Are you feeling derailed with your diet and exercise during the Pandemic or not?
Does it feel like an impossible task to return to the momentum you once had?
For many, the COVID19 Pandemic is proving to be a heavy hitter. Many will admit this crisis has had a major impact on their lives.
Despite setbacks, we can still find numerous ways to finish this year strong. Now that businesses and gyms are on the brink of reopening, it’s time to evaluate where our goals are:
Consider some of the following suggestions to help reignite focus in your nutrition and exercise game:
1. Visualize Your Future
Where do you see yourself at the end of this year? How do you picture yourself evolving from now until then? Are you fit? Are you lean? Are you strong? Are you healthy? Are you at your best?
Quick Tip:
Try listening to some theta beats or meditation music while visualizing. These brainwave-inducing sounds help to support a relaxed state for successful visualization.
Examples:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcU6w1Pr5gc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CreU9g302yU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsfyb1pStdw
2. Compare Your Current Diet and Exercise Routine to Your Pre-COVID Pandemic Structure
Have you omitted lifts over the past few months?
Did training intensity drop due to a lack of equipment?
Was training frequency adjusted?
Where is your body currently? Have you gained weight? Lost mass?
Have new goals popped up over the last few months?
The answers to these questions will help you determine how to position your training and nutrition structure for the remainder of the year.
Quick Tip:
Return to your visualization exercise in step one to picture yourself staying committed through the months during life’s ebbs and flows.
3. Be a Smart Goal Planner
While it’s essential to have goals, it’s also important not to overshoot here. The implications of COVID19 will carry over into the reopening phases. Here are some warnings:
a) If you feel detrained, you will need at least 4-12 weeks of progressive training to return to your previous glory. Going all out in the first few weeks could easily lead to injury.
b) Most public gyms will possess appointment-only slots while operating at 25% capacity. Less access means you might not be able to return to training at the frequency you desire. Limited training hours can infringe on the speed of progress.
Bottom line:
Plan smart and consider variables you may not have had to think in the past. Making educated decisions regarding your future program will help you avoid disappointments.
4. Self-Assess As You Move Forward
Set up personal checkpoints to examine your progress.
Metrics like body composition, weight, and waist circumference are all helpful tools to track your results.
Use your stats to determine whether or not you are on track. If not, why or why not? What changes will you apply to modify your results as you proceed forward?
Quick Tip:
Expect to encounter setbacks in your fitness journey. Be realistic with your goals by having backup plans prepared when they arise.
5. Strategies to Reinforce Consistency
Consistent effort over the long term is the most critical variable for optimal progress
and results.
Which variables helped you the most with consistency in the past? Which variables kept you from being as consistent as you wanted to be?
How can you use this information to fine-tune your approach for the future?
Naomi Sachs, B.Sc., A.C.H.N., PFT
Fully-certified since 2015, Naomi has been successfully coaching clients throughout North America and facilitating their self-growth in the nutrition and fitness realm. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the myriad of health strategies available, her services aim to introduce clarity and self-motivation.