This time last year, I was eating clean, working out three-to-five times a week and was laser focused on being a healthier version of myself. Twelve months later, the shirts I bought last year are getting tight, I started ordering fries again, and working out has pretty much stopped.
I’ve been trying to figure out exactly where it all went wrong, and how to get back on track and I think I have a few ideas.
Where It Went Wrong:
1. Stress
I’ve always said, I can work on my physical health or my mental health, but I struggle to do both at the same time. As the new year began, my stress and anxiety were heightened for a variety of reasons, most specifically my wife being out of a job and money being tight. I started opting for cheaper and easier meals, because we needed to stretch every dollar, but also because my wife was depressed and stopped cooking. That left me to provide for us which leads to number 2.
2. Time
Time is rarely a good excuse. You can always prioritize what is important to you and I could have too, but my free time was cut down quite a bit. As my wife dealt with her own depression, I was stuck picking up the slack. Cleaning, laundry, cooking, shopping, and caring for an elderly dog was all left to me. Suddenly, time was in short supply, as well as energy.
3. Motivation
I was motivated to get healthy after getting diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Then I discovered Arnold Schwarzenegger’s The Pump newsletter, which hit my inbox five days a week and kept me focused. The newsletter turned into an app, and I was excited to join the community and stay motivated. But as things typically do the newsletter started advertising, then the app became a promotional tool for all involved, and slowly I lost faith in what The Pump was all about. I pivoted and tried some other apps, and then just worked out on my own.
My other source of “inspiration” was following folks on a fitness journey on Instagram. I opened up my first Instagram in years for this specific purpose but quickly found myself following influencers because hardly anyone else posts anything on Instagram. Then more disheartening, I found a handful of folks who seemed to be putting in the hard work and losing weight fast, and they all eventually confessed to using Ozempic. So much for that motivation.
I know me, if I try to go hardcore and start back at 100%, I’ll give up in a few days. So, I’ve been slowly doing small things to be a bit healthier such as drinking more water and I worked out for about ten minutes yesterday. I’m trying to take all the stress off of me and allow myself to want to do this, because I know that’s the only way I’ll stick to it. But my wife is still dealing with her mental health, so I’m still handling most of the chores and cooking most nights and I’ve taken on a second person’s job at work. Luckily, I’m mature enough now to realize that I have my own limitations, and I can only do what I have the energy and motivation to do, which isn’t a lot right now.
So, I’m going to squeeze in micro-workouts. I’m going to make small changes to eat a bit healthier, and hopefully I’m going to stumble onto some good motivation to help me kick my butt in gear.
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