How to Get Back into a Healthy Routine After a Slump

Even the most disciplined individuals sometimes fall off the wagon, and we all need a break from our day-to-day routines now and again. Maybe you've returned from a two-week vacation and are in need of a reset, or perhaps you've simply slipped out of your good habits. Either way, all is not lost! Trying to get back into the swing of making positive lifestyle choices can feel overwhelming. With a little patience and the right mindset, you'll slowly but surely get back on track. To help you get started, we've put together a list of easy ways to reestablish a healthy routine.

Set Realistic Goals

One of the fastest ways to put yourself on the back foot before you've even started is by setting unrealistic goals. You might have the best intentions, but overhauling your life in a matter of days just isn't feasible! For example, expecting to hit the gym five times a week when you haven't been in months is far too much pressure to put on yourself. Instead, create targets that you can see yourself achieving. Some people find writing down daily goals helpful, while others prefer to set their intentions for the coming week. 

Create Shopping Lists and Meal Plans

A key aspect of any healthy routine is eating balanced, nutritious meals. Despite what we've often been led to believe, eating well and cutting back on convenience foods is possible even if you have a super busy schedule. The best way to ensure you make sound choices is to plan tasty, quick meals for the week ahead. By making shopping lists based on these dishes before you head to the supermarket, you'll minimize the risk of purchasing potentially unhealthy foods you don't need.

Batch Cook Your Meals

A firm favorite among those with hectic lifestyles, batch cooking is becoming an increasingly popular way to keep up with your nutrition goals. By setting aside a few hours at the weekend, you'll have a chance to assemble multiple servings of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for the week. Eating the same meals several times a week can be challenging if you prefer more variety, so it's essential to choose dishes that you actually enjoy. Alternatively, you could try batch-cooking your evening meals and switching to more diverse options for breakfast and lunch, as they generally require less preparation.

Aim to Exercise Three Times a Week

When you're starting to get back into exercising, you might feel compelled to work out every day at the beginning. While it may seem like this is the most effective way to improve your fitness, it can sometimes leave you burnt out. If you're out of shape, it's best to give your body time to readjust to regular exercise. To build yourself back up to more frequent workout sessions, start by exercising around three times a week before steadily amping up your routines.

Schedule Workouts With a Friend

Conversely, some people find it difficult to muster up the motivation to begin exercising again. If you're struggling to get going, why not ask a friend or loved one if they're interested in joining you? Working out with another person not only encourages you both to push yourself more than you might by yourself, but it also holds you accountable. You're much less likely to skip out on a session when you feel you're letting someone else down.

Maintain a Consistent Sleeping Pattern

While establishing a solid sleeping routine may seem like a straightforward change to make, it's often one of the hardest. Most of us require between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Falling short of this can leave you feeling too drained to stay active or make the right food choices. It can take a few days or even weeks to get your sleeping pattern just right, but doing so will make every other aspect of your life noticeably easier.

Prioritize Getting Between 5,000 and 10,000 Steps a Day

Finding a suitable exercise plan that caters to your needs is central to restoring a healthy routine. However, getting enough movement in general is also incredibly important. Walking is a fantastic way to keep your body active, and a few short strolls are as beneficial as one longer outing. If you're having a hard time fitting walks into your schedule, making small changes like taking the stairs or parking further away than usual is a great way to up your steps.

Celebrate Small Accomplishments

Many of us are quick to beat ourselves up about the various things we didn't accomplish and, in turn, forget to appreciate what we did achieve. While you won't want to make a habit of missing some of your targets, this shouldn't overshadow the workout session you completed or the eight-hour sleep you got. Recognizing all your successes will give you a sense of pride and motivation, making it easier to keep pushing toward your other goals. If you only focus on what you didn't do, you'll hold yourself back in the long run.

Approach Every Day Like It's a New Beginning

In a similar vein, tackling every day as if it's a fresh start will prevent you from dwelling on the negatives from the previous day. We tend to get caught up in the idea that if Monday doesn't go as well as we had hoped, we need to write off the entire week. This mindset can be more harmful than you might think, and it can make getting back into your routine much more demanding than it needs to be. If one bad day stops you from trying again until the following week, it can take months to restore your habits.

Use These Tried-And-Tested Strategies to Revive Your Healthy Habits

As much as we'd like to think we can bounce back into a healthy routine with minimal effort, it's usually not so easy! By gradually reintroducing these wellness practices and balanced behaviors, you'll get back in line without getting run down along the way.