When I think about a balanced, effective fitness plan I include the following components: nutrition, hydration, cardio (aerobic exercise), strength training, flexibility, healthy ways of dealing with stress and sleep.

I didn't get enough sleep last night. I got caught up in what I was doing and stayed up too late. When my alarm rang at 6:45 AM I did not hit the ground ready to tackle the day. I had to drag myself out of bed and work really hard to get moving. If I had not had a scheduled walk at 8:00 AM, I am quite certain I would have skipped my workout entirely and slept in instead.

It is tough enough to stay motivated and make extraordinary choices consistently. I believe that being tired makes it even more difficult. Here are some of the things I noticed today:

- I wanted more caffeine than usual and I craved sugar because my energy was low, which made it tougher to choose my normal healthy foods. I wanted something sweet all afternoon for a boost of energy.

- I felt bloated and sluggish. Not the way to feel my best. I always make better choices when I feel better about myself so to have the waist of my jeans digging into my belly all day was not a good way to support making great choices.

- My legs felt achy and tired. I don't think I got the right amount of recovery time and I felt it. The problem that created was I really didn't feel like getting up and moving. The inertia was to spend the day on the couch, not outside being active.

- I felt slightly detached and not super clear on my goals and what I wanted to do today to support those goals. Not the way I like to think.

I used to be a night owl, stayed up late watching Letterman or whatever was on at night. I would sacrifice sleep in order to get some "me time". No wonder it was always difficult for me to get consistent with exercise. It is so much harder when I'm tired! No wonder I didn't get organized with my food. It wasn't my priority- finding things to ingest to get my energy up was my goal.

I know the temptation to stay up late and get stuff done, or just finally relax in front of the computer or the TV. I understand it completely. But if you want to go to the next level in your fitness, and especially if you want to lose weight, you have to get more disciplined about going to bed earlier. The more active you are, the more recovery your body needs. Sleep is crucial in the weight loss process.

If you feel stuck in your weight loss, try something different. Whatever your nightly habits, try changing them so you can get eight hours sleep. Even if you have trouble sleeping, try creating a new pattern and see if it helps. Change how you eat and drink in the evening so it supports getting to sleep on time. Pack your gym bag, have your clothes ready for your workout. Experience a different level of motivation when you are well rested and not sleep deprived. It is a wonderful thing to be clear on your goals and not feel like it is a constant fight. Sleep really does support that. So get to bed early and connect that choice to your overall goal of living and feeling your absolute best.