I read somewhere that the habits you form in your 30s are indicative of how you’ll live the rest of your life, particularly when it comes to exercise and eating right.

Which means I’ve got 364 days to get some better habits. It’s not that I never exercise and never eat healthy food, I’m just incredibly inconsistent. I can’t seem to find the middle.

When I’m exercising, I do it regularly. Running or whatever else I can find a way to squeeze into my schedule. I’m never going to be super fit (which makes me feel like the exception to the rule here in Vermont) but I do the best I can. And when I’m eating well, I do a pretty good job there, too. Lots of salad, lots of veggies. When I’m really good, I even drink less, which is surely a sign of dedication but it isn’t so fun.

BUT. Those periods last a few months. And then when I’m off, I’m way, way off. No exercise. Lots and lots of chocolate. Lots and lots of alcohol. I’m actually not terribly unhappy with sloth like this in limited doses, but I know myself well enough to understand that it’s not a workable solution in the long run. So I gather my resolve and make another 180 degree turn.

The seasons here in Vermont don’t do much to help me with this. It’s cold and dark in the winter, and nothing sounds better than heavy comfort food, and I’m definitely not motivated to go work it off when it’s -10 outside. Working full time and being a mom doesn’t help much either. Sigh. But I know plenty of women who do everything that I do and still manage to keep themselves healthy.

I go through this cycle every year. Sometimes more than once. But, I just had a birthday, and the next time that rolls around, it’ll be an uncomfortably significant one. This seems like the right time to create a new habit. This year, I’m going to try hard to find a reasonable happy place somewhere in the middle. I’m not sure if I’ve ever done this before, so if anyone has any idea what it looks like, please let me know.