Self Improvement

5 Tips for Getting Out of a Health Rut

posted on October 10, 2018 | by Chloe Gibson

Ever since I graduated high school and I had to start figuring out how to manage my health and wellness in the adult world (AKA without sports that required long practices five days a week), I’ve struggled. I feel like I was always told when and how to work out, which, at that age, canceled out any indulgences. But now as a 26-year-old, I’ve learned that being well and having a health routine isn’t quite as simple as it once was.

I’ve known I needed to revamp this part of my life for a while, but it kind of took getting engaged to kick me into gear. Now that I’ve started the process, I’ve learned a few things about how to tackle my health as a seasoned 20 something.

Put intentional thought into why you’re in a rut

I’m someone who unfortunately has “restarted” her journey a lot. It’s probably gotten to the point of being very annoying to my friends and family. But what can you do? This time around I wanted things to be different, though. So I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted my future to look like. Did I want to stay in this vicious cycle of starting, failing and restarting over and over? Hell no.

It was at this point I realized my health rut was being caused by me thinking the changes I needed to make would be temporary (like dieting). I actually needed to change my mindset and focus on doing things in a sustainable way. That said, I think once you discover why you’re in this situation to begin with, you’ll be able to develop an effective plan to tackle it.

Assess all aspects of your health rut, not just exercise

This is different for everyone, but I knew that my health issues were much deeper than just needing to hit the gym. Because of that, I approached this new health routine with whole body wellness in mind. This meant not only meeting with a trainer but a dietician and also a therapist. I figure if I can get over some mental hurdles, the physical ones will follow.

Try something new

I’m doing things completely different this time around. The first step was to join a gym, which I previously swore off of. A few years before, I convinced myself gyms weren’t for me and I just needed to work out at home. I kind of got into this OCD frame of mind where I couldn’t work out unless I was at home and could follow the same routine. I wanted to break that and not be so afraid to try new workouts. My first day at the new gym I grabbed a schedule and set a goal to try different classes. It’s been so much fun and I’ve even gotten to know a few people at my gym that encourage and support me.

Cut the booze (or at least reduce it)

Oh, alcohol. It’s the 20 something’s kryptonite. I’ve had an amazingly fun summer, but man oh man has there been a lot of booze-filled weekends. I like to tell myself it doesn’t affect my overall health, but let’s be real, it definitely does. Not only does it make me super unproductive (forget working out), but the lbs start to pack on pretty quickly.

Start every day with a quick walk

This new habit has been a game changer for me. Every morning when I wake up I’ll take a walk just to the end of our street and back. It’s nothing crazy, but it really gets my day started on the right foot. It also provides some quiet time since I leave my phone at home. I really can’t recommend it enough.

Everyone’s situation is unique and different things work for different people, but these are just a few things that have really helped me. So I hope they can make a difference in your health journey too!

What are some things you like to do to get out of a health rut?