Back on Track Week and Goals

I've written about it before, but morning workouts rock my world. Honestly, yes, some of the changes that came with morning workouts leave much to be desired: racing to get to sleep by 9:30, snoozing the alarm at 4:35 am, sneaking into our apartment complex's gym because it technically doesn't open until 7, rushing to get ready for work because I never actually get up when the alarm rings and therefore don't finish my workout until about 6.

Breakfast needs to be quick around here. 

But when I'm feeling tired midday or when I'm sitting in traffic on the way home or when I desperately want to sit on the couch after work, it's suddenly totally worth it! Plus, once the dreaded act of dragging myself out of bed is over, the workout itself is not different from any other workout--in fact I'm just slightly less tired because I haven't already experienced eight hours on my feet and lots of tough questions from teenagers.

Getting back to the morning workouts (after a few weeks of being less than diligent in waking up early) was part of this week's action plan for healthy living. I think I'm generally a healthy person, but I seem to work in cycles where I'm super healthy, then semi-healthy, then not-so-healthy, then back on track. Well, here we are again at the start of another "back on track" week. I'm trying to figure out what works best for me in maintaining healthy habits. So far, I've figured out:

• Rewarding myself, or basking in the natural rewards, like the ones mentioned above for morning workouts.
• Planning ahead so there are no excuses. 
• Assessing my progress regularly and patting myself on the back for a job well done.
• Encouragement from others.

Whatever my goals, these motivational tools help me stay on track. So this week's goals are:

• Morning workouts each day.
• Drink 148+ ounces of water daily.
• Eat 5 fruits and/or vegetables each day.
• Hit 10,000 steps daily.
• Stretch 20 minutes every night.
• In bed by 9:30 each night. 

So far, we missed the morning workout yesterday but made it today, and I have done well in all the other goals. I'm still tracking my steps with my FitBit and find it a great tool to keep me active.

Despite its many functions (calories burned counter, time, weird emoticons), I really only use the pedometer. Since I aim for 10,000 steps daily, and I usually churn out about 4,000 to 5,000 steps during my workout, I use the FitBit to push me to stand and walk more. Instead of sitting at my desk to input grades, I'll walk across the room after each set of papers. I'll also walk to the farthest bathroom and find errands I can run during my conference period. Any little bit helps!

Do you notice that you're stuck in a cycle of fluctuating between healthy and unhealthy habits? What do you do to combat those returning shortcomings?