Printer friendly version | E-mail to a friend Q: I get so discouraged when I fail once more in eating healthy and exercising that I really put myself down and stop it all to start it all over again. What can I do?

A: Many times we are our own worst enemy. Throw in unreachable goals and many will set themselves up for failure. Negativity is like a virus. You fail in reaching your goal and it initially disappoints you. You start to look back in what you did wrong and continue to beat yourself up for any wrong doing you found. You remember that cookie you ate, or the workout you missed. You continue to put yourself down and the “virus” has spread. The virus is pushing you “off the wagon.” Not exercising, not eating healthy is making you more depressed and eventually you pull yourself back out to do it all over again.

But why are we doing this to ourselves? Society can be part of it. Your doctor’s scale didn’t help either, but mostly it is the goals we set for ourselves. Too high, too soon.

How long did it take to get unfit and unhealthy? Not overnight right?

It is so hard to “do it right”. Questions pop up such as, “If I just had my own personal trainer,” or “If I had my own gym, I know I would work out regularly.”

But look at Oprah. She has it all and she has struggled with her weight most of her life. That is how difficult it is. But you do have to take responsibility for your own actions.

If you have a hard time resisting junk food when you are at home, why do you buy it in the first place?

If you are not a morning person but feel you need to start working out before you go to work, your chances of sticking with it are slim. When you come from not doing anything and start expecting to work out five, six or even seven days a week, again, your goal is too high.

Something is going to have to give when you start putting that kind of time into your workout schedule that quickly. Take baby steps.

It is better to exercise three times a week for one hour the rest of your life than five to seven days per week for a couple of months, take off three to try it all over again.

Some tips to hopefully help you to become successful and stop putting yourself down;

• Stop buying bad foods you can’t resist.

• Plan your workouts so that you can work it in your schedule. When it goes well for a month see if you can add more.

• Set little goals, such as losing 5 pounds instead of 50. When you reach it, go for another 5 and so on. Or start with half a mile run and work up to one mile.

• Reward yourself when certain goals are reached. Maybe a new workout outfit or bathing suit.

• When falling off the wagon, climb back on. There will be days, sometimes weeks, when everything is just not working in your favor. And, yes, five minutes will make a difference. Especially keeping it going in your schedule. Before you know it you will be up to your normal time.

• When going out to eat, check calories and fat contents. Prepare yourself to eat the better, choosing foods with less fat and fewer calories food.

• Most of all, stop putting yourselves down!

Chin up, I know you can do it with the right planning and tools!

Good luck and happy Valentine!

Ester Marsh ACM Cpt

If you would like to subscribe to the Salisbury Post, click here.