I would love to say I’ve got this whole wellness thing on lock.
But there I was— eating a second gigantic Fourth of July sugar cookie I had already planned to skip.
Midbite, I thought:
"Oof. I'm craving a hard reset.”
If you’ve felt a little off-track lately—mentally, nutritionally, or schedule-wise—you’re not alone. Summer is fun, but it’s also unstructured, snacky, and a little chaotic. And that post-holiday Monday energy? It’s actually the perfect time to hit pause and recalibrate.
So I’m doing a 5-Day Reset—and you’re invited to join me. (It’s free. It’s simple. It works.)
No shame. No counting. No obsessing. Just a short, focused stretch of eating real food, getting good sleep, moving your body, and protecting your focus.
You’ll find the full plan, tips, and FAQs below—plus a few of my favorite reset-friendly hacks.
Let’s do this together and see how good 5 days can feel. Need support, Hop in the Habit Lab free and I'll literally hype you for five days. :) -Katie Day
Want a quickie cheat sheet? Click the high-res pdf here: Reset5days.pdf
Write 1 First-Person Goal (Example: I am a strong, healthy person who moves daily and eats to fuel my body.)
The Why (Behind Each Habit):
Unlimited Protein + Veggies: Keeps blood sugar stable, reduces cravings, supports energy and mood.
Fruit at the end: Prevents blood sugar spikes while still giving you sweet satisfaction.
No dairy, sugar, alcohol, etc.: These cause inflammation, energy crashes, cravings, and disrupt your gut and hormones.
20 Minutes of Movement: Boosts mood, motivation, and digestion.
8 Hours Sleep: Critical for hormone balance, willpower, and recovery. No Caffeine After Noon:
Protects your sleep, reduces anxiety, and gives your nervous system the reset it actually needs—not a false jolt of energy.
No Scrolling Before Noon: Protects your focus, mood, and motivation. Preserve your brain’s natural theta wave state—your most creative thinking zone—by staying offline until noon.
Gratitude & First-Person Goal: Wires your brain for clarity, optimism, and action.
Pro Tips for Staying on Track
Keep almonds in your purse. A handful of healthy fat can save you from impulsive choices when you’re suddenly starving.
Have a go-to takeout order. Mine? Chipotle salad with chicken, fajita veggies, salsa, and guac. No dressing needed—flavor-packed and reset-friendly.
Use “Downtime” in your screen time app. Borrow my mantra: “I create first, then I consume.”
The golden rule: The ultimate hack: Do not complain about the reset. Don’t even mention it unless it’s to say: “I’m excited about this reset!”
That phrase alone will set your tone and improve your follow-through. I can always tell which clients will stick with something—they lead with curiosity and optimism.
FAQs
Q: What if sugar sneaks into things like ketchup or dressing? A: Want an A+? Avoid them entirely. Okay with a B+? Stick to less than 1g per serving. Don’t stress. Stress is bad.
Q: What are refined carbs? A: Think: white bread, chips, pasta, crackers, muffins, and cereal.
Q: What are healthy fats? A: Avocados, olive oil, nuts, seeds, eggs, fatty fish, nut butters, coconut oil.
Q: Do I need to measure or weigh anything? A: Nope. Just trust your intuition and eat to satiety. Do not go hungry.
Q: Can I really lose weight if I’m not counting calories? A: Yes. You’re becoming fat-adapted—which means your body learns to burn stored fat for fuel instead of constantly craving carbs. Eat real food, trust your body, and let it do what it was designed to do.
Q: What’s a "first-person goal"? A: A goal written as if it’s already true. Our brains LOVE goals written this way becuase it creates a visaul. Example: I only put quality fuel inside my amazing body. I put in good energy and I show up with good energy.
What Now? (After the 5-Day Reset)
Q: I feel great—should I keep going? A: Yes! If it’s working, ride the wave. Add tweaks if needed but keep your momentum.
Q: I don’t feel great—what now? A: Identify what’s missing. Are you eating enough? Sleeping enough? Too strict? Experiment like a scientist, not a judge. Adjust based on data. (If adding a daily Diet Coke makes the whole thing click for you, by all means, do it.)
Your Path Forward
Are you at your target weight or health zone? For me, Instead of making a “goal weight”, I make a 5 pound, “goal-range”. If I’m “in-range”, I’m in maintenance mode. If I’m “out-of-range”, I return to “the Reset”.
✔️ Yes – Maintenance Mode: Decide what “normal” eating looks like and add what I like to call “weird rules”. Example: I eat exactly like this reset 95% of the time. When I want to indulge, here are some of my “weird rules”: I only eat dessert if it’s homemade or from a special bakery. Only eat pizza on family movie night and I have to have a salad first. I only eat cheese when it’s charcuterie night at book club. (You get the idea.) Use this reset as a return-to-center anytime you feel like you’ve lost control.
❌ No – Loss Mode: You’ve got momentum! Continue until you feel within range, then shift into Maintenance Mode.
Coming Up:
July Challenge: I just released the July Challenge inside the Habit Lab. It's a fun one: Play on Purpose. How Deep Play can increase your productivity WITH assignments like "take yourself on a weekly playdate." This challenge is likely the most fun one we've had and you still get to earn that sweet, sweet badge. Tuesday, July 15: Group Coaching on Zoom inside The Habit Lab (grab your free trial and just jump in with us!)
Try it Free! Have you wanted to try out what I teach inside the Habit Lab, but don't want to commit? I'm running a free 7-day trial for a limited time! That's long enough to binge the entire course, poke around, and no one will even know you were there (unless you want them to!)
“Sometimes you don’t need a new life, just a clean sweep and a fresh start."
After hitting rock bottom, I've embarked on a radical journey. For one year, I'm taking a break from all cynicsm and trying out some crazy self-improvement experiments (so you don't have to.)