Visualize a New You

Losing motivation? Ate too much at last night’s party? Feeling guilty? Don’t know how to get back on track? This week we are going to give you some tips on what to do when you have strayed from your goal. It happens to the best of us, so let’s share some ideas on how to get back on track. Think of how great it’s going to feel to brag about your successes!

To start, why not try something new and different this year—Don’t gain weight. It can be done! What helps us is visualizing how I want to feel at the end of the day; I focus on what my priorities are, and this helps keep things in check.

Here are some tips to bear in mind when it doesn’t go as you planned:

1. Don’t beat yourself up. It is easy to feel guilty and beat yourself up when you stray from your goal. But remember, this happens to most people. More importantly, examine why you fell off track. This will help you avoid it next time. Did you simply lose your motivation? Or did something occur to trigger this behavior?
   
   
2. Admit that you have fallen off your goal. Don’t feel guilty about it, but also don’t deny it. Denying it can make it worse by ignoring the behavior that got you off goal in the first place. Denying also encourages you to continue the behavior.
   
   
3. Avoid making the same mistake again. Now you know why you fell off your goal. Figure out what you are going to do next time to avoid letting it happen again. If something triggered this behavior, make a specific plan as to what you will do the next time the trigger goes off. If it was simply lack of motivation, make a plan for remembering why your goals are so important to you so that you can work to stay motivated.