Date : 2024-08-21
Guest post by Suzan Enell (available on Instagram under the account Ultrasuz) who herself not only managed to lose 35 kilos but also built more muscles and took back the ultra title (after 10 years of absence) by running a 50km race - where she also came in 2nd place in the women's category.
The holidays are over - How do you get back to routines again?
Regardless of whether the summer was short, rained away, whether you had a luxuriously relaxing summer in Österlen or barely had time to do what you wanted, the holiday is now over for most people and for the vast majority the holiday may also have been a period of little by little extra indulgence, a few glasses of wine into the wee hours, birthday celebrations and midsummer and maybe not as much training as you had imagined and of course it's not the whole world because of course you should feel that you can also have a little freedom during the holidays if you wish so, but if you have a desire to get back into routines again and want a little push in the right direction, just sit back and keep reading!
Start by sitting down and formulating your goals (preferably as concretely as possible) so that in the next step you can plan how to achieve the goal - without goals it will be difficult to maintain a routine, especially on the days when the desire or the energy may not be at its peak.
Now that you have your goals set (of course these can also be changed and revised in the meantime), planning is essential for you to have the best conditions to also carry out the plan and thus get results.
Start with something small, it takes time to establish new (or new old) habits and anything that is unfamiliar or that you encounter some resistance to needs to be practiced. Maybe it's not the most obvious thing to pack the gym bag the night before, take a lunch walk or drink plenty of water, but every step you take in the right direction will get you closer to your goal and the more you practice and carry out these steps, the easier it will be -both regarding the logistics surrounding it and the execution itself. So of course, as boring as it sounds with Nike's slogan "JUST DO IT", that's exactly how it is. Just do. Own it and do it and if you fumble, jump on the horse and continue!
Success factors for getting back on track in addition to being clear about what/why/how are also:
- Sleep properly, we all have different sleep needs, but it is incredibly important that we get the recovery we need.
- Drink properly, maybe treat yourself to a new nice and big bottle to have in the office/the study area/in your bag.
- Eat properly, above all it is important to get enough protein that both satiates and builds up. Feel free to make sure that every meal has a full protein source and if you feel that it is difficult to get good food, try to set aside one day a week for foodprep - worth its weight in gold and also gives you more time for other things.
If you also feel that it is a little sad that the holiday is over, try to fill the weekdays with something a little extra fun. Maybe a spontaneous swim at a jetty one afternoon in the middle of the week? Maybe a new activity by yourself or together with a friend? Try a new gym or why not go out to the forest with a thermos of coffee and just enjoy nature? Maybe a little home SPA with a face mask and strawberries on Friday to celebrate the weekend?
Regardless, I hope you have a great autumn (but we're keeping the summer feeling, right?) and have tips on how to get back to routines again or how to create a little extra silver lining in life when everyday life knocks, so feel free to my Instagram account and leave a comment!
/Suzan "Ultrasuz" Enell
