In the world of fitness, it's easy to feel like you’re on a never-ending carousel of starting, stopping, and restarting. Whether it’s due to a missed week at the gym, a disrupted routine, or a lapse in motivation, the path to personal fitness often involves a few resets. But here’s a revitalising truth: every restart is not a step back, but a courageous leap towards self-discovery and improvement.

When you feel like quitting, don't. In fact, remove the word quitting, replacing it with shifting. If we try to redefine what it means to "quit", we firstly realise that due to the high demands in life, the pressure for constant progress, any pause can be looked at as failure.

Instead, we should remember the fluidity of life, the change in priorities, needs of our families, our bodies … these dynamic changes can influence the need to "quit", to take a step back and reassess.

Each time you restart your fitness regimen, you’re granted a blank slate – a rare opportunity to approach your goals with new insights and strategies.

Perhaps last time, you discovered that you hate running but love dancing, or that you’re more consistent when you work out in the morning rather than after work.

Each "new beginning" allows you to use these lessons to refine your approach, making your fitness routine more enjoyable and sustainable.

Each phase of stopping and restarting brings with it invaluable lessons about resilience and flexibility.

The more times you restart, the better you become at navigating the hurdles.

This doesn’t just build physical strength but mental toughness too. You learn that setbacks can be set-ups for comebacks.

When you restart, set small, manageable goals to build momentum. Every day you make a healthy choice, whether it’s choosing a salad over fries or taking the stairs instead of the elevator, is a win.

Celebrate these! Fitness isn’t just about monumental achievements; it’s also about the small, daily victories that accumulate over time.

The beauty of starting over is the chance to tailor your fitness regime to better suit your current lifestyle and preferences.

Perhaps a high-intensity boot camp worked for you before, but now yoga and Pilates align better with your life’s pace.

Fitness should be a personal journey and one that adapts to your evolving needs and interests.

Ultimately, there is no shame in the restart. In the "quitting" or as we're now calling it "the shift".

Each attempt is a testament to your commitment – not to perfection, but to bettering yourself.

Fitness, after all, is not a destination but a journey. It is about finding what makes you feel strong, vibrant, and alive.

So, dust off your sneakers, unroll your yoga mat, and remember: every day is a perfect day to start again.

So say it with me, "Restarting my fitness journey isn’t a sign of failure; it’s an act of courage. It shows I'm committed to my health and wellbeing, no matter the twists and turns."

So go ahead and embrace the restart – your path to fitness is uniquely yours, and every new beginning is a fresh chance to reinvent yourself.

* Dre Hinds is a personal trainer, aerobic and yoga instructor and fitness “addict” with more than 20 years’ experience. She specialises in nutrition, weight and sprint training, operating out of HindsSight Fitness and Wellness at the Berkeley Cultural Centre. Contact her onabsbydre@gmail.com or 599-6683. Find her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram under@Absbydre