Exercise Is Not A Punishment

“Last weekend was a write-off, so I’m going to train everyday and really cut back on the carbs this week”. This is from someone feeling petrified that they may have destroyed 4 weeks of hard work in two days told me this recently.

Indulging on weekends and holidays is pretty common; it’s pretty natural too. I do encourage and educate on the right choices and creating a healthier mindset, but we are all human. We can’t always stay aligned to this “regimen”.

Sometimes we need to “let loose” to ensure we keep our focus on the end goal. Being strict all the time isn’t healthy and unnatural, leading to a potential rebellion where you body and mind just panic forcing you to self-destruct (sometimes catastrophically) on choices you will regret later.

You will get this overwhelming feeling of guilt after that “treat” or “cheat”, it’s fine. Don’t immediately start telling yourself you have to go to the gym or start planning how to make up for this. You’ve earned a bit of the “cheeky” stuff…just not too much.

To be honest, one or two days of letting go of the routine a little will not impact on your training and eating from the last few weeks/months…unless you do this more often than not.

Your body is meant to move, it’s meant to have moments of utter laziness and moments of intensity. But life is meant to be lived and food to be enjoyed. You live once, so live it!

Exercise because you want to have fun and be grateful that you can move without severe limitation, think about that. Exercise because you want to be the strongest, most physically independent and capable person you can be.

Don’t use it as the magic pill to rectify your “mistakes” in the short term, as that is a one-way street to hating and not appreciating exercise. Your eating is what will have a greater influence on your training results (fat loss, muscle gain, performance…).

Some ways to “rebound” from overindulgence:

·      Eat lighter meals with foods high in fiber. Fiber has zero calories whilst adding bulk to meals. Best options are fruits, vegetables and certain grains, which are light and filling. Eating them actually boosts your metabolism, as your body will work harder to digest these high-fiber foods.

·      If you’ve had a sugary binge then you'll more than likely have sugar cravings. Your body metabolizes sugar pretty quickly; this produces a sugar high followed by the “crash” that leaves you wanting more sugar. To help resist the urge for sweets or biscuits, reach for naturally sweet fresh fruit (Low-Medium GI), such as apples, pears and berries.

·      Do not skip meals in an attempt to compensate for the bad day/s. Skipping meals will slow down your metabolism, making you ravenous when it's time to eat again or even when it’s not. Choose protein and fiber-rich foods that will help stabilize your blood sugar and assist with keeping your hunger in check.

·      Beating yourself up with negative thoughts won't motivate you to get back on track. Take action by accepting what went wrong and making your next meal a healthy one. Focus on making better meal and snack choices.

·      Don’t cut back on your food so excessively! This will lead to a severe lack of energy meaning your workouts will be insignificant. Your metabolism will slow and you will start to lose that precious muscle you’ve worked so hard for. 

Now, don’t panic, work hard, have some fun and repe