‘All Health Breaks Loose’ Mondays: A Habit to Keep You on Track

Yeah, I know … the calendar week starts on Sunday. But I’ve been a big fan of Mondays for years. I have been doing a local Monday morning NBC TV segment in Minneapolis for five years, and I email my free weekly fit-tips on Mondays.

Why Monday? In our society, Monday has kinda become our natural start of the week. We go back to work on Monday morning, our kids go back to school, and we naturally take stock of upcoming appointments, tasks, etc. Why not also make it the day we take stock of our health status? The way I see it, you have 52 Mondays a year to start fresh!

Studies have shown that people do better at maintaining habits and behavior changes (like sticking to a fitness or weight loss plan) if they have a reminder or a cue that brings them back to their goals and intentions. Personally, I often take a break from work and exercise on Sundays — but I mentally need to get in a great workout on Monday to set my tone for the week. And I always tell my clients to do the same.

I love the idea of Monday as a trigger date to keep you on track with your goals. It is a natural, regularly reoccurring time to call ourselves to action to live a healthier lifestyle. So I was thrilled to come across a Monday-focused organization called Healthy Monday that strives to make Monday “a weekly start to a healthier you!” It’s a nonprofit movement of people and organizations who commit every Monday to the behaviors and actions that will end preventable disease in the U.S. Check out their website to see some of the national initiatives happening on Mondays, and join in on the fun.

Whenever you need a fresh start, take advantage of using Monday to motivate! CHALLENGE yourself to use Monday as the day to set weekly goals, refocus and recommit! Rainy days may get you down, but not Mondays … Monday is the day that all health breaks loose!

Stay Healthy,