Most of us have insurance… We have insurance for our cars, our health, our homes, or rental(s). We have liability insurance for our business. In those insurance policies, we have a plan for what might happen in case of something catastrophic happens. We have a “plan” for disaster. We know it could happen (we hope it doesn’t); but just in case, we know we will pick ourselves back up because we have a strategy and a game plan to land back on our feet.
Well, remember the last time you started an intense workout program and you were doing great…ramping up your training, getting ready for your vacation and feeling great? Then unexpected work got in the way and you missed a few workouts…a few led to weeks and then, and, you just stopped. You had a “disaster” (stopping), but no strategy on what your plan was when (I say WHEN…because 99% of the time this happens) you got derailed. It never occurred to you to plan for a failure!
How about that time you were on this amazing weight loss program and you were feeling so strong, committed and determined? Then you went out to dinner with your best buds after this horrendous day at work and the next thing you know you were having fried calamari, blue cheese wedge salad and the biggest cheeseburger you could wrap your fingers around (let’s not forget about the mud pie afterwards). The voice inside your head decided you might as well continue with the debauchery and have pancakes the next morning…leading to a 3 pound weight gain by Monday…. Again, here, you didn’t have your disaster plan set up. After the plate of calamari and dip, you didn’t know what to do for your relief blue print.
The place of denial will get us in big trouble here! Although it’s wonderful to think that we’ll workout every day for the rest of our lives at 99% and we will eat perfectly every meal of every day; however there are some who do this…(few) … but human chances are there will be days that disaster strikes! We get frustrated, we lack confidence, we don’t want to “work” and we simply decide that “just this once” we will go off track. You know what? That’s ok! We ALL (except for the .0001%) do it! The trick is what to do AFTER you go off track so that you don’t beat yourself up and continue the cycle. The other key is to get back on track immediately…not several days or weeks later.
Here’s where the catastrophic plan comes in to play.
Right now, while you feel strong, while you are on track, decide what you are going to do WHEN it happens! Decide how quickly you will turn it around and decide to move on. Make an outline of whom to call; like a friend or coach; or consider writing in your journal. Decide after you come to your senses that the next food you eat will be something nutritious and grown from the earth (vs. a lab)…the healthiest thing you can think of. Write down now that you will go for a walk or a run the next day and stick to your commitment. Whatever feels right to you…don’t wait until after the wheels come off to decide how to pick yourself back up…decide now what you will do so when you’ve ventured down the wrong side of the deli counter, you know exactly what and how you will recover. That is your insurance policy and your deductible is the effort!