Stressed and busy but I need to get back on track

I have also been stressed and very busy. I actually let the stress get to me last week and I didn't go to the gym or eat right. I am now back on program for - 4 days and counting - and I realize that exercising and eating healthy actually help me to deal with stress!! I applaud you for setting goals for yourself. Just take things one day at a time. You will succeed!

I work really long hours as well, and also have a pretty stressful job. I find including the exercise helps me manage my stress a lot better, and reminding myself of that also helps me justify going to the gym when I'm also telling myself that I have 'so many other things to do'.

Things that have really helped me are:
1. Make it part of your daily routine. I stop at the gym every day on the way home from work, even for just a quick workout. If I have a late meeting and know I'm going to miss, I try and go in the morning before work. I do this because I've found after falling out of the routine it's way harder to get back into it.
2. Have food for the evening (and even lunches too) made in advance. Then I don't have to get home after the gym at 7 or later, be starving, and think about what to eat. This just meant I grabbed anything easy, and it wasn't usually nutritionally balanced or within my calorie goal. I now spend a few hours on Sunday making a couple big dishes and portioning it out into containers. Then after my workout I just need to pop one in the microwave/oven, and I've got a healthy meal ready to go. I do lunches too so I don't have to worry about making lunch at night or getting up early in the morning to do it (I'm usually working for a few more hours after dinner).