remember.

To think positive thoughts.  I know it's hard.  Especially when you've been up way too late, the alarm just went off, and your bed is feeling pretty cozy.  This happened to me this morning.  I lay there thinking about how soft and comfy my body felt in my bed...and that I was way too tired to get out and exercise.  Pretty soon I was thinking about how I could get out of exercise instead of all of the great benefits of getting out and pounding the pavement.

When I'm laying in my bed in the morning...I don't think straight.  I decided I need to have some things ready for me to say to myself when I'm in that place between sleep and really waking up.  Things like, "I'll feel so much better if I get out and exercise."  or "My brain gets going and is more creative when I get up and go walking."  or "I feel so much energy when I start off the day with a brisk walk." or "It will totally be worth it to get up right now."

Instead, I stayed in bed debating the issue in my mind.  By the time I decided I was going to get the heck out of bed...it was time to get the kids ready for our orthodontist appointment this morning.  And now, I'm feeling like I need to fit in my exercise at some point today.

Here are some tips from here (click for more info) about staying positive when exercising:

* Start small

*Exercise with friends

*Find an exercise that you think is fun

*Think about all of the great benefits exercise gives YOU.

*Put a picture of how you'd like to look in a place you'll see it every day.

*Ask one of your friends to be the person that you can call if you need a pep talk.

*Mix it up.  Choose your 2-3 favorite ways to get moving and alternate them each day.

*Smile when you think about exercising.

*Be grateful for the changes that you're seeing or that you know you'll see soon.

*Create a place for you to exercise.  Light a candle or do something that makes it feel like a fun place for you.

*Set some little goals and find ways to reward yourself when you meet them.  An afternoon pedicure, a morning on the couch reading a book.

*Consider the future quality of life that you're giving yourself

*If getting out of bed is the hardest part of exercising try writing yourself a letter and placing it on your nightstand to read in the morning to help you get up.

What works for you?  How do you stay positive...especially in the first little while of getting back to being healthy?  What do you do?  What do you tell yourself?

Weekly Challenge:  Keep it light, keep it fun, keep it positive...even if you aren't sure you're seeing results...and keep on keepin' on.

good. LIFE.