You’ve been eating right, working out, and getting your steps in. But here comes a tough Monday where all you want to do is throw yourself on your couch and do nothing.
Tips For Taking a Break From Being Healthy Without Wrecking Your Goals
You’ve been eating right, working out, and getting your steps in. But here comes a tough Monday where all you want to do is throw yourself on your couch and do nothing.
One night of eating poorly or skipping a workout won’t suddenly take away all your progress. The danger is letting that one day become two, then four, and suddenly you’re back to your old habits.
Sometimes, keeping up the streak is all we need to stay on track. But how do you keep the streak without going crazy when you feel like if you have one more super healthy day, you’ll explode?
Try these tips next time you’re feeling low but still want to be healthy.
1. Make Something Delicious You Rarely Get to Have
You’re tired of chicken breasts in a lettuce wrap. But that doesn’t mean you need to reach for the unhealthiest thing you can think of to treat yourself. Before you decimate your supply of snack foods, consider what sounds better: a bunch of junk or a delicious steak?
Sometimes the most decadent meal we imagine may still be a healthy alternative. So, for example, a protein-filled steak is often healthier than large portions of fries, and you’ll still love every bite.
You can even make it easier for yourself by taking advantage of services like lobster tail delivery to get some healthy seafood while enjoying a decadent dish you hardly ever get.
2. Don’t Do It All; Do a Little
You’ve been working out and taking your rest days. But suddenly, an active day comes around, and you feel like if you lift another weight, you won’t be able to lift a pencil.
You may burn out if you force it when your body or mind is screaming for a break. But if you spend night after night on the couch until you feel like working out again, you may never lace up your gym sneakers again.
In this case, workout just a little rather than making it an all-or-nothing scenario. Go for a walk around the neighborhood while listening to your favorite podcast, music, or even show. Grab a basketball and challenge a friend to a game of horse. Watch your favorite show, but do two minutes of jumping jacks every 15 minutes.
Whatever you can do to add some movement to your day, make it happen. When you’re in a mindset of prioritizing movement over perfection, you’ll be more likely to return to your workout schedule when the time comes.
3. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
You’re exhausted, and you’ve resigned yourself to munching on your favorite snacks while catching up on your go-to binge-worthy series of the moment. And that’s ok! A night like this every once in a while won’t ruin your healthy lifestyle.
However, what will truly throw off your healthy habits is continuing a night of streaming and snacking until late at night, only to wake up tired and groggy the next day.
When you’re sleep-deprived, even by just a few hours a night, your decision-making skills become impaired. So if you miss out on a good night of sleep, you’re unlikely to make good choices for your health the next day. And if this pattern continues, the harder it will be to fix your sleep schedule so you can make decisions you’re proud of again.
So do yourself a favor: after a day of missing your goals, set an early bedtime and stick to it. It may seem lame, but you’ll thank yourself later.
Staying Healthy When You Don’t Want To
If you’re committed to being perfect, you’ll fail. But when you understand that health and fitness is a lifelong journey, not a short-term destination, you can continue making good decisions, even after a less than a healthy eating day.
So treat yourself to an elegant, protein-filled dinner or give yourself the gift of an early bedtime. That way, a slip-up doesn’t have to plummet into old habits but merely be a short break until you pick up where you left off.
Photo by Ketut Subiyanto