I think Monday might be the most hated day of the week. When I say, “Happy Monday,” to people, I get weird looks and grumbling and rumblings about going back to work. Even the retirees seem to have a beef with Mondays. What’s up with that?
A New Perspective on Mondays
I love Mondays. Really. I don’t see Monday as four more days until Friday. Instead, I see Monday as an opportunity for a fresh start. It gives me a clean slate to reboot my writing projects, keep an eye on my spending, but most important, a time to reset my health goals.A
If you’re like me, you started the New Year with the best of intentions. You got rid of the junk food in the house, took your lunch to work, exercised three days a week, and made a green smoothie twice. Not to mention, your man gave you the support you said you needed, and even the kids were behind you. But, somewhere along the way, you slipped up and went back to your old habits.
You ask yourself, “How did I get back here?” Doubts about your ability to be at a healthy weight, maintain an exercise schedule, and curb your night time food binges are at the back of your mind.
Sister, do not get discouraged. Monday is coming!!!
The Monday Reset
January 1 is the most popular day that people set for starting their health goals. According to a 2019 Marist Poll, 44% of Americans said they were somewhat likely or very likely to make a New Year’s resolution. The top resolutions were to:
- Exercise more (13%)
- Quit smoking (12%)
- Lose weight (10%)
- Eat healthier (9%)
- Become a better person (9%)
According to a Marist poll, in 2018, 68% of those who made resolutions said they kept them for at least part of the year, and 32% did not. But, this doesn’t mean you should give up on setting health goals for this year. Instead, you should begin again and embrace Mondays as a time to reset your health goals.
Why Mondays?
So why reset on Mondays? Well, we often let our guard down on the weekends. We think, “Well, I’ve been good all week and I deserve to treat myself and let loose a little.” So, we skip the morning workout, sleep late, eat too much, watch too much TV, and probably drink a little too much alcohol. Then, we begin to feel a little guilty by Sunday night.
“Failure is not getting up when you fall.”
Studies show that our willpower is usually strongest at the beginning of the day and at the start of a new week. It’s why your willpower to eat healthy and stick to your diet is strong at 8 am compared to 6 pm when you want to devour everything in sight. It’s also why it’s easier to go to exercise before you go to work than after you leave work.
Monday Is a Mini New Year
So, start thinking of Monday as a mini New Year. This is an awesome concept because you get 52 Mondays, or mini New Years, to reset and begin again. Use Monday as the day to set a new health goal or reset an existing one. It takes multiple attempts to change a bad habit or establish a new, and you will learn something every time you fail and try again.
When you use Monday as a weekly cue to try again, you will increase your chances of success. Furthermore, Mondays can be used to set mini goals. Instead of thinking about the 20 pounds you need to lose for the year, set a mini goal on Monday to lose one pound this week.
So, start getting excited about Mondays. There is hope and you have a bright, healthy future ahead of you. Take a few minutes to review the posts on how to set S.M.A.R.T. weight management goals and S.M.A.R.T. goals for exercise program.
Reflect
Which goal(s) can you reset this Monday?
We look forward to hearing about your experience in the comment section of this blog.
Keep It Tight Sisters.
Eat. Move. Breathe.
