Does this sound like your relationship with fitness/health?

You used to work out. Maybe it was high school strength and conditioning, maybe it was early morning runs, or a yoga class. You were motivated. Perhaps it was after a break up, maybe you had a friend that motivated you, or it was the amazing feeling of bettering yourself.

You killed it and were consistent. You started from Point A, a beginner, your body responded quickly and with the body transformation that started happening your confidence grew and that led to continuing your newly developed habit.

Then something happened. You got sick...the holidays hit...you got injured...you went through a break up or got into a new relationship...and started missing the gym. At first it was irritating missing the gym but once your routine broke down it became easier and easier to miss.

Then you just stopped. You didn’t miss it until you noticed yourself in a picture or the mirror or your energy plummeted.

So then you started going again however, this time you know where you once were; you remember the amount of weight you could lift or the distance you were able to run, etc. You knew what it felt like to have strength, and high energy, and endurance....so once you started at it again you were immediately mentally defeated because you can’t lift as much, for as many reps or sets or time, you can't run the same distance or hold a pose for as long as you used to. You know you have regressed.

Then you quit again. But this time it was just because of your mindset. Then this became your cycle.

Well...

Break the F******* cycle!!

Face it, you aren’t where you once were but you didn't get there overnight the first time and this time, you know what you are capable of. Your journey now is different from the one you were on 5 or 10 years ago or even just the last time you attempted to make a change. You are a different person but you will get back there and you will surpass your old-self tenfold if you just start again, start where your body is comfortable then keep pushing and break through those plateaus and do it til it’s a habit again. You WILL have to go when you’re tired, or slightly sick, or it’s a holiday until it becomes habitual, until it becomes something you look forward to.

You must make obligations to yourself. The power you feel when you conquer what you promise to yourself is unmatched. When you don't abide by your promises, your obligations to yourself, that pain should be what never allows you to do it again.

Remember... it’s always easier to maintain during busy times in your life and just squeeze in workouts to keep you on the right track....than it will be to quit when your current schedule sucks and hope that when your schedule opens up, that you’ll be able to jump back in. This is the cycle and this is what you gotta stop.