5 Reasons Why You’re Not Reaching Your Wellness Goals

We all make mistakes, but we don’t always see them for what they are…

What comes around once a year and is inevitably accompanied with a sigh of defeat?

Yep, you got it… It’s that ceremonial kick to the side of your New Year’s resolution. And oftentimes, that pledge had something to do with slimming down and getting into shape.

So, why do you repeatedly fail when it comes to staying the course in pursuit of better health? Why is it so dang difficult to stick to your guns when targeting wellness?

Well, let me tell you… After numerous launches and crash landings on the path to better health (sprinkled with a handful of outright failures to get off the ground), I’ve identified the perfect recipe for disaster when it comes to getting in shape. And I want to share my missteps with you because it’s so much easier to sidestep the cracks once you know they’re there.

That said, here they are… the top 5 missteps I’ve made on the path to fitness, health, and wellness.

The Big Gaffes

1. Taking off too fast right out the gate.

I’m a modern-day American who’s learned to cling to the joys of immediate gratification. And it’s just so easy to do. After all, so much of what we want is ours for the taking with the simple click of a button.

If I decide to lose three to five pounds so I can slither back into my favorite jeans, I want to lose that weight asap… within a week if I’m going easy on myself. So, naturally, I crave a quick fix… which is usually something that mimics starvation.

Quick-fix example #1 = a cleanse diet. For some reason, I’ve convinced myself that intense suffering is the path to acceptable results. I’d rather get the whole weight loss ordeal behind me as quickly as possible and move along.

Big mistake!

Because here’s the thing… cleanse diets don’t really work for long-term weight loss. At first glance of the scale after finishing the diet, I feel elated because those pesky pounds said ‘bye-bye.’ But within three to seven days, those bastards are back and hanging out around my waistline.

There are a few reasons cleanse diets don’t always work for weight loss. First, most of the pounds shed in a cleanse are, you guessed it… water weight. As you may have heard, that’s not considered ‘real weight.’

Secondly, for me, all that cleansing really ignites my hunger response. I may not feel too famished during the first day post-cleanse but by the second… I’m downright ravenous! I could even devour a steak, and I’m a chickenetarian who never eats steak.

Then third, I tend to celebrate just a little too much once I’ve shed those pounds. I like to pamper myself by indulging in sweets. No cleanse has ever killed my cravings for sugar! What can I say?

2. Going a little too generous with the ole’ achievement rewards.

Did I mention that I love sweets? I do. And, unfortunately, sweet and svelte just don’t mingle. If I see a green light for a sweet treat, I hit the ground running and don’t stop until I’ve caught up with those pounds I just lost.

For example, I recently decided to say a final goodbye to those extra inched and followed some diet advice from renowned fitness expert Tracy Anderson. She gives some tips for speedy weight loss and mentions that you can nosh on half a dark chocolate bar some days if you’re super-duper hungry. The perfect diet! I grasped onto that tidbit of information and held it close as I gobbled down my chocolate… every single day. And Tracy was right, I was shedding some pounds. So, to celebrate, I rewarded myself with a little more than the recommended dark chocolate each day until… Bam! Those pounds came back knocking at my door, and I’d unconsciously decided to let them in.

The bottom line… sometimes when we hear the words ‘little indulgence,’ we redefine the word ‘little,’ even when it’s really pretty clear what that word means.

3. Dismissing much needed zzz’s.

I recently began earning my health coach certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. I started the program for multiple reasons. One of them, I admit… was that I thought the information I took from the course would pick me up and motivate me boot camp style to achieve ultimate fitness.

What I’ve learned through the course is amazing and so, so much more than I ever expected. And it’s not even close to a boot camp led by calorie counting drill sergeants. The core of its teaching is this: food is just one component of wellness. And when we focus on fulfilling our primary needs, we naturally start to nourish our bodies and feel better.

And sleep is undeniably essential to wellness.

Yet, at the crack of dawn, many of us (including yours truly) lug our weary bodies to the gym or out for a morning run because there’s simply no other time and we’re obsessed with getting in shape to feel better. Oh, the irony! Because sleep deprivation makes us feel awful, aggravates weight gain, and essentially throws the covers over our hopes for better health.

If you’re exhausted, the morning run can wait. The extra sleep you allow yourself can help just as much as the a.m. workout when it comes to weight loss and overall health.

4. Missing the bigger picture.

When we think short-term, we get short-term results.

I’ve relied on crash diets to shed pounds so that my favorite jeans fit a little better when I wear them to a party. I drop the pounds, feel good wearing the jeans, then celebrate just a little too much and find myself right back where I started by the following weekend.

In truth, I didn’t want to shed a few pounds so that I could wear one pair of jeans to one party. I wanted to permanently shed those pounds so I could wear my favorite jeans any darned day that I please and maybe eventually buy another pair of jeans in a smaller size.

This behavior pattern is a direct result of my failure to see the big picture.

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day. And, if it had been, well… it simply wouldn’t still exist because the whole city would have crumbled centuries ago.

5. Throwing in the darned towel before it’s even a little damp!

Okay, I admit it, I’m that person who sometimes gives up a little too easily. I enjoy a mini triumph like losing two pounds. I’m happy. Then I gain it back within a few days. And I’m upset. The cycle continues.

And what do I do next? I give up. What I see as failure can send me back to my old, comforting habits (like downing a really big bowl of ice cream) within minutes!

So, I will remind you, just as I need to remind myself, that the most rewarding achievements don’t happen overnight. Keep your eye on the prize and just keep going.

There it is… my biggest missteps on the path to wellness laid bare for all to see. And I truly hope that if you find yourself making my mistakes, you will redirect and defy failure. Don’t let these bastard mistakes get you down. And I’ll see you in your skinny jeans.

Above all, remember: “Never let success get to your head; never let failure get to your heart.” -Anonymous

And if you have any suggestions for sidestepping mistakes on the path to wellness, please do share!