It’s all too easy to fall off the wagon, especially after you’ve had a long break from building your healthier habits. Whether you’ve had a bout of low motivation, have been on vacation, or just had some life stuff going on (it happens), put it all behind you and get back into a routine. Here’s how.

Start small

Don’t try and do everything at once. You know what you need to do to start losing weight again: eat better, watch your portion sizes, and get a bit more active. We’re not talking about killing yourself in the gym or restricting what you eat here. Think about what small, achievable goals you can start doing: take a daily walk, or swap a snack for something a little healthier.

Wean yourself off

If you’ve got junk food lying around that’s make it difficult to cut back on high calorie foods, wean yourself off it. As tempting as it is, don’t immediately throw all that junk food in the garbage, because you’ll probably feel very hard done by (also who can afford to be throwing food away in this economy?!)

If candy or chips are your weaknesses, portion them out in to Ziploc bags and enjoy them as a calorie-controlled treat.

Gradually do more to incorporate healthier habits into your life. If you’re grabbing takeout too often, make a pact with yourself to cook at home twice a week and give yourself a pass on the days when takeout feels like the only option. Then add more and more homecooked meals until you feel like you’re back in control.

Find something you enjoy

When you enjoy what you’re doing, it’s much less likely to feel like a chore. This is especially true when it comes to working out, so put the effort into finding something you’ll enjoy, whether it’s dancing, swimming, cycling, or hiking.

Avoid boredom

Boredom is another huge reason why we fall off the wagon, because we need something to hold our interest. Why would we continue to eat the healthy homecooked meals we pour our time and effort into when our head’s turned by a cheesy, easy, fast-food meal?

Mix things up. Try new recipes and recreate your favorite takeout dishes to add some interest to your meals. The same goes for workouts – try something new!

Plan your meals ahead

Meal prep is a great way to stay on track. Planning what you’ll eat ahead of time can help you make healthier choices and avoid impulse decisions, so it’s worth a try to see if it works for your lifestyle. Prepare a batch of healthy meals or snacks on the weekend to have ready throughout the week.

Don’t beat yourself up

It’s normal to have setbacks when you’re trying to lose weight. Don’t let them derail you, instead try to learn from your mistakes and get back on track. Weight loss takes a lot of effort and time, so try and be patient with yourself. We know it’s frustrating, but if you keep chipping away at your goals you’ll get there.

Lean on your support system

Honestly, there’s no shame in struggling to get back in the swing of things. We’ve all been there, because this stuff’s hard. Talk about how you’re doing with your fellow MAN v FAT Soccer teammates, and you’ll soon find that we all have times when we struggle.

Sharing your experiences can boost your motivation, and the support and accountability you’ll get from your teammates is incredibly helpful for setting you back on the right path.