How to DEAL with Setbacks
This scenario can happen in just about every aspect of our lives: exercise, health, relationships, family, work, finances, etc. And the reality is, it’s not a matter of if it happens, it’s a matter of when. With this given, the question really is, how do we deal with major life setbacks? In particular, how do we deal with major life setbacks when it comes to health and fitness?
If you know me, you may know I’m a fairly private person. I love to write, but not particularly about myself or my life. I used to be more of an open book, but as I’ve grown older (even that sounds old!), I’ve become more private. However, on the topic of setbacks, I feel compelled to share just a little slice of my life for the sake of this article.
As of this week, I’m 35 weeks pregnant. As far as pregnancy goes, I consider myself to be one of the “lucky ones.” I’ve been feeling great, normal weight gain, minimal weird pregnancy symptoms and I’m able to just about carry on with my normal day to day life.
If it wasn’t obvious already, I LOVE to workout. I mean, it’s literally my everyday life, working out and helping other people workout. I love it because it makes me feel good, both mentally and physically and feeling strong (especially as a woman) is something that truly makes me feel awesome.
From the moment I found out I was pregnant, I was able to carry on with my workouts. This was huge for me because the thought of not being able to workout, while my body went through all these new changes, was just a daunting thought. As the weeks progressed, some of the exercises became altered to accommodate my changing body and the overall weight I was lifting became less.
Everything was going great, I was feeling good, my workouts were moving along, until BOOM….week 26 hit. At a routine ultrasound, I learned I had a pregnancy complication that placed the baby at high risk for premature delivery. As a result, I was told to take to a “couch potato” lifestyle and definitely no working out.
This news came as a major shock and upset for me, followed with the following thoughts, “how will I make it through the next 4 months…how will my body feel if I can’t move as much…how will I emotionally feel…will I lose all my strength…will I gain even more weight?!” These dramatics carried through the next few days, internally with my thoughts and externally in my conversations with Jason, as I slowly drove him up the wall with the revolving rhetorical questions.
After a few days of self-pity, I came to my senses and realized that in terms of setbacks, this was a minor one in the grand scheme of life. I would workout again, I would get back to my level of fitness pre-baby and everything would be totally fine. However, I should also point out, that just because a setback is minor on the scale of life, it doesn’t mean that it should be discounted. Setbacks are individual to everyone and we all approach the process differently. However, the question still remains, how do we deal with life setbacks, particularly when it comes to health and fitness? Here’s how we deal…
Assess the Situation
Allow Yourself Minimal “Woe is Me” Time
Focus on What You CAN Do and DO IT
Be Consistent at Any Cost
Written by Sophie DeHenzel
How to DEAL with Setbacks
Photos Courtesy of (top to bottom): dudzinski/bigstockphoto.com, flynt/bigstockphoto.com, zsirosistvan/bigstockphoto.com
About DeHenzel Training Systems: DeHenzel Training Systems offers In Home Personal Training services throughout Northern Virginia and Washington DC. Aside from in home, personal training is also available at the office gym or outdoors at a local park.
Within Northern Virginia, we service Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William Counties including: Alexandria, Annandale, Arlington, Ashburn, Burke, Centreville, Chantilly, Fairfax, Falls Church, Great Falls, Herndon, Lansdowne, Leesburg, Lorton, McLean, Oakton, Reston, Springfield, Sterling, Tyson’s Corner, Vienna and Woodbridge.