Getting Back on Track After a Bad Week

Losing weight is hard. It doesn’t matter how many “quick fixes” and “miracle cures” come out, losing the weight and keeping it off in the long term requires hard work.

The truth is nothing worth having was ever easy.

Getting back on track after a bad week as soon as possible is essential. It’s the only way you’re going to give yourself the best chance. There’s no point saying the plan isn’t working, when you know you’re not sticking to it.

Here are four tips to help you get straight back on track.

Face the Scales

When you have a bad week, it’s really easy to fall off the wagon. You think that you won’t jump on the scales to see the damage, but you’ll be really good for another week. Does it really happen?

I’ve had plenty of members come to me at the scales and tell me they were thinking of missing class. They didn’t want to see the damaged they’d done. But then they knew that they wouldn’t get back on track. The best thing they did was admit that they needed to see the damage, so they could get back on track.

You’re not doing yourself any favors by skipping the scales. I’ve had members who haven’t come for a week, thinking they’d get back on track. They’ve then missed that week and then the week after. Eventually, it gets to the point where they’ve missed a month or two without even realising, and the weight has piled back on.

Facing the scales will help you get back on track. You admit the damage to yourself, and are more likely to be in the frame of mind to lose it again.

Draw a Line Under It

Sometimes you can’t help bad weeks. In fact, you may plan them. If you go on holiday, you want to have fun and not constantly think about your weight loss.

There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as you’re willing to do one thing: draw a line under it as soon as you’re back.

The sooner you get back on track, the sooner you can undo some of the damage. You don’t need to wait for the scales to tell you. You don’t need to wait for the start of the week. Just pull the food tracker straight back out and get writing everything down.

It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been off track, either. It could have been a day or a whole week. Just make a commitment to yourself to get straight back on it at the first opportunity.

Text/Chat to Your Support

You will likely have someone to support you on your journey. This doesn’t have to be someone in your house or a friend. You could have a support network online. There are lots of Facebook groups full of people on the same journey as you, and they can be great for support. You may even have your Weight Watchers leader who wants to help you get straight back on it.

When you’re struggling, don’t hide away. That negativity often just leads to you eating everything in sight. You’re less likely to stick to a plan, because you don’t feel confident in yourself.

That support can help get you back in the right frame of mind. I always tell my members that I want to hear from them if they’re struggling. They can contact me through Facebook, text or a phone call, and I will help them. I’ll go over concerns and I’ll discuss how they’re feeling about the plan and their confidence. I don’t want them to wait until the scales if it means the risk of another bad week.

Get in touch with your support. That’s what your support is there for.

Put On Your Running Shoes

Okay, maybe you don’t like running and the weather isn’t the greatest for walking, but get active in some way. This boosts your mental health and you can often feel more confident in a weight loss plan.

I love to go swimming. Just half an hour in the pool gets me back in the right frame of mind. I don’t want to ruin everything I’ve just done in the pool for the sake of a chocolate bar. Maybe you could find an activity that gives you that same boost of confidence and positivity.

Getting active is also good for your health and weight loss. It helps to boost your metabolism and will help to reduce the risk of numerous health problems. If you don’t want to or can’t get out, why not look at some armchair exercises or get the home exercise DVDs. The Wii Fit was one that I turned to for a long time before I was able to find a swimming pool that I enjoyed being at.

The best thing you can do is get straight back on track after a bad week. It’s not the end of the world and you haven’t completely blown it. Face the scales and draw a line under it. Now is your chance to lose weight.

Christmas is just five weeks away. You could lose half a stone in that time rather than putting it on! How would that feel come January?