As an avid runner and Greggs’ enthusiast, nothing can be more frustrating than breaking a healthy streak. Whether it be due to injury, illness, or life circumstances, losing a streak can be a major blow to our motivation and routine. However, the importance of habits and maintaining a healthy streak should not be underestimated.
In my case, my running streak came to an abrupt end following the loss of my mother. After a long day at my new job, I had planned to call my mother and share my excitement with her, only to be hit with the reality of her absence. This led to a meltdown on the outskirts of Antrim and put a pause on my running routine.
This led to me stopping all exercise for a good 6 months and gaining just under 4 stone. Any time I tried to restart my streak I was met with massive internal resistance that I’d let myself get so far away from the beaten track. I’d lost all of my previous coping mechanisms and just resorted to food and constant takeaways.
Then the whole Russia-Ukraine war started and the threat of all-out nuclear armageddon suddenly emerged and I bought 50 boxes of cornflakes, 100 litres of water, a wind-up Chinese radio to receive emergency broadcasts, hazmat gear, a fuck-ton of honey and 2 litres of whiskey. I was one broken synapse away from building a makeshift nuclear bunker in the garage.
It took me a month for me to break my 6-and-a-half-year perfect alcohol-free streak but after I drank it, I pretty much regretted it instantly, poured it all down the drain and I’m since been back on track. Quitting alcohol was still the single best decision I’ve made in my adult life and I think back to myself as a kid and how much I was repulsed by those who drank around me as adults. That’s the real me. I see drinking as a sell-out to my younger self.
Plus my mother would kick the shit out of me if she had seen it happen.
Fighting back
Instead of giving up on my healthy habits altogether in 2023, I’ve found other ways to stay active and maintain a positive routine. I started cycling indoors every day and learning Spanish, which has become a daily routine for me this year. Furthermore, I have also been walking and running every day since I got an Apple Watch and plan to keep it going for as long as possible.
The truth is, developing healthy habits and maintaining a healthy streak is not easy, but it is incredibly important. Our habits define our routines and shape our overall well-being. Studies have shown that maintaining healthy habits can improve our physical and mental health, increase our energy levels, and enhance our overall happiness and quality of life.
So, how do we get back on track after breaking our healthy streak? The answer is simple: start small and focus on consistency. Instead of trying to do everything at once, try incorporating small changes into your daily routine. Whether it be going for a walk after dinner, doing 10 push-ups before bed, or practicing a new language for 20 minutes a day, small habits can make a big impact.
In conclusion, the importance of habits and maintaining a healthy streak cannot be overemphasized. Whether it’s running, cycling, or learning a new language, developing and maintaining healthy habits is essential for our well-being. So, if you have recently broken your healthy streak, don’t be too hard on yourself. Start small and focus on consistency, and you’ll be back on track in no time.
[…] Long time readers of these pages will recall The Angry Jogger’s old posts about training, eating, copious drinking, and vagabonding around Europe. After a good streak of fitness and sobriety, he fell off both wagons a bit, but is back and writing about how get got back on track. […]