“Back at it” might seem like a harmless phrase, but like a lot of things that seem quite harmless in our world, they tend to be sneaky little things and when used frequently over time, they can become detrimental.
I used to use this phrase all the time on Monday mornings as I would head into the gym after indulging on the weekend, or taking a slow day for rest. I would also say it to my clients as they would crush a killer workout after doing the same thing. Of course, at the time I didn’t understand, but what I’ve come to realize is that using phrases like that all the time are actually supporting the behavior that I wanted to avoid. Cue, the yo-yo.
What other phrases are the same as “back at it”? What about “never miss a monday” or “monday sets the tone for the week”? It’s like if you don’t get going hard on the first day of the week you’re either just feeding the bad decisions you made during the weekend, or your week is just going to be a waste.
Since I’ve been studying a bit and truly understanding what my individual body needs each week, I’ve recognized a few things:
- These phrases are typically used on a Monday, which implies you were “off” on the weekend. Your body doesn’t know which day of the week it is, so all i really sees is a difference in diet and exercise every 7 days.
- “Back at it” can have a negative tone, and can often lead to dread when Monday rolls around and the “fun” of the weekend is gone.
- The phrase also implies that what you did on the weekend wasn’t for your benefit, and needs to be dismissed. When actually, weekend activities can be full of major benefits mentally and spiritually.
Here’s how the cycle goes–you are good all week. No sugar, white carbs, or alcohol. When you clock out on Friday afternoon everything comes alive. You are fun, you let loose, and you use all of those saved up calories and tell yourself you deserve it. You are a great version of yourself. Then here comes Monday, and it’s “back at it”. Fun you goes away, and it’s back to packing, prepping, and staying on track.
It doesn’t need to be this way!
In John 10:10 we learn that the thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but Christ comes to give us life and that we will live it more abundantly.
You guys, He wants us to live abundantly on the weekends, and the weekdays! He doesn’t want us to get back at it. He wants us to always be at it! He wants us enjoying Mondays just as much as we are enjoying Fridays.
Choose today to live like you never went anywhere, and don’t deprive yourselves any longer.
Deprivation turns your rational wants into irrational needs. For example, you may just want some pizza on a Wednesday, but you are being good, so you say no. Well, that want doesn’t go away, and eats at you until Friday where you think you need the pizza. You don’t, but because you’ve wanted it for so long you think you do. What could have happened, is you had the pizza on Wednesday, also included a side salad, and been done at one slice. Friday turned into 3 slices and a whole weekend that you needed to get “back at it” afterwords.
Eat the pizza. Live abundantly.