FIND STRENGTH TO GET THROUGH THE STRUGGLE(S).

You have the perfect plan in place. Your nutrition and workout program are all lined up and ready to go. You’re feeling confident about your success. Then it hits. That unexpected event that leaves you reeling and wondering how you’ll ever move forward. You know what I am talking about. We have all struggled, faced hardships, and obstacles and we will face all of these things again. And again. And again.

Instead of giving up, FIND STRENGTH in change! Use these moments to grow and move forward towards new strength in your life. If you’re in a rough patch, you can came out on the other side even stronger than you were before – with the right approach!

Remember Your Purpose

When the going gets rough, it can be really difficult to remember why you started. When you start to feel low, write down your goal and the purpose(s) for that goal. List as many reasons as you can for why that goal is important to you. Allow those reasons to remind you that even when things don’t quite go as planned, you’re on the right track and working toward something that will be worth it in the long run.

Stay true to yourself at all times, and follow your heart, because giving up on your goals isn’t healthy and definitely won’t make things any better. If you’re not happy or healthy in your life, how can you be your best self?

Get A Support Network

Personal success and happiness aren’t typically the result of trying to please everyone. Worrying about people who don’t support you or your goals will just make your fitness goals, personal goals, and life in general much more difficult. Instead, spend your time and energy on people who are on your side and will help you move in the direction you want to go. Surround yourself with those who inspire you, challenge you, and build you (and others) up. Find people who get you fired up and force you to be the best version of yourself possible. Focus on those “critical few,” not the “insignificant many.”

Be Overprepared

You already know that life will throw you curveballs that can make workouts, meal prep, and even sleep impossible to knock out of the park. It’s important to accept that if the day doesn’t go as planned but, you need be prepared.

Try to food prep on Sundays, to stay ready for the week. Learn how to order healthy meals at restaurants and find healthy choices in grocery stores no matter where you are. When you travel, look ahead to see what kind of gym equipment the hotel has or see how far local gyms are from where you are staying.

However, preparing your meals and knowing when you’ll work out during the day is only half the battle. What happens if you have to stay for a late meeting or your little one gets sick?

It’s also important to prepare a plan B for those days you can’t quite follow your normal schedule. If you have a backup plan in your pocket, you’ll still be able to stick to your fitness regimen, even if it’s not perfect.

So, when you’re scheduling your week, think about how it may vary. Can you can still eat, prepare meals, and exercise if something happens to get in the way of your original plan?

Keep An Open Mind

Part of being prepared is also being flexible.

For instance, due to space constraints in my home, I had to downgrade my expansive home gym to accommodate a “play area” for my son, and soon to arrive daughter. Actually, I got rid of everything initially. Recently, however, I decided to put a scaled-down home gym in NEXT TO my son’s play area because so that we could both be in the space – TOGETHER. This has given me the option to have more flexibility in my workout schedule AND allows me to lead by example for the little man…even if he is only two J

Running a private training studio, there isn’t always a convenient time open for me to get in and get a workout, so if that is the case, or I need a change from my home gym, I will try to schedule my workout at another area gym. Bottom line, even if you can’t complete your workout exactly as its prescribed, or as you had planned, you can still make headway toward your goals.

Give Back

Make time for those who have helped you along the way.   Simple thank-you notes or a kind gesture goes a long way. Giving back to the people who you love and have helped you, can also allow you to maintain some perspective.

Working toward a goal can be overwhelming, especially if those goals are lofty. Keeping other people in your heart can go a long way and lead towards positive growth for everyone. It is important to keep in mind that everyone is fighting their own battles. You may never know how much your help or kindness is appreciated.

Know That Sacrifice Is Inevitable

When you have a goal in mind, and you need to dedicate time toward that goal, something else will have to give. But, when you know what’s most important, sacrificing on other things isn’t so hard.

You need my workouts to stay healthy, physically and mentally, but also have a full-time job, or kids, other family obligations, and so on. Sometimes you will have to just fit your workouts in when you can get them in and dishes and laundry happen on the weekends. Social events and other nonessentials might have to take a back seat.

Sacrificing can be difficult, but it can also help organize and declutter your life. Don’t become so consumed and caught up with unnecessary things. Instead, focus on what will help you grow, and move forward towards a better you!