebrate a win!
How do you bounce back from a diet mistake? Share your tried and tested tips in the comments below!