By Devan Kline
Alright, I’ll come clean: As hard as I try to stick to my diet and exercise routine, sometimes I fail. Many people think that because I’m a personal trainer I have a perfect diet and never miss a workout. Actually, that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth!
As a husband, father, trainer, speaker, and business owner I have the craziest schedule. One night I could be in Dallas, Texas with expert trainer Mike Harper rocking his orientation, and the next day flying to New York City for a segment on Fox and Friends.
Sometimes my schedule gets the best of me and I fall off track. Over the last few weeks my workouts have reduced by 50% in frequency, and when I do work out I haven’t been as focused. I never “blow it out” with my nutrition, but it has been consistently off track.
But I’m not ashamed to tell you any of this. I know many of you go through the same struggles that I do—trust me when I say you’re not alone.
There will always be times when we fall off track from our goals and progress. Keep your psychology strong by realizing that you’re only a failure if you stop trying. You don’t have to be perfect or flawless, you just have to commit to the endless pursuit of your goals.
For those times when you’re feeling off, use the following four tips in my “Get Back on Track” formula!
1. Set a goal with a timeline. Solidify your goals by committing to a schedule. For example, I had to re-motivate myself earlier this year by scheduling our Burn Athlete photo shoot. If it’s time for you to take your fitness to the next level, then put it on the schedule. You’ll feel more committed to meeting every goal.
2. Be more grateful. When things get overwhelming, sometimes all we need to do is to open our eyes and fix our focus! Take time to step back and appreciate the good in your life. You are blessed in so many ways. Maybe your body isn’t where you’d like it to be, maybe you’re highly stressed at work, or maybe your eating habits aren’t consistent. But take some time to recognize the progress that you’ve made. Trade your expectations for appreciation and you’ll change your state of mind instantly.
3. Drink meal replacement smoothies. While meal prepping is hugely beneficial to building healthy eating habits, sometimes you get sick and tired of cooking and eating the same things, right? Here are 25 all-natural protein smoothie recipes that will help you to switch up your routine while still getting your protein in.
4. Modify your inputs. What are you doing between the hours of 5 pm and 10 pm? I find that this is when success happens. Many people are tuned into their phones and TVs in the evenings watching other people’s lives from afar. I live by the “No Extra Time Rule,” or the NET Rule. By filling up all the time that I’m awake with good inputs like healthy food, effective workouts, self-improvement newsletters, books, and working on my passion I have no extra time for bad inputs. Refusing to allow bad inputs like reality TV or endless Facebook feed scrolling can change your life. You must stand guard at your brain every single day and control your inputs!
I hope my tips will be helpful for you the next time you feel like you’ve fallen off track. When you start with Burn Boot Camp or any other fitness program, you will eventually lose that initial motivation. That’s only natural.
That’s okay, though, because if you’re truly passionate and dedicated to achieving your goals, that motivation will come back like clockwork!
