I know it’s only the beginning of January and you may not have got going yet with your new fitness programme, eating plan or other health inspired regimen, but allow me to pre-empt some possible scenarios and offer you a management strategy should they occur.

It is with every good intention to stick with these wellbeing projects and achieve our goals – but what happens if you don’t, what happens when you fall off the wagon big time and eat the whole pack of biscuits, skip your morning run or don’t train for a week because you have a cold virus?
Do you jack it all in and think ‘forget it!’? Do you consider it a ‘FAIL’ if you have a glass of wine on an evening out after you’d signed up for ‘Dry january’?
Or, worse still, do you not even attempt to start a fitness routine because you know you’ll fall off at some point?

Well ‘so what’ if all that happens and then some – just start again!

If you view your fitness, diet, or lifestyle habits as a short term programme that must be followed to the letter or it’s ruined, you could be setting yourself up for an epic feeling of failure and so maybe a re-think is in order…

Exercise and wellbeing choices should be seen as something you do to enhance your life – for Life! – not just a few weeks to achieve some physical aesthetic. The majority of us therefore, will benefit most by approaching our wellbeing routines as part of the general structure of our lives, knowing there will be times when things won’t be as consistent or perfect as others and be ok with that, not get disheartened or demotivated, because thats how life goes sometimes!

Knowing within yourself that you’ll get back to your ‘normal’ routine once the current situation passes, will release the pressure and help you maintain your long term health.

– This article has been published in the January edition of Life Magazines – http://www.lifemagazines.co.uk