For the past couple of weeks I have been challenging all of you LaineyGossip readers to make change, find a challenge that is outside of your comfort zone and work towards accomplishing a new goal.  However, if you have not made it past at least three weeks you are likely finding yourself right back where you started.  So, this article is for those of you who had every intention to make change and find a new challenge but instead are finding your gym membership sitting idle, your workout clothes in a pile on the floor and your running shoes tucked way back in a corner.  

The first thing you must do when you have “fallen off the wagon” is to get right back on it again.  Whether it has been a week, a month or several months there is no time like tomorrow to start again.  It can take many attempts before you find yourself successful so stop stressing about failing (because failing is a part of learning) and try again.

Once you have decided to get back on track you will need to look back at your past experience and figure out exactly why you failed.  Were your expectations of yourself too high?  Did you set an unattainable goal? Did you fail to create a plan?  Did you lose motivation? Were you lacking accountability?

It is very important that you figure out what it was that caused you to be unsuccessful and then make the necessary changes to ensure that failing does not happen again.  For example, if you work full time and have a busy family then perhaps training for a marathon is not the best goal for you. If you set a smaller goal (such as getting out of the house 5 days a week for 30 minutes to exercise) you might find that you are successful, you stay motivated and you start to believe in yourself.  Remember, goals must be SMART – specific, measureable, attainable, realistic and have a time deadline.

I am a big believer in making small changes and one of my favourite sayings is “1 change a week equals 52 changes a year” so do not attempt to change and fix everything all at once, it is too overwhelming and you are guaranteed to fail.  Instead, choose your goal and each week make one small change that will lead you closer to your goal.  And remember, if you fall off the wagon just get back on, the sooner the better.  You may have a few days or weeks where the workouts and the nutrition changes are difficult but after a few days of staying consistent you will find that you are right back where you left off.

Also, keep the questions coming in to Lainey.  What is it that you are struggling with and what is preventing you from working towards being the best that you can be?  

Attached - Bruce Willis leaving the gym yesterday.