Consistency is important when it comes to exercise. At the beginning of the year, I set a goal of 1,000 miles of walking and running combined. Part of that goals was about the consistency of getting at least 2 miles every day. I need to average about 2.75 miles per day to reach 1,000 miles for the year. 2 miles seems pretty reasonable. It takes me about 32 minutes to walk the 2 miles.
My first streak of the year lasted 18 days. My second streak lasted about a week. Streaks are good. They are not the only way to get it done. In the past, I have beaten myself up at the end of the streak. This year, I won't do that. If I miss a day, I am not going to get down about it. The first day that I missed this year started out at -8° F. I just did not want to spend time out in that weather. My customer that I was delivering to the next day is about 1.25 miles from a gas station. My plan was get there the night before and walk to the gas station. It was a good plan until it started snowing. The weather took what was going to be an “easy” 13.5 hour day to about a 14.5 hour day. By the time I got to the customer not only was I tired, but walking along the side of the road for 1.25 miles in a snow storm seemed like a bad idea.
It is my tendency to be analytical. The second “fail” day this month was pure laziness. I had time in the morning to go for a 2 mile walk. I just walked a half mile to the local gas station for a cup of coffee and walked back to drink the coffee in the comfort of my truck. I had time to go for that extra mile, but didn't. Once again, I planned on a 2 mile evening walk from my customer. I didn't get it done. I am a better morning exerciser.
The key is not to get a negative streak. So far I have not had back to back “fail” days. The experts say 
that if you don't exercise for 3 consecutive days, you will probably quit. For me 2 days seems to be my limit. A few years back I tried doing a streak of doing an hour a day of anything. I did it for 50 days. Fell off the wagon. Beat myself up. Stayed off the wagon. The streak was fun. I ran, walked, rode my bike or kayaked for at least an hour. By the end of the streak tight clothes had become loose, clothes that I couldn't wear I could.
January was a good month. I ended it lighter than I started. Never did have back to back fail days, and I did not beat myself up after 1. I covered 104 miles. I was able to run 4 miles without a break, and my too tight clothes are starting to fit again.
Current Streak 5 YTD miles 104