Fall off the horse again? Here’s how to get right back on...

The worst part about being in the best shape of your life, is the day you give up. The process is so cyclical. You eat healthy and exercise everyday for a month straight. Then one day you decide to treat yourself to that cookie to celebrate all your hard work. The next thing you know, you haven’t worked out in a week and you’ve gained five pounds. So what gives? What’s a girl to do?

The only thing to do is, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and do it all over again. Like everything in life you can’t expect perfection. Everyone has their weak moments. We get bored, busy or stressed out and fitness and good nutrition take a backseat. Don’t be so hard on yourself that you just give up altogether. Here a few easy things you can do right now to get yourself back on track and back in shape in no time.

1. Recover from couch-potato syndrome- We all know that if you can just get yourself to the gym, once your there, you will perk up. Any exercise is good exercise and you can’t expect yourself to give 100% every day. So even if you go and walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes, your burning more calories than you wouldn’t have otherwise.

2. Jot it down- I know it sounds juvenile but seriously, writing down your goals and keeping them in a place where you see them everyday might be the simple reminder you need to avoid giving into that temptation, or skimping out on your workout. Make sure they are meaningful, attainable and measurable.

3. Two heads are better than one- Don’t go it alone, grab a buddy who has similar goals and become a team. You will feel more guilty letting your friend down than just letting yourself down. Schedule times to meet at the gym or go to a fitness class and send each other healthy recipes. You will keep each other motivated and on track and maybe, just maybe have a little fun too!

4. Switch it up- There is no excuse for workout boredom. Open your mind; don’t limit yourself to the treadmill and free weights. Learn how to use the machines, play a sport, walk your dog, go for a bike ride, take a swim, throw a frisbee, take a new class, your options are limitless.

5. Shop til’ you drop- Go buy some cute workout clothes. If you’ve got something new and cute to wear, it might just be the motivation you need to get you there. Shopping for new workout clothes not only gets you out of the house, it puts exercise on the brain.