Have you ever woken up and put on an outfit that you thought fit perfectly only to discover it does not?

You thought that you were taking all the right steps — eating less, exercising more. Did the outfit shrink? Did you give in to too many parties over the summer?

Don’t berate yourself over it! Instead, consider the points below and gain a better perspective.

• No one notices

We are our harshest critics. No one is truly scrutinising you, but YOU. Sure, a significant weight gain may be noticeable — however, that’s not the case in most instances.

Most often, weight gain is so little that unless you point it out, no one else will even realise. Even then, it will appear so negligible that they won’t know why you think it matters.

• It’s NOT all or nothing

Remember that one day doesn’t ruin everything. Weight loss is about developing a healthy relationship with eating and exercise. Don’t allow one mistake to cause you to toss your good habits out the window for the week.

If you have overindulged for a season or missed your workouts, use that as motivation to do better. Make your next meal a healthy one, make sure your next workout goes ahead as scheduled.

• You are still beautiful

Your weight doesn’t make you any less desirable or attractive. It does not transfer you into a lesser version of yourself. Try to work on keeping your confidence up regardless of what the scale says. Yes, you’ve gained a few pounds, but that doesn’t define who you are — you’re still just as beautiful, amazing, smart and intelligent as you were before. Don’t let any amount of weight gain take away from that.

• Avoid crazy exercise trends

Yes, you can burn off some of the extra calories you ate but do it safely. There is no need to workout three times a day.

Overexercise can result in burnout and soreness and injury, which will throw your workouts off track for an extended period and be even worse for your weight loss goals.

• Enjoy the benefits

Even though your wardrobe may be cut in half because of the extra fluff, there is a silver lining! It will cause you to be more creative with your clothing; you may even find some pieces that haven’t been worn as much, allowing you to create new outfits for the week.

It won’t be easy at first to feel great even though you’ve put on weight. But once you begin working towards your goals you’ll feel more positive and start again to feel good about yourself.

• Stay off the scale

Put off weighing yourself for a few weeks. Water retention, which is caused by high-sodium foods, can temporarily cause weight gain. There is no reason to make yourself feel worse. Check your weight after you’ve returned to healthy habits or you notice your clothes feeling looser.

Stay positive and B-Active For Life!

• Betty Doyling is a certified fitness trainer and figure competitor with more than a decade of experience. Check her out on Facebook: www.facebook.com/B.ActiveForLife