I have been feeling slightly under the weather as of late. With winter holding on for dear life, a large deadline for work (Jaclyn Wilson Couture), and reaching the midway point of contest prep...I admit it, I'm feeling the blahs. I'm distracted by the idea of anything fun, different and don't forget delicious! This is the point where I have to buckle down and get serious! It's time to exercise my will power! Here are a few quick tips that help me stay focused during rough times and how I resist temptation:
1) Always be prepared. When delicious, not so healthy food, starts calling my name I always put extra attention on making sure I'm prepared. Having my meals cooked and with me at all times really narrows the margin for cheating. When it's time to eat you are likely "starving to death", and having the right food immediately available will prevent grabbing choices outside of your nutrition plan.
2) Taking a day off. When focused on a goal we can forget that rest is also an element of progress. If you're feeling tired, dreading your workouts, sleeping through your alarm clock, then you likely need a break. Listen to your body! If it truly is a matter of rest, take a day off to veg with movies and sleep in. The next day you'll feel refreshed and ready to tackle your next workout!
3) Just get going. On the flip side of feeling exhausted and needing a day off training, is recognizing when you just simply don't want to go. These are the days when you need to pull up your socks, get your booty to the gym, and just do it! The hardest part for me is leaving my house. Once I'm out the door and walk into the gym, I'm usually good to go. Completing the workouts you almost skipped out on are the most rewarding as well. There is a pride that comes with knowing you did yourself a good one, a great feeling that is very motivating for future workouts.
4) Grabbing a coffee or tea. Often times when in social situations, food and alcohol will be in abundance. And let me say, I love food! But the temptation to "join in" isn't always a matter of actually ingesting when everyone else is, it's more feeling a part of the social situation. I find just having something in my hands like a flavoured tea or coffee will allow me to feel part of the event while keeping me busy from snacking on treats. Believe it or not, a simple tea has prevented me from eating the house down on multiple occasions.
5) Avoidance. While finding a balance between competing and the rest of your life should always be a priority, there are instances where I need to avoid particular situations. A late night supper with friends, while I'm finished my meals for the day, isn't always going to work. It can sometimes feel like personal sabotage to put myself into a situation if my mood isn't right. I politely decline some invitations, offer a coffee date instead, and take advantage of the times when my focus is strong and I'm confident I can resist temptation.
6) Shake the stress. When life gets stressful and things seem to pull me thin, I have to seek ways to reduce my stress levels. Sometimes this means taking an evening off work to relax with my loved ones, with the goal of tackling work the next day. Just like taking a day off from training, often times taking time off from other responsibilities will also help you refocus. Any method of reducing stress is refreshing and motivating. When overwhelmed with work, learning to say "no" to extra projects is also a must! Your health will thank you and your inner self will be so relieved!
It can take some experimenting to find what works for you, but usually all methods of working through rough patches involve some type of will power. Whether resisting certain foods, saying no to extra work, or dragging your butt to the gym, it all requires you to look inside for the right answer, not the easy answer. So dig deep with me guys and Exercise Your Will Power as well, and together we'll keep pushing towards our goals!
I found these Exercise Your Will Power images while scrolling through Tumblr, unfortunately I don't know the source of the artwork. Incredible work none the less!
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