The ‘I’ll Start Monday’ Cycle: Why It’s Keeping You Stuck and How to Break Free

How many times have you told yourself, I’ll start Monday?

Maybe you ate something “off-plan” and figured you might as well indulge for the rest of the weekend. Maybe you missed a workout and decided to just take a break until next week. Maybe you’re waiting for the perfect time—when things slow down, when motivation kicks in, or when life feels less chaotic.

Sound familiar?

Here’s the truth: The ‘I’ll start Monday’ mindset is keeping you stuck. It’s a sneaky form of procrastination wrapped up in good intentions, but in reality, it’s just delaying your progress.

If you’re tired of the cycle and ready to finally break free, let’s talk about why this happens - and how to shift your mindset so you can take action now, not later.

So, why do we even do this to ourselves?!

The Monday reset sounds logical. A fresh start. A clean slate. A new week to “get it right.”

But here’s what’s really happening:
➡️ It tricks you into an all-or-nothing mindset. If you think you need a perfect start, you’ll keep waiting for the “right” moment—one that never actually comes.
➡️ It justifies overindulgence. The more you delay, the more you let things slide, making it even harder to restart.
➡️ It reinforces the idea that small slip-ups = failure. But in reality, one imperfect meal, one missed workout, or one stressful day doesn’t erase your progress.
➡️ It keeps you in a cycle of stopping and starting. And real results come from consistency, not perfection.

If you want to stop waiting for the perfect time and start making real progress? Here’s what to do:
✅ Stop the start-over mentality. There’s nothing magical about Monday. The best time to take action is right now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Now.
✅ Focus on progress, not perfection. One “off” meal doesn’t mean you’ve failed. One skipped workout doesn’t mean you should give up.

The real key to success? Getting back on track immediately, not waiting for an arbitrary restart.

✅ Make decisions based on your long-term identity. Instead of thinking, I need to be perfect this week, ask yourself: What would the future version of me—who is already fit, healthy, and confident—do right now? Then do that.
✅ Reframe setbacks as learning experiences. Instead of saying, I messed up, I’ll start over Monday, say: I had a moment, I’m back on track right now. One decision doesn’t define you—your consistency does.
✅ Take action, even if it’s small. If you overate at lunch, make your next meal a balanced one. If you missed a workout, go for a walk. If you feel overwhelmed, do something—because small steps keep momentum going.

If you’re done with the ‘I’ll start Monday’ cycle and ready to finally build lasting habits, the time to start is now - not next week, not next month, not when life is less busy.

If you’re ready to shift your mindset, stay consistent, and create real change, book a call to chat about joining my 12 Week Nutrition/Mindset/Movement Program. It is designed to help women over 35 end the cycle of dieting, using a simple science-backed approach to losing weight and keeping it off, so they can fit back into their clothes, feel great and thrive with energy and body confidence.

Book a Discovery call with me here: https://www.andrearobertson.health/12WeekProgram 

Because your future self is waiting.  And they don’t start on Monday.

Andrea x