Getting Back on Track

My normal schedule is off. Granted, my calendar can always change from week to week, but it’s still fairly set. At least I knew what to expect. But now, with Scott retired, I’m having to get used to a new normal. Our time is being split between two properties. Part of the week, he’s two hours away while I’m training clients, and then I meet him for the rest of the week. It’s all fine, but it means my sleep has taken a hit. I’ve worked too hard to get my sleep in line to let it get out of whack again!

We tend to think of health as a finish line. We think that when we get an exercise routine in place, get our morning routine established, or lose those final pounds, we’re done. (Don’t I wish!) But wellness isn’t a one-and-done thing. With the new routine and my sleep getting off, it’s reminded me how even the things we’ve figured out can come apart when life changes. Whether it’s sleep, diet, exercise, or even our stress levels, maintaining our health and wellness means paying attention, making adjustments, and being patient with ourselves through every twist and turn life tosses our way.

If you talk to people who have lost a significant amount of weight, many will tell you that maintaining a weight loss is more difficult than losing weight. That may be true of many healthy lifestyle changes. Initial excitement wears off, motivation fades, and let’s face it, it’s hard to maintain new habits when the old ones keep trying to break through.

Have you also found yourself slipping back into old habits and wondering what happened? Then let’s go through this together and get back on track.

Take a look at your routine

If you didn’t establish a new routine with new lifestyle changes, that may be the reason you’ve gotten off track. Or like me, you established a routine but became complacent and relaxed a little too much. (I tend to get cocky.) I set a consistent bedtime and routine, but with everything going on, I began to let that slide a little here and there. Not much at first, but enough that after a few weeks, the effects of too little sleep are making themselves known.

Now is the time to establish or get back to your routine. Habits don’t operate in isolation. If your sleep, eating, or exercise habits are off, chances are something else in your routine has changed too. Start by stepping back and taking a good, honest look at how your days are flowing right now. What time are you waking up and going to bed? When are you eating, moving, resting, or zoning out? Don’t get tied up in a guilt trip. Just become aware of what’s really going on and what might be throwing things off.

Once you have a better idea of your current routine, look for areas where you could make small adjustments. (Emphasis on small.) Maybe you're staying up later than you used to, mindlessly scrolling instead of taking your morning walk, or grabbing fast food more often than planned. Notice what’s no longer serving you and identify a spot or two where change feels doable. One small shift, like setting limits on your phone or doing a little more food prep, can start to get you back to your healthy habits.

Be patient

You’ve been down this road before. Real change doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, consistency, and patience. Lots of patience! Give yourself time to get back in the swing of things. And remember that this isn’t a failure, it’s life, with all its ups and downs. So, pat yourself on the back for taking steps to get back on track.

So, now I have to practice what I preach. That means setting my alarm again for when I need to start getting things ready for bed, listening to my meditation app when I go to bed, and keeping the schedule throughout the weekend. And also remind myself not to get cocky and think I don’t need to stick to my routine every night.

Alright, that’s it for me. Let me know if you’ve had a similar experience and how you were able to get back on track or if you are still struggling.

Stay well, my friends!

Alicia