The Monday reset button - and how to keep your willpower going all week
Mondays are like a reset button. It’s the perfect time to make a fresh start. A new week with a clean slate. It’s the perfect opportunity to start your week with positivity, energy and good intentions.
However, if you’re stuck in the cycle of “resetting” every Monday you’re probably not achieving the results you want – especially if you’re trying to lose weight.
If you let yourself go crazy every weekend because you’ve “been good all week” , you’re only living a healthy lifestyle about 60-70% of the time, which is why you’re not progressing.
To lose weight successfully and stop the yo-yoing you need to keep your good intentions going for longer than five days – in other words you need willpower.
Willpower is the ‘ ability to delay gratification, resisting short-term temptations in order to meet long-term goals”. When you start a new week, your willpower is normally high and pushing away the sugary snacks, avoiding alcohol and exercising every day is effortless.
But, as the days go by your willpower can often dwindle away and it’s easy to become lazy and give into temptations. Sometimes, willpower is tested as early as 10am on Monday morning when the biscuit tin comes out at work!
The good news is, there are ways to protect your willpower and keep it strong.
To prevent your willpower from fading away you’ve got to be consistent with three small things:
SLEEP - you need to make sure you get enough sleep. Seven to eight hours per night is ideal. When you’re tired, drained and irritable your willpower decreases. That’s when you’re most likely to give into sugary snacks. On the other hand, when you get enough sleep your energy levels are higher and you’re more likely to…
EXERCISE – exercise releases endorphins in the brain which lifts your mood and makes you feel good. It doesn’t have to be for long, just 10-15 minutes can make a huge difference. After exercise you’re also in a better frame of mind to…
EAT HEALTHY FOOD – healthy foods keep full, they stabilise your blood sugar levels and they give you energy. When you’re feeling full and energetic it’s much easier to say ‘no’ to those temptations!
So here’s what I’m challenging you to today and this week, or from next Monday: make sure you get seven to eight hours sleep a night and start every day with exercise, a healthy meal, and a positive mindset.
Do it when your willpower is at its strongest, and maintain that willpower by doing it every single day. It doesn’t have to be an hours workout or a five -mile run. Just get up and move for at least 10 minutes. Don’t skip a day.
Keep the momentum going, keep your willpower alive, and maybe next Monday you won’t have to hit reset again.
NHS exercise advice: Adults should - Aim to be physically active every day. Any activity is better than none, and more is better still.
Do strengthening activities that work all the major muscles (legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms) on at least two days a week.
Do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity activity a week.
Reduce time spent sitting or lying down and break up long periods of not moving with some activity.
You can also achieve your weekly activity target with:
Several short sessions of very vigorous intensity activity.
A mix of moderate, vigorous and very vigorous intensity activity.
You can do your weekly target of physical activity on a single day or over two or more days. Whatever suits you.
These guidelines are also suitable for: disabled adults; pregnant women and new mothers.