Seven Steps to Bouncing Back After Falling Off the Wagon

We’ve all been there: one moment, you’re crushing your health goals, feeling unstoppable, saying to yourself, “This is the year!” Then life happens . . . multiple times. Maybe it’s a birthday, a stressful week, or just a craving that would just not go away. Before you know it, you’re knee-deep in snacks and skipping workouts. Maybe even sleeping in or staying up way too late to watch the rest of that TV show. Sound familiar? Don’t worry—you’re not alone, and more importantly, you’re definitely not a failure.

The cold hard truth that none of us wants to hear is that setbacks are just part of the process. What actually matters is how you pick yourself up and move forward after those setbacks. So, let’s talk about how to dust yourself off and get back in the game!

Step 1: Own It—Without the Guilt

First things first—you have to acknowledge what happened. If you messed up, you messed up. There’s no getting around that. But the key here is to let go of any guilt you might be feeling. Seriously, it’s okay. You’re not a superhero. You’re a regular person just like everyone else, and just like everyone else, you need to give yourself time to change your habits.

If you’ve been used to indulging in something for most of your life, making a big shift in a few days or a few weeks isn’t easy. In fact, it’s probably not going to happen in that short of time. Those old habits creep back in. But instead of beating yourself up, ask yourself:

• Was I too restrictive with my diet?
• Did I underestimate how hard this would be?
• What triggered me to slip up?

Once you figure out, or start to figure out, the whys behind the slip up, you can then start making small adjustments to avoid falling into the same trap again. Remember, learning from these setbacks is how you grow. It’s how everyone grows, whether it’s about getting healthier, playing a sport, or growing a business.

Step 2: Take Action, Don’t Just Make Promises

Now that you’ve owned the setback, it’s time to do something about it. Taking action helps you feel in control again. After all, you probably set goals in the first place in order to feel more in control of your life and your destiny. So don’t forget that! Don’t forget that only you can live your life. Here are a few ideas to get started:

• Out of sight, out of mind: If certain foods (or anything related) are too tempting, remove them from your kitchen. They might not be the worst thing in the world by themselves, but if you know you’re going to overeat, or if you know that eating certain foods will lead to eating the really bad stuff, then it’s not worth keeping those things around.
• Set small goals: Don’t try to overhaul everything at once. Life is complicated. Humans are complicated. We can’t just reset ourselves like a computer. Pick one thing—like drinking more water or getting back to meal prepping or exercising for just 5 minutes every day—and do that one thing really well.
• Plan your treats: Instead of mindless snacking, decide when and how you’ll indulge so it feels special, not routine. Keep it to weekends only, or before noon, whatever works for you.

The goal here isn’t to punish yourself, but to create an environment that makes your success easier.

Step 3: Quick Wins Make for a Quick Reset

Jumping back in can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re afraid to “fail” again. So focus on easy wins that make you feel better as soon as possible:

• Move your body: Go for a walk, stretch, or hit the gym—whatever feels good. Make a simple, easy goal and then accomplish it right away.
• Hydrate: If you’ve overdone it on food or sugary drinks, water is your best friend.
• Get some sleep: Lack of sleep makes everything feel worse, so an early night can do wonders, as well as an early morning!

These little steps help you regain much-needed momentum without feeling like you’re having to make huge gains to “catch up.”

Step 4: Get Back to Your Plan, but Make It Realistic

Good, now you’re feeling in control of things. Let that feeling settle in. Embrace it. Now it’s time to get back to your original routine. Whether you’re counting calories, doing intermittent fasting, or hitting the gym regularly, get back to it like nothing happened. If you want to ease back in, that’s fine too. Don’t feel like there’s a right or wrong here. But don’t make too much of your setback. Don’t give it that kind of control. You are the one in control. Remember that!

It’s also important to make sure your plan allows for real life. Birthdays, vacations, and celebrations happen. Whether you want to be strict during these times or allow exceptions, ensure that you’re mentally okay with it—it’s about finding what works for you.

Step 5: Remember Your Wins

You’ve been successful before, and you can do it again! Think about what has worked in the past and remind yourself that you’ve come far. Setbacks and stumbles aren’t necessarily restarts. And they certainly do not mean that everything before means nothing.

The version of you that made progress once? That you is still there. You have the knowledge, experience, and ability to make it happen again. Give yourself a little credit and trust yourself.

Step 6: Lean on Your People

You don’t have to do this alone. In fact, you probably shouldn’t do it alone. Reach out to friends, family, or a workout buddy who can offer support and encouragement. Share your goals with someone you can trust, someone who wants you to succeed, someone who can be empathetic while also pushing you just enough.

Whether it’s planning healthy meals together, scheduling workouts, or just having someone to vent to, having a support system makes all the difference.

Step 7: Be Kind to Yourself

Let’s be real—negative self-talk isn’t helping anyone. It never has and never will. Instead of dwelling on mistakes, focus on what you can do right now to move forward.

• Recognize when you’re being too hard on yourself. Ask yourself, “Would I talk to a friend this way?” If not, then don’t talk to yourself that way either!
• Replace harsh thoughts with positive ones, like “I’m working on it” and “I’m better than I was before” instead of “I’ll never get it right.”
• Celebrate the small wins.

Every healthy choice you make adds up, so don’t discount the little victories.

Just Take Things One Step at a Time—You’ve Got This!

It’s tempting to try to “fix” everything about yourself at once, but real change happens gradually and over long periods of time. Start with small habits—meal prep a couple times a week, do short workouts, drink more water, get out of bed 10 minutes earlier than usual—and build up from those little victories.

The key is to stay patient with yourself and keep moving forward to build consistency and momentum, even if you’re doing it one step at a time.

Falling off track doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It just means you’re human. Take a deep breath, shake it off, and let’s keep going! You’re stronger than you think!