Day 23

Don't get trapped by unhealthy stop-and-go cycles.

It's a vicious cycle. We start exercising or moderating our eating in a fit of passion. We go strong for a couple of weeks, then something happens. We lose our drive. We get tired. And we quit. A month later, we start all over again. Years go by like this, and we wonder why we haven't made any changes to our bodies. You may not be conscious of the pattern of starting and stopping then starting all over again, but it's one that is controlling many of our lives. Think of your major successes in life. You weren't able to make them happen by starting and stopping. You had to press through no matter how tired you felt. To find ways to jump-start your program, ask yourself, "What turns me on?" "What makes me really happy?" Go dancing, or take a long, leisurely walk by the beach. Or try a physically challenging activity, one that you've never tried before, such as skiing, hiking, or horseback riding. Be creative.

No more starting and stopping. I'm going to take a deep breath and press ahead.