Diet and exercise are probably the last things on your mind when you’re facing divorce. But they should be the first.

Divorce is one of the most grueling and life-altering experiences many of us will ever go through. Your stomach is constantly in a knot. You tear up suddenly and for no particular reason. Your mind drifts and you have trouble focusing.

Yet at the very time that you are physically and emotionally debilitated, you are required to make crucial decisions that will affect you and your family for the rest of your lives.

TALK ABOUT A RECIPE FOR DISASTER!

That’s why I believe that diet and exercise play a fundamental role in achieving a successful outcome in your divorce. And by “successful outcome,” I mean that you emerge from your divorce stronger, smarter, healthier and more capable than you were going in, and that you discover a new life that is happier and more fulfilling than the one you left behind.

So at a time when all you want to do is eat junk and lie in bed, I’m telling you that you need to follow a healthy diet and get religious about your exercise routine.

Impossible? Not if you can pull back and look at the bigger picture. Like anything else in life, if you focus on your “why”, it gets easier to do what seems difficult. Think about the outcome you want from this ordeal. Use that to fuel your self-discipline.

START OFF SLOWLY

First, take the junk out of your diet. Plan your meals. Write down what you’re going to eat. Stick to it. If you veer off the path one day, don’t beat yourself up. Just get back on track the next day.

Same with exercise. Start with a walk around the block. Then find a 10-minute yoga or workout routine on YouTube. Keep a chart of what you do each day. If you just can’t bring yourself to do anything one day, then so be it. But make sure you get back to it.

Baby steps. You can do it. Reach out to me if you need support or guidance. I’m always eager to help.