As I begin writing this article, I am feeling quite positive about the exercise and eating plan I will begin tomorrow. Of course, tomorrow is Monday, the only day of the week that seems to be the right time to start a new program.

My plan always starts out the same way?sometime in the middle of the week I start to feel unmotivated and out of shape due to the bad habits I’ve been practicing. As the negative habits continue, those feelings progress to feeling downright fat. I make a pact with myself that next week will be it ? the week I put all of those bad habits behind me and start anew. In the meantime, I’ll have a few ?last meals? before getting serious about my plan.

A proper last meal will almost always include a cheesy Mexican delight. And, the crispier the chips and stronger the sangria, are all the better for my last fling. Might as well have the fried ice cream too since next week this will all be behind me as I venture into the world of the fit and fabulous.

Of course, during this feeding frenzy I have not been keeping up my usual exercise routine either. The treadmill has gotten dusty, my muscles are shrinking and I’m not feeling quite as energetic as when I was doing regular exercise. So instead of going for a brisk walk after enjoying the variety of candy in my large canister, I’ll just watch TV or read a magazine. The energy just isn’t there for anything else.

Fast forward to Monday?the alarm goes off at 5 am?the time I need to rise and shine in order to have the time to do a nice 30 minute walk on the treadmill before getting ready to go to work. But I’m so tired! I make a deal with myself that the treadmill can wait until I get home that evening and reset the alarm to 6 am. Besides, sleep is just as important as exercise I tell myself.

That evening I get home, change clothes and fix something quick for dinner. At this point the plan is to have a quick bite to eat and jump right on the treadmill. But then I sit down with my meal in front of the TV, or worse yet?the computer to check e-mail! Before I know it, it’s too late to exercise. After all, I’ve always heard that you shouldn’t do cardio too close to bed time or you won’t be able to fall asleep.

At this point, the cycle has come full circle. I have missed my opportunity to start a perfect health plan on this first day of the week. I’ll have to wait until next week to get the perfect start to my new plan. I the mean time, I think I’ll go out for a great lunch with my co-workers. No need to go with the grilled chicken salad since I’ll be eating plenty of those next week?

Maybe by now you have recognized yourself in some of the behaviors described above. The message we need to get through to ourselves is that ?all or nothing? thinking is a big loser. It is always a good time to improve your habits. By waiting for the perfect start to a week or even just a new day, a lot of damage is being done by your current not-so-good habits.

Great health improvements can be made by simply making each moment as healthy as it can be. Try to choose healthy meals most of the time. If you make a less than ideal choice, balance it with something extremely healthy. For example, if you love Mexican food like I do, go ahead and have a few chips but maximize the healthy salsa you eat with them. Go for a lot of grilled chicken or beef but don’t eat every single tortilla they serve to you. Just eat one.

When you feel you just don’t have enough energy to exercise, give yourself permission to feel tired and just do 10 minutes. One of two things will happen. You’ll finish the 10 minutes and go on with your day and actually feel a bit better than if you had done nothing ? this feeling will be both physical and mental. It will also have the effect of motivating you to do it again the next day. A second possibility will be that you actually complete a longer workout. Many times you just have to get started. Either way, you win.

Small bits of positive habits added up over time ultimately win over the all or nothing approach. Be mindful of your goals and pay attention to motivational tips and information to keep yourself on track.
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