Achieving the “perfect” body is honestly a struggle most woman have with themselves. They battle with trying to do everything right and feel guilty if they fall off the wagon or don’t follow through on their plan of action.
Achieving your fitness perfect body can come with a lot of compromise as well as limitations. Socially, it’s a huge challenge as we tend to match food and drinks with socializing. If we can’t be free with those liberties, then it’s typically torture hanging out with friends.
Sometimes, women can beat themselves up for making 1 mistake or missing 1 workout. That can send them into a tailspin! Either beating themselves up mentally, or in some cases, physically with food.
Food shouldn’t be punishment or torture. Finding the right balance and timing for achieving your perfect body is a challenge.
If this sounds like you, there is a way out. When you have a cheat meal and guilt begins to flood your thoughts, use one of the five approaches below to take back control.
1. ACCEPT YOUR DIETARY FLUCTUATIONS AND MISSTEPS AND MOVE ON FROM THEM
Some people do well with meal planning with variety and some cheat allowances. Others have to follow an “all or nothing” plan, where they are perfectly following a meal plan to a T, with no allowances. But sometimes, they allow indulgences or a cheat and they beat themselves up with going off their plan and ruining all their hard work.
Guess what, it happens. One mistake or indulgence isn’t going to ruin all your hard work. It doesn’t mean you are a failure either. Acknowledge it and learn from it. There’s a reason you went off “the deep end” and beat yourself up for it. Maybe your plan is too strict and mentally you aren’t prepared to be under such tight guidelines. Maybe your body needs to have moments of dietary freedom to stay in control. Learn from your body cues and get back to your meal plan ASAP.
2. BEING PERFECT ISN’T ALWAYS REALISTIC
Nobody is perfect. That was the first book I read. The truth is, the media can jade your perception on fitness professionals as they distribute photos and videos throughout a long period of time. Socially, we think that fitness pro is perfectly ripped 24/7. But, more times than not, that fitness pro did a photo or video shoot with multiple scenery and outfit changes during a time they were very fit and ripped. Then they have a lot of media material to use for a long period of time as they allow themselves to loosen up on training and their diet.
The fact is, most fitness professionals or freaks make mistakes as well as drop off their perfect programs.
Be kind to yourself, and learn to forgive yourself. You can be full of understanding and accepting of other people, so why not be kind to the person who matters most: yourself?
3. REALISTICALLY LOOK AT YOUR SITUATION
The story in our mind can end up a lot worse than the reality of our situation. Always keep the big picture in mind. Really, 1 misstep in your diet isn’t going to ruin weeks and months of hard work and effort.
Depending on what you are working towards, generally, you can be perfect on your meal plan and workout plan about 85%-90% of the time and allow for some freedom and liberty and still get results.
4. TO INDULGE OR NOT TO INDULGE
If you’re going to go off your diet plan, just do it. Plan for it. Rather than letting it occupy your mind all day, battling if you should or shouldn’t. Do it and move on. Being healthy is about finding joy and balance in the things you do and eat.
ENJOY LIFE AND GET OFF OBSESSING ABOUT YOUR DIET . Really, life is too short to walk around with shame and regret. These negative emotions are not worth your time, your energy, or your happiness. It actually causes more stress in your body hurting your efforts in achieving your goals.