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We have all been there right? You were in the zone, training felt on point, nutrition felt solid, and everything is just rolling. Then BOOM. Out of nowhere something changes. Sometimes it’s a major life event, sometimes it’s a minor life event. Good news, or bad news. Heck even accomplishing a big challenge you’ve been training for and now you’re just going to “take a short break.” Either way, it’s almost easier to fall into a rut than it is to get into a groove to begin with. The real question is how do you get out.

First thing, give yourself some grace. Like we just talked about, there are a million different reasons someone can fall out of their groove. This happens to literally EVERYONE at some point or another. Look around, even in professional sports where the athletes are paid to preform, you will see slump seasons. This happens. So please, don’t beat yourself up. Know that its going to happen, there is no way to avoid it, and just like everyone else, you will pick yourself up and get back into things.

Set goals. Yeah, everyone knows this one right. We are in a slump thats why we’re here, to set a goal and get out. Goals are tricky. Set realistic and achievable goals. Sometimes when you feel yourself sliding into a slump the secret to getting out is just giving yourself that first win. One simple W on the board can domino into a road that gets you right back on track. Instead of saying “I am going to go to the gym 6 days a week” or “I am not going to eat any more cheat meals” try things like “I am going to internally do some type of movement 3 days a week this week” or “I am not going to eat a cheat meal 3 out of the 7 days this week”. Notice 2 things here. 1. These are very simple goals, stripping back the overwhelming volume and keeping it easy and light weight. 2. They have a short time frame. “This week” allows you to start, and finish quickly, giving you that win that you so desperately need.

Write down your plan, and read it every day. Using something like a physical journal or note pad can be an epic tool to keep you accountable. Writing down these short, simple goals and reading them every morning will help to keep it fresh on your mind and keep you driving toward what you want to accomplish. It may feel simple, but sometimes a daily reminder is all we need to keep ourselves pointed in the right direction.

Don’t overestimate yourself. Huh? We have all been there right. You ran a marathon, so why on earth would you need to set a goal of just moving your body a couple days a week, you know how to manage a way higher training load. You’ve competed in a body building show, and you know how to diet down to single digit body fat % so why on earth would you need to set such a rudimentary dieting goal. It’s simple, exhaustion. Sometimes after accomplishing such a huge feat, we give ourselves space to rest and take a pause. This isn’t a bad thing in theory, but what we have to remember is once we stop, getting going again is much harder. We’re not saying don’t take the pause, just give yourself the grace to not overestimate the start again, and start slow, much slower than you even think you need.