Why Skipping a Squat Turned Into a Week of Guilt(And How I Got Out of That Spiral — Just in Time for Summer)

Every squat starts with ‘ugh’ and ends with ‘oh wow, I did it!'

It’s that time of year again, when your calendar says “summer’s here!” and your brain whispers,

“You better get your act together… fast.”

You picture yourself in shorts. Or on the beach. Or at that wedding in two weeks.

And you decide:

“I just need to lift weights five times a week, do ten exercises each time, and I’ll finally be back on track.”

Sounds solid, right?

Except by Tuesday… you’ve done none of it.

Yeah. Me too.

Let me tell you what happened this week… because it starts with squats and ends with something much bigger.

 

The Monday That Got Away

Monday morning, I was fired up. Summer energy. Big plans. I opened my Notes app and typed:

“Workout Plan: 5x/week. Each session: 10 exercises. Go hard. No excuses.”

Ambitious. Motivated. Determined.

Except by Tuesday… I had done nothing.

No squats. No lunges. Not even a stretch.

Just me, staring at my dumbbells. And my dumbbells silently judging me back.

 

The Weird Mind Games Began

By Wednesday, the negotiation phase kicked in:

·         “If I double up tomorrow, it still counts.”

·         “Rest days are good for muscle growth, right?”

·         “Carrying groceries is basically strength training.”

(Spoiler: kind of. But not really.)

 

Welcome to the Summer Body Spiral™

This is what I call the Workout Fantasy Spiral:

1.      You make a perfect plan.

2.      You picture your future arms looking amazing.

3.      You miss one day.

4.      Then another.

5.      Then it’s Friday and you’re Googling “lazy girl leg workout 5 mins.”

That spiral? I know it too well.

So this time, I tried something different.

 

The One-Exercise Revolution

I said:

“What if I just do ONE exercise a day?”

One squat. One dumbbell. One movement. That’s it.

It felt almost… wrong. Like I was cheating.

But something strange happened:

I actually did it.

And then I did it again the next day. And the next.

·         Squats on Monday.

·         Split squats on Tuesday.

·         A single Romanian Deadlift on Wednesday.

That was it.

Tiny. Easy. Doable.

 

“But Isn’t That… Less?”

Here’s what I learned:Yes, it sounds like less. But it’s actually more.

Because before, I aimed high… and did nothing.

Now I aim small… and do something. Every day.

And over time?

Something > Nothing.

Always.

 

So What Was the Real Problem?

It wasn’t the squats.

It wasn’t motivation.

It was my brain.

Specifically, the part of my brain that kept whispering:

·         “If I can’t do a full workout, I shouldn’t do anything.”

·         “If I’m not drenched in sweat, it doesn’t count.”

·         “If it’s not intense, it’s pointless.”

Sound familiar?

We do this with food too:

·         “I already had a cookie... might as well eat the whole box.”

·         “I didn’t follow my plan perfectly, so I’ll start again Monday.”

·         “I skipped breakfast, so lunch doesn’t matter.”

This is all-or-nothing thinking.

It pretends to be discipline — but it’s actually what messes us up the most.

 

The Shift: From Pressure to Progress

Once I dropped the pressure to be perfect, everything got lighter.

Not because life got easier. But because my thoughts did.

One squat. One win. One shift.

No drama.

Same goes for food.

You don’t need a perfect day.

You need one kind decision.

Maybe that’s:

·         Leaving one bite behind.

·         Pausing before opening the cupboard.

·         Noticing you’re not hungry (just overwhelmed) and giving yourself rest instead of snacks.

That’s where change starts.

 

Ready to Ditch the Summer Guilt?

If this season always messes with your head (with trips, extra social events, and the pressure to “look good”) let’s make a different kind of plan.

A plan without guilt. Without food rules. Without needing to be perfect.

Come join me next Tuesday for a free live webinar:

Stop Overeating Now

No Guilt. No Rules. No More Restarting.

Next Tuesday

2 PM (CEST - Paris Time)

Online — join from anywhere

We’ll cover:

✅ The 5 hidden traps that make most women overeat — you're likely in one right now

✅ The 3 simple tools to turn cravings off (even on stressful days)

✅ How to finally eat with peace (not guilt) without giving up your favorite foods

Wear your gym clothes. Your pajamas. Or bring a cookie.No judgment. No pressure. Just real talk… and real tools.

🎟️ Save your free spot here

And until then, just remember:

If one squat counts...

So does one kind thought.

So does one shift in how you treat yourself.

Talk soon,

Nan