Quit

The most common problem I face helping people change their lifestyle is - quitting.  I'm surprised why so many people feel their either on a diet - or off.  Successful or unsuccessful, never in between.   While I struggled with this issue myself long ago, it occurred to me one day just to STOP the madness.  Why do we beat ourselves up for indulging in something we know we shouldn't.  This isn't about willpower.  Sometimes we have real cravings based on chemical imbalances or vitamin deficiencies.  We need to learn and understand our bodies.  A chocolate craving for instance, can be related to a magnesium deficiency - maybe a vitamin supplement will help solve that issue going forward.  Too tired to exercise means we've succumbed to the vicious cycle of not doing it vs. just doing it which would make us feel and sleep better.   If you're not up for walking a mile, walk around the block - it's still better than nothing.

Instead of quitting, think of it as a learning experience.  Why did you want to eat something bad or not exercise last night?  Did you feel better after?  Was it worth the mental anguish you now face?  Truth is, it probably didn't taste as good as you thought, nor did it provide the satisfaction you thought it might, or laziness just makes you feel regret now.  These poor decisions delay your success by yet another day. You still have to wake up tomorrow and think "okay, today's the day".  That gets old - wouldn't success be much more enjoyable?

If we start to understand our actions and view them differently - really think about the root cause and effect - only then can we change the behavior.   Don't quit, just re-evaluate and learn.