You were a whole new person: no more binging on unforgivable treats late at night, no more falling off the diet for weeks and no more skipping workouts. Then one day you look in the mirror and you feel like you’re right back where you started. You slip up one day then swear you’ll pick back up where you left off... tomorrow. Next thing you know, it’s been weeks since you were on any kind of plan. It happens to the best of us. What matters now is what you do with your chance to start over, and we’ve got a plan. These are the 5 C’s to a full recovery from the dreaded Diet Relapse.

1. Clean
   
   
   Clean out the house of all the junk food that has accumulated over the past couple weeks and be ready to start fresh. Stock up on healthy foods and snacks so when the urge to snack arises, you'll only have healthy snacks available. Kick your bad cravings to the curb when they come, which they will. This time you’ll be ready and stocked with only healthy options!
   
   
2. Create
   
   
   Whether you do it alone or with the help of a professional, create a new diet plan for yourself. First, make sure you include what you’re going to eat and how much of it. Just as importantly, have a plan for your workouts. Write it in your planner, calendar, put it in your iPhone or Android - wherever you keep your schedule. If you normally don’t organize on paper, start doing so or start taking advantage of technology and the myriad of apps available. If you don’t have a plan, you won’t be able to trust yourself to make healthy choices. Don’t take the chance.
   
   
3. Collaborate
   
   
   Don’t just tell your family things are about to change - include them. Ask your spouse to join you in trying to live healthier and include your children. Emphasize how important it is to you that the people who love you will support you and your decisions. We love our families and rarely follow through on things that they do not support. Let your family be your team and cheer-leading squad. Instead of being a pain in the behind that tears you apart, your decision to be healthy could bring you all closer together.
   
   
4. Compassion
   
   
   If you stop and think about it, when someone you love messes up, you don’t remind them of it every day and put them down every chance you get. So don’t do it to yourself! Treat yourself as well as you treat people you love. When you slip up, remember that you’re only human. Take note to prevent future incidents but do not beat yourself up. Let it go and move forward like it never happened.
   
   
5. Consistency
   
   
   Anything you do consistently will yield results, whether they are positive or negative. No one can tell you how long it will take, but the point is which is the better choice? Discipline is choosing between what you want right now, what you want most and following through. Start fresh and create a new plan, include your family and forgive your mistakes. After which, consistency will be your road to victory.

We all fall off the wagon sometimes and the climb back on is not as hard as it seems. With these 5 tips, recovering from a diet relapse and starting a new one is as easy as... well, forgetting about pie!

Related Topics: Diet | Nutrition | Fitness