Summer's Over . . . Now What?

Labor Day is over, summer vacations are behind us and the kids are back in school.  Some of you are breathing a sigh of relief today because even though you might have had a great summer, you're happy to be back into a routine.  Others might be experiencing different emotions, as you've enjoyed having less structure for the past 2-3 months.  Regardless of how you're viewing today, most of us have now moved from a "lazy, hazy days of summer" routine to "back to normal."  Now what?

The day after Labor Day often feels like January 2 - a good time to get started, or restarted.  Some people found that their best intentions to lose weight got sidelined over the summer between vacations and all those BBQs and have recommitted to going back on plan today.  If that's you, welcome back! 

It can be hard to get restarted again.  Eating five Medifast meals and a lean and green is easy, but getting back into the right mindset can be an issue.  If you've been off plan, it's tempting to spend time and energy playing the "should have, could have" mind game, especially if you aren't happy with what the scale is saying today.  I would encourage you to not waste a second on regrets, because that will keep you looking back.  It's time to look forward!

Where do you want to be by the holidays?  How do you want to feel?  What do you want to look like in all of the photos that will be taken on Christmas Day? 

I'm not talking about "event dieting" - losing weight for the holidays, because I am not a proponent of that.  This program is about getting you to a healthy weight and teaching you how to stay there, not about losing weight for one event or the other.  That said, the holidays are 3-1/2 months away, and by making the choice today to stay on plan, you will be in a very different place by the time they get here.  You might be at your goal, but even if you aren't there yet, you will have made significant progress by then.

Think past the holidays.  What do you ultimately want?  What will goal look like for you?  Today is a good day to think about that, a good day to dream.

As you settle back into your normal routine again, today is a good day to begin to establish new, healthier habits that will become part of your routine.  Establishing those new habits begins with the choices you make today.  Choose wisely :-)