"When I lost all of my excuses, I found my results."
This is one of the many inspirational phrases you'll come across when surfing the various social media platforms. Some would breeze by it, but one should take these words to heart, both in and out of the gym. Those who prioritize their weight loss or muscle building goals have statistically proven to succeed in their endeavors outside of the gym atmosphere, opening windows of opportunities while improving their overall quality of life.
Stress is a part of life, it's something we all encounter, some more than others. Naturally, stress can make ones focus either shift or lose interest in an activity all together. Exercise and nutrition is no exception. Based on my many years in the fitness industry thus far, cancellations are the result of 3 social patterns;
1. Emergencies
2. Work or other previous commitments
3. An event(s) that shifts priorities
Emergencies are unfortunate life events that can effect one's other commitments either short or long term. The other 2 can easily be maneuverable to combat depending on your willingness to achieve your goals. Rescheduling exercise and cardiovascular sessions around other commitments are ideal in order to "stay on track". For an example, if one must go to work earlier in the day to close a deal or take care of a work emergency, rescheduling a strength training session to later in the day or the next day (although may throw scheduling off a bit) will keep commitments intact, keeping one ahead of the game.
"Skipping" workouts without making up that session the rest of the week may potentially cause setbacks. For one, overall strength and endurance may take a hit. Think of exercise as a ballon. You're consistently blowing into it in order to grow. If you stop blowing into it & let it sit for a few days, the ballon will naturally shrink, losing all the air that was supporting it initially. The same comparison can be made with exercise. If one gains muscle and take several days off, no stress is being provided to the working muscles, thus shrinking them in an accelerated rate. Of course rest is ideal from time to time, but "too much" can cause that set back and one would have to work hard to gain those improvements once again.
Life will always get in the way of priorities. It's a part of this circle we call life. It's during these times we must evaluate what is most important. Set your schedule & remain consistent. Try your HARDEST to not break the routine. Respect your time & your partner/trainer if you have one. Your support system will root for you, but at the end of the day it begins with YOU. How bad to you want it? If there's a "but" that follows this question, unfortunately, you don't want it bad enough.
GET UP OFF YOUR ASS & WORK FOR IT!
-R. Feliz