Bridget Moroney  00:00

Test 123 tests, man it is time to get the dust off this microphone and get back on this podcast. I was not expecting to be gone for this long, but it's all with good reason. And there's a lot of exciting things that are happening this year in 2023. And I can't wait to fill you all in in today's episode Welcome to the Performance RX podcast the ultimate destination for anyone who wants to perform better in the gym and live a better life outside it. Whether you're just starting your journey or you're a seasoned pro. This show covers a wide range of topics to help you reach your potential and live your best life. Each week on this podcast. I'll be bringing you expert interviews, personal stories and actionable advice to inspire, educate and empower you to reach your goals. So hit follow, grab your headphones and get ready to take your health and performance to the next level. Hey, everyone, welcome back to the Performance RX podcast powered by Aspire to Coaching, where we're all about helping you perform better in the gym, and live better outside it. I'm your host, Bridget Moroney. And today's episode is all about the science of falling off track and how to get back on. But first, a little life update. So how's it going, y'all? It's been a very long time. The last time I left you It was right before the Christmas holiday season in 2022. And I had every intention of getting back to you all mid January. And here we are the beginning of April. So what happened? The simple answer is life happened. So for those who don't know, me, personally, my wife and I were building a house all of 2022, which is super exciting, but was also a lot more involved than I had anticipated, especially at the end there. So even though it was a new construction house, there was still a lot of inspection to go through a lot of details to iron out, et cetera, et cetera. So doing all of that up against the holiday season was quite a bit. And while I had every intention of resuming podcasting, and all the other content creation, in the beginning of January of this year, it was just too much hands down. I am a one woman show in this business in this podcast at and at the time, I had other priorities. And so I thought I would just use this podcast, this episode of this podcast, to get back in and say hey to you all, and then actually just use this as a learning opportunity or a teaching opportunity. Because more than likely, if you're listening to this podcast, you also have big dreams, big goals, big aspirations. And here's the thing about having big goals and dreams and aspirations, life is going to happen to you. And it is completely normal to get knocked off our game. The biggest difference between people who are wildly successful in this life, and those who just can't quite get it together to achieve your their goals is the fact that when people who are successful come up against obstacles, they still find a way to move through it and get back on track. They don't let that stop them. Because like I said, it's part of life, we're all going to face some sort of obstacle or a detour on our way to getting what we want, whether it's something for our job, our health, fitness, personal life, there's going to be something that comes up and you may get knocked off your course, the good news is that, like I said, it's completely normal to fall off track. And there are some proven strategies for getting back on. So I thought I would take this moment to share with you what some of those strategies are. So if you're like me, and you got a little sidetracked with some stuff, you can still get back on track towards what you're trying to do this year. First things first, let's explore the science behind why we fall off track in the first place. So according to research and a lot of studies, one of the main reasons is a lack of self regulation. And this is just human nature in general. So when we're faced with temptations or distractions, it can be challenging to stay on task and resist the urge to deviate from our goals. And if you haven't noticed, but our modern society is full of temptations and distractions from everything from social media to hyper palatable, col-, calorie dense foods that we really shouldn't eat all that often. If we have certain health and nutrition goals, there is non stop dopamine hits coming at us 24/7 365 All the time. Like I said, it's human nature, our brains are wired to seek pleasure and avoid pain. And so what ends up happening for most of us is we prioritize that short term gratification over our long term goals. And here's the thing that's kind of messed up too is that accomplishing the steps towards our goals, actually gives us the same reward and probably even a better reward, then that short term gratification. So going back to scrolling social media, that's kind of like empty gratification. It's entertaining, it's fun, but the satisfaction that I will get from putting out content that delivers value to you all, is going to be much more rewarding than whatever likes or comments or whatever I get on social media. Same thing can be applied to any goal there, you know, health, fitness nutrition. So first question is, how can you strengthen your self regulation and overcome some of these tendencies where you get distracted, or are tempted. So here's a couple of steps that you could take. So first of all, create a daily schedule, set aside specific times for work, exercise, leisure activities, This all helps you stay on track, a lot of people laugh at me and think I'm crazy. But I actually have my entire day time blocked everything from when I wake up to when I eat to when I walk my dog workout, schedule, content, et cetera, et cetera. So not making excuses. But again, that was one of the reasons why I fell off my content schedule with this podcast is because moving even though we were moving within the same city and state, it still created a huge disruption. In my daily routine prior to moving, I was locked in, it was like going on autopilot. So I had to recreate my new reality. So if you are having a hard time staying on track with your goals, take a look at your schedule. And that will help with some of this self regulation. The other thing, if you've been around this podcast for long enough, then, you know, I'm going to mention mindfulness. So mindfulness is not just about meditation, and sitting in a yoga class and all of that, it's actually a very powerful tool that you can use towards achieving your goals. And one of the things that I emphasize to you all listening and to my clients, because it has such a big impact. So mindfulness exercises, like meditation can help you become more aware of your thoughts and emotions. And again, the more aware you are of your own thoughts and emotions, the better off you'll be able to be with regulating your behavior, you'll be able to decide if something is of value to you, or not. And then the last thing I would say, for improving or strengthening your self regulation would be remove temptations. So this is a very common practice, with nutrition clients, the classic kitchen clean up, you go through the kitchen, we go through the kitchen, and we get rid of all of the tempting things that might take away from someone's progress and their goals when it comes to health and nutrition. So you get rid of the ice cream, the chips, the cookies, everything else like that. Because guess what, if it's not there, more than likely, you're not going to be tempted by it. It's kind of that old factor of out of sight out of mind. When it comes to productivity work, I turn off my apps or I have certain scheduled blackout times or you put a limit on your apps. So again, that can help you avoid temptations that will derail your progress. The next key factor for getting back on track if you've been derailed is your mindset. And this is the biggest thing because so many of us, myself included, myself especially. But so many of us, when we fail, just go through and just beat ourselves up and we take it so hard and you don't have to take it that hard. You don't have to sit there and beat yourself up for going through something that like I said, Everybody goes through even the most does disciplined, the most successful people in this life fall off track from time to time. But like I said in the beginning, the difference is they don't let it compound, they just get back up from where they fell and keep moving. So your mindset is going to be a big factor in this. And really, it's the growth mindset of it all studies, again, have shown that people who have growth mindset are more likely to persevere through setbacks and ultimately achieve their goals. So what is a goal growth mindset you may ask? It's basically the belief that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. So in other words, if you have a setback, and you have a growth mindset, you're reframing them as opportunities for growth and learning. And by doing this, you can increase your resilience and motivation. So how can you develop a better growth mindset, a couple of things, one, embrace the challenges. So instead of avoiding challenges, view them as opportunities for growth and development. You don't want to go to the gym, because your workout today has pull ups and you suck at pull ups, well, you're never going to get better at pull ups if you avoid them. So try to use as an opportunity to get better, I guarantee you'll make faster progress sucking at something than avoiding it altogether. Another thing and this is one of the key tenants of a growth mindset is you need to emphasize your effort over innate ability. So in other words, don't worry about if you have an innate skill, or if you're just genetically gifted, or if you have a certain talent focus on the effort you put in. So again, that's like always the common excuse, especially in the world of fitness and health. And nutrition is like, Oh, well, they just have superior genetics to me than me. And this person is a genetic freak. And this person is just more talented. People use this as an excuse to basically avoid the discomfort of doing work. And in the reality you look at people like LeBron James, Rich Froning, Tia Clair Toomey, Serena Williams, like all of these people who are quote, unquote, genetic freaks, yeah, they definitely have some traits and gifts there that that allow them to be amazing at their sports. But honestly, if you look even closer, what they have more than anything is a relentless work ethic. They don't give up, they all suffer setbacks, Michael Jordan, I mean, the classic story about him is that he didn't get picked for his middle school basketball team. And he went into his room and cried, and then ever since that day, he just worked harder than anybody else Rich Froning has been quoted as saying that he's not faster or stronger than anybody. But he will outwork everybody in the gym. So focus on that focus on your effort, focus in on the work that you're putting in, and get rid of the whole story and narrative around talent and genetics and ability and everything else like that. And then the last thing that you can do to develop a better growth mindset is learn from your mistakes. So again, growth mindset is all about embracing challenges, not being afraid to fail and learning from that. So don't get discouraged by your mistakes, don't get defeated. If you fail, quote, unquote, or fall off, use that as an opportunity to learn and improve. So why did I fall off my plan? Oh, did I get distracted? Was I not working hard enough? Did something come up? Is it just life? And, you know, try as we may, Sometimes life happens, and it doesn't work out the way we plan? Is that a reason to give up? Absolutely not. So, learn from your mistakes, learn from your setbacks, use as an opportunity to learn and improve and you'll be much better prepared for those obstacles when they come up again, because they will come up again much later. The next thing you can do when it comes to getting back on track and moving towards your goals is having some sort of accountability. Now the ultimate is that you are accountable to yourself. But in all honesty, for most of us, especially in the beginning, we need someone else to be accountable to whether that's a coach, a friend, a training partner, anybody that we can go to that will help us stay on track. Or it can just be simply writing it down in your journal or on an app every single day as a way to track and hold yourself accountable. So bottom line, whatever it looks like for you find that person that you trust or find that app that you like and ask them to give you some accountability and support. Share your goals with them set up regular check ins to discuss your progress, any challenges you're facing. You can also consider joining a community or support group of like minded individuals, if you're working towards similar goals. And then the last thing that I would say when it comes to falling off track and getting back on is making self care a priority in your daily routine, and also having a little bit of self compassion. So when it comes to self care, make sure that you are taking care of yourself. Because if you're tired, if you're hungry, if you're stressed, it's going to take a toll on your motivation. So taking time to make sure that you're feeling good, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, is going to help with that motivation. So make sure you get enough rest, eat well engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. It's great to have goals, it's great to be driven, but also you make sure you're taking that time to kind of give yourself a little bit of that downtime. Again, going back to kind of the schedule that I mentioned in the beginning of this episode, you can schedule in those activities, things like reading spending time with your loved ones, friends, family, whatever your hobby is, that's maybe hopefully not related to your goal, because that can require you know, that could generate a little bit more stress. And then yeah, I mean, you know, you all know me, I'm a health and nutrition coach. So I'm going to say, prioritize your sleep, make sure you're eating well make sure you're again, incorporating mindfulness practices like meditation and yoga. So it's going to help reinforce your self regulation, but it's also going to help with regulating your stress and then self compassion. So this is probably one of the most critical things in overcoming setbacks and you're not coddling yourself. You're not being weak minded, you're human. And again, research shows that individuals who practice self compassion, and my friend Lineliz Vassallo, if you've listened to her episode, she would probably echo Mindful self compassion, if you want to double up on that. But people who practice self compassion are more likely to bounce back from failure, and maintain their motivation over time. So try to treat yourself with the kindness and understanding that you would a close friend. And again, I just mentioned, we're all human. So just acknowledge that setbacks are normal, and it's part of the process. And by doing so, this is going to keep you out of that vicious cycle of beating yourself up, self criticism, negativity, all of that stuff, be kind to yourself, acknowledge your emotions, you know, acknowledging your emotions doesn't mean that you're resisting them or pushing them away, just recognize and validate them. One of my favorite exercises from one of my mentors, Dr. Mark Atkinson's is called the welcoming exercise. And that is very simple, in that if you notice yourself having a certain thought, thought pattern or emotion, you just simply take a step back and in your mind, just sit there and say, I see you and I accept you. And that's it. Just like if someone came to your door, you would welcome them in and acknowledge them. Same thing with your emotions. And you'll be surprised at how well that works. And again, this and mindfulness in general will help you avoid self judgment, because the whole point of it is to not sit there. And to qualify something as good or bad. You're just simply noticing. So bottom line is this, whether you've fallen off track, or you haven't, I just want you to remember that setbacks and obstacles are part of the process. And it's normal that you're going to encounter these things on your journey towards succeeding and whatever goal or aspiration you've put in front of you. So try to reframe those setbacks as opportunities for growth, cultivate that growth, mindset, practice self compassion and self care, you can increase your resilience and motivation. And then ultimately, you're going to see success in those goals. So I hope this was helpful to you all. Like I said, I obviously had a slow start to the year and struggles with some of these things. But I'm so happy to be back. And I'm happy to use this experience as a teaching opportunity for so many of you because I know that there's many of us out there where sometimes these obstacles come up and it's really hard to get around them. Besides all that I cannot tell you all how excited I am for this new season quote unquote, I don't know if it's really even a season. This isn't really a Serial podcast. But we'll say the 2023 season of the Performance RX podcast. There's a couple of episodes that are going to be coming up in the couple in the next couple of weeks that are super inspiring, super informative. I have my friend Amenah Arman coming on we're going to talk about mental health and how that relates to physical health, especially when it comes to people who are trying to transform their lives, both physically and mentally. I get a chance to talk to Zach Schreier, which if you are a Shark Tank fan, then you might recognize his name. He was the founder of the snack company Quevos, which is a little snack made out of egg whites. He has a new company called Life Stacks, which is MCT oils and nootropics there that can help with intermittent fasting. I have my friend and fellow certified human potential coach Tom Illand on, he is a world record Ironman finisher, he has such an amazing and inspirational story about being the world's oldest person with autism to complete a full Ironman. So those are just a couple of the episodes that are coming up, there's going to be a lot more amazing people that I get to talk to and as always a lot of deep dives on some of the sciency nutrition and fitness stuff that I like to dissect for you all. And then of course, one of my favorite things of all answering your questions in q&a is overall it's going to be an amazing year and I am just so happy to be back. So that's all for today's episode of the performance RX podcast powered by aspire to coaching. I hope you found these strategies for getting back on track helpful, and I encourage you to start implementing them in your daily life today. If you've fallen off track, don't wait to start today. Start with the smallest step you can take towards your goal once again. So just remember falling off track is natural, it's part of the process. The key is to stay committed, stay focused, keep moving forward. All right, until next time, keep performing at your best in the gym and in life. Hey, really quick before you go, I need you to do one thing for me. If there was something in this episode that you think would be a value to someone else, please share it for me. My goal is to empower as many people as possible on their health and fitness journeys and one of the best ways to do it is to share awesome information like what you heard in today's episode out with many others. So do me a favor, copy and paste that link, send it to one of your friends, your family or anyone who you think would get some enjoyment and value out of this. I appreciate you for listening. I'll see you next time.