I got a message from a reader, Sabrina, this week – and she pointed out a pattern I think a lot of us know well.

“I allow myself to say sliding into bad habits is alright. After all, I’ve had a bad day. Well, my bad days have a tendency to become hard weeks and then months. It doesn’t take much for me to backpedal.”

I know I’ve been there. 🙋‍♂️
Here’s how we work through it.
Know the difference between an off-day and a repeated pattern.
Missing a workout or having a meal that’s not strictly on plan? Totally fine and expected. It’s not going to hurt your progress.
The problem isn’t the slip. It’s when the slip becomes the default.
Give yourself some grace on the hard days. And stay honest with yourself: is this a one-off, or a pattern forming? If it’s a pattern, call it out and reroute.
Rethink what taking care of yourself actually looks like.
Sometimes the perfect recovery from a hard day is to Netflix and chill. Rest absolutely counts as self-care.
But so does the workout you’ve been putting off, a solid meal, or putting down your phone and getting to bed at a reasonable hour.
Sometimes the most caring thing you can do for yourself is the thing you’re avoiding.
A hard day doesn’t have to mean opting out. It might mean doubling down on the things that you know are good for you.
Don’t try to play catch-up.
This is one of the most common traps I see. Someone misses a workout and suddenly feels like they need to do that one PLUS today’s to make up for it. That’s how you end up feeling like you’re pushing a boulder uphill before you’ve even started.
Forget what you missed. Focus on the plan for today. Do that. Then build from there.
Find your NAW (your Next Available Win).
When you realize you’re off track, the instinct is to overcommit.
“I need to work out five times a week.”
“I need to do a giant meal prep and reset the whole kitchen.”
Those things aren’t wrong, but they’re not your first step.
Your first step is the next available win. One thing that interrupts the current pattern.
Maybe it’s five minutes of stretching on the floor while you watch TV tonight. Maybe it’s grabbing some fruit as a quick snack.
Here’s the key: you don’t have to wait until tomorrow, or Monday. Reset the pattern as soon as possible.
I recently had a client come back from vacation feeling completely off track. We didn’t map out an elaborate return plan. We just asked one question: “OK – when’s the next workout?”
The next day she knocked out a short workout and hit a PR on her barbell rows.
That’s all it took. The next available win. (PR not required 🤪)
—
The next time you catch yourself having an off-day, start with grace. These days are normal, expected, and they don’t erase all the hard work you’ve put in.
Then check in with yourself: “Am I falling into a pattern that’s working against me?“ If so:

Reframe what self-care looks like
Don’t play catch-up
Find your NAW

Save this for the next time you need it:

You got this. 💪
– Matt
P.S. If you’re in a backslide right now, we’re here to help. Take our Coaching Quiz to find your own personal fitness Yoda.