Don’t Let a Lapse Turn into a Collapse

Have you ever had an unhealthful lunch which turned into an ice cream on the way home and an equally unhealthful supper? And all this after you have been doing so well at planning healthful meals and managing to squeeze a walk in five days a week. This one-day indiscretion is called a lapse. You lapsed from your usual healthful patterns. Maybe you were over-tired; maybe you did not plan ahead and bring your lunch to work. No matter the reason, you veered from your plan to be a healthier you. It’s totally fine! As long as you don’t let this lapse turn into a relapse which for some people, is the precursor to a collapse wherein all healthful behaviors are thrown to the wind.

A relapse is a lapse taken a step further. If you let that one bad meal or day turn into one bad weekend, saying to yourself, “I’ll get back on track on Monday,” it can actually make it a lot harder to get and stay on track .

The relapse in turn is a stepping stone to a collapse. A collapse happens when you throw away all your hard work and forget the great things you have already accomplished. You’ve reached collapse when you revert back to old habits that are not good for your health; it doesn’t even feel satisfying but you have gone so far down the road of self destruction it almost seems better than being happy and healthy.

Don’t let a lapse morph into a relapse which turns into a collapse. Take stock of your situation and make changes before it is too late.

1. Make a Move- Exercise,even if it is only for 10 minutes; give yourself the gift of ten minutes. It may not, but it’s likely that this burst of exercise will propel you to a few more minutes of moving.

2. Go for a light shop- Buy a new workout top to motivate you to hit gym. Check out healthful recipes online that use an ingredient you have never tried before, then go get this new health food. Have you tried quinoa?

3. Clean- Cleaning is great exercise for both your body and mind. Having a clean drawer, room or house can help you keep a clean mind so your thoughts are clearer and you are able to remember how good you feel when you are on the right track.

Take a few minutes to reflect and find ways to take care of yourself instead of heading into reckless behavior like skipping the gym and ordering those extra large fries.