Personally I believe that if you want to start a weight loss and fitness programme, it doesn’t matter what day it is, but other experts agree that, certainly one of the best days to start a fitness and weight loss programme, is the first Monday in October.

Personally I believe that if you want to start a weight loss and fitness programme, it doesn’t matter what day it is, but other experts agree that, certainly one of the best days to start a fitness and weight loss programme, is the first Monday in October.

There are of course, other popular days to start. Birthdays are one, after a breakup, New Year… these times signify a new beginning, and the start of the month is one of those days too.

The magic of Monday

Mondays are statistically the best day to kick off a new fitness or weight loss regimen. It’s a fresh start to the week and you’re ready to take that “new beginnings” mindset to heart. People report seeing Monday as a “reset” button and have greater motivation to tackle their goals at the start of the week. Especially if you’ve been indulging all weekend, you’re probably ready to embrace a change of healthier eating and want to feel lighter.

Surely the best day is January 1st?

In some ways, yes; for the reasons I have outlined above it is a good day but this is overshadowed by the fact that Winter is not a time for a person, who after all is an animal, to expend energy or restrict food intake. Rather it is a time for animals to hunker down, to conserve energy and heat, to live off the fat and avoid exertion.

Not until the spring, are conditions right again.

The end of Summer Holiday

Kids going back to School signify the end of summer as far as most of us are concerned, we expose or bodies less to the sun, start noticing that the days are getting shorter and delay for as long as possible, putting on the central heating. This is the time of weight gain – think of the animal again, eating to gain fat weight to survive the winter.

Knowing that, we can recognise our instinctive behaviour for what it is. Humans (with exceptions) don’t suffer the winter as other animals, what with well-stocked supermarkets and heated homes.

We don’t need to get fat to survive the winter and can avoid and even reverse, the weight gain in the months of November to April by focussing on healthy eating and practicing regular exercise.

Experts suggest that you spend time planning and researching a plan of action in the late summer so you’re ready for the start of October.

Which brings us to the first Monday in October.

Whatever day you pick to get going, choose a day when you wake up feeling physically and mentally good about yourself. Take a look at yourself in the mirror, give yourself a smile and a wink and know you’re ready to make a start.

Now all you have to decide is, what you are going to do about it this year, or leave it until next Spring when you may have even more pounds to lose!