Wellness rarely collapses in a single event. It erodes in small increments that each feel too minor to matter, and then one day the gap between where you are and where you were is wide enough to be discouraging. Climbing back takes far more effort than the daily upkeep would have taken, and it takes it at a moment when you have less energy to spend. Maintenance is unglamorous precisely because it prevents the drama.

Instead of aiming at a transformation, look for the floor you are willing to hold on a bad week. Define it low enough that it survives travel, illness, and a hard month. Holding a modest floor consistently will get you further than a strong start you abandon.