Have you found yourself deviating from your diet, skipping a meal, or making a mistake in your meal plan? Rest assured, you're not the only one. This is a frequent occurrence that many individuals on diets experience at least a few times.
I've worked with thousands of people over the years and have had many clients who have fallen off their diet from time to time. It could be because of a vacation, a party, a fun weekend, or just a big craving one night.
If this is you, and now you're worried that you've messed up your diet, I'm here to tell you that you didn't and that it's okay. And if you're wondering what to do now that you've fallen off, it's simple––you get back on track. That's all you do. You pick yourself up and get back on track with your diet.
It might be tempting to think that you should do some more cardio, do an extra hard training session, or skip a meal, but this isn't the answer and will only mess you up further. Following these thoughts will make you think you need to punish yourself or that falling off is okay as long as you work harder. This isn't the kind of mentality that you want because this can make you fall off for a lot long. And ultimately, it will only have you repeating the problem in the future.
So, what do you do if you mess up your diet?
The best thing you can do is brush it off as an accident and realize that it isn't anything you need to punish yourself for. Then, you get back on track. Don't try to redo anything. Just refocus yourself, get back to work, and don't let it occupy your mind any longer.
Over time, you'll realize that these minor slip-ups don't define your progress and won't jeopardize your results unless you allow them to dominate your life. There might be occasional setbacks, but they will only have a short-term impact if you recommit to your plan. Just like a cheat meal––as long as it's not a regular occurrence, there's no need to worry.
Pick yourself up, get back on track, and you'll be good to go.