Believe it or not, relapse is a normal part of behavior change. Unless you possess superhuman motivation skills, relapse happens to everyone. It is unreasonable to expect the first fitness routine after a lifestyle change will be the one you use for the rest of your life.
- Refrain from negative self-talk: Most people make the mistake of putting themselves down immediately after a relapse, which often leads to a downward spiral and makes it harder to pick yourself up. Remember nobody is perfect, or is able to adopt the perfect routine immediately.
- Assess why the relapse happened: Self-reflection will be very important to figure out why you went back to your old behavior. Was it because you felt like you didn’t have enough time? Did you get bored? Did you lose motivation? Did a significant other/friend put you down? Figuring out these barriers will be crucial for picking yourself back up.
- Write down your barriers and problem solve around them: Divide your barriers into Individual, Family/Social, and Environmental and write them all down. For each barrier figure out, “Is this something I can change? If so how? Do I need help?” More importantly, ask yourself “Is this something I’m willing to change?” If it’s something you’re not willing to change then move onto something more manageable.
- Educate yourself in the area you wish to change: Knowledge is power! If you continue to educate yourself, you’ll have more answers and solutions to perhaps overcome your barriers.
- Have a professional help you: A well-educated fitness and lifestyle consultant will know how to guide you properly depending on which stage of change you’re at. If certain things require more attention perhaps counseling is a better solution for you.
- Remember that relapse is a normal part of a lifestyle change: Humans are habitual, and certain habits can be very difficult to break. Most times when people begin to change their lifestyle, they adopt the “Perfect Routine.” However, this routine might not be perfect for you or your lifestyle. Lifestyle change is all about experimentation, you must let yourself make mistakes to learn how to pick yourself up again.
If you want help working your way into a new routine that works for you, meet with one of MacEwan University Sport and Wellness fitness and lifestyle consultants for a Program Design or ongoing Personal Training.
This article is a follow-up to The 5-Stages of Change: How You Can Use it to Maximize your Success.
