As the summer draws to an end and the weather turns cool it is easy to make up excuses for letting your exercise and eating habits hibernate. However, this can lead to a lifetime of yo-yo dieting and in the end can harm your metabolism, your heart and most importantly, your self-esteem. Stay in shape as the seasons turn with these tips!

1. Make it new! Pretend your diet is going back to school and start a new program. Either sign up for a new class at the gym or get with a buddy to get outside on weekly excursions. My favorite time of year to run is fall because the temperature is ideal and the scenery is breathtaking!

2. Set GOALS! Maybe you are at your happy weight already, or maybe that Caribbean vacation has already come and gone and you are no longer counting calories in order to look lean beach side. Or, maybe you just lost your motivation along the way. Set a new goal. Make it about your personal growth rather than your appearance. Maybe you want to improve your time on running a mile. Maybe you want to try a half marathon or a triathlon? Have you always looked in on the boxing class with awe, thinking, I wish I could do that, then sign up for a class! Give yourself somewhere to go or else you will stay exactly where you are.

"There is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it." - Napolean Hill

3. Clean out the crap! Go through your cupboards and if it isn't healthy, get it outta there. Did you acquire bags of chips and boxes of cookies for your summertime BBQs? Did your kids' sleep-overs leave you with sugary treats? Time to clean it out! Once you've gotten rid of all the pitfalls in your cupboards you can go shopping for staples such as whole wheat pasta, brown rice, canned beans, tuna, rye crisps and protein powder. That way when you go to the pantry you only have healthy choices in front of you! Set yourself up for success!

4. Write it down! Maybe you started your diet on January 1 and you had all of the best intentions. You cut out the white flour, the sugar, the saturated fats...you upped your veggie intake and started a workout regime. Now it's 7 months past that day and you have not been to the gym this month...you are tired of thinking about calories and you're too busy to plan your meals...WRONG! Simply start writing down what you eat. The success of our weight loss program depends majorly on our food intake. People who log their food intake actually take in less than those who wing it. It will also shock you into caring again once you see how much you've been packing away. The most successful dieters keep a food journal or a diet blog. Try Fitday or SparkPeople!

5. Once you are back on track for one week straight treat yourself to something nice. Don't make food a reward, rather indulge in a nice Mani/Pedi, or make a date with a friend to see a movie, go to a museum or take in theatre. Do something that makes you feel special. Then, set a new goal,  maybe it's to lose 5lbs or maybe it's getting to the gym 4 days this week. Once you achieve your goal, REWARD! New shoes? New gadget? It worked for Pavlov's dogs...make it work for you!

To sum it up, sometimes all you really need to do to get back on track is re-evaluate. Look at where you've been, where you are, and where you want to go. Don't get complacent and don't settle! Remind yourself WHY you made your health a priority. You will surprise yourself at how fast you get back to where you want to be.