Get off your butt ;)

Even if you are a workout warrior, some days it can be a struggle to get motivated.   Consider this...

Exercise is doing what evolution has programmed us to do: Our bodies have 623 muscles and 206 bones…that’s a lot of locomotion…and our bodies like it when we move.  Sitting around computing, watching TV, and driving more, it makes everything slow down.  When we are more active we eliminate or lessen the chances of metabolic disorders, .

Exercise leads to healthier eating choices: If you use your brain it does. Admittedly, some people spend 30 minutes on an elliptical and then “reward” themselves with a chunk of cheesecake. They burn 300 calories and then undo it by taking in an extra 500. If you forget about rewarding your efforts with food, you’ll find that exercise can improve your “ingestive behavior” so that you make better choices.

Exercising is good for those with impulsive behavior issues: People who are prone to addiction are “reward sensitive.” Whether the addiction is food, alcohol, drugs, cigarettes or gambling, it frequently boils down to poor impulse control.  The good news is that exercise works on those same reward pathways as do drugs, booze and Doritos. Battling an addiction is hard, but exercise can be your replacement behavior; one that is actually good for you.

You will become tougher about everything: Whether it’s jacking up a car to change a tire, hoisting a lawnmower out of the shed, carrying a kid to bed, or hauling a vacuum cleaner up some stairs you get more energy, have better endurance, are stronger, faster and just all-around tougher.  It makes you mentally tough too...When you develop the tenacity to workout hard day after day you train yourself to succeed at something difficult; building a useful skill that makes you more effective at your job, your relationships, and the rest of your life.

It feels so good when it stops: The anticipation of a hard workout isn’t much fun but when you finish it you will feel good about having done it.  Plus you get the endorphin boost that makes you feel happy after a workout. You will become empowered with a sense of accomplishment. Remember how you felt after a really hard run or the best workout class you ever did and use that motivation for the next one. That stimulus should help you feel guilty enough to get off the couch and MOVE YOUR BUTT next time!

You do have time and if you and make the time your body will look better, your mind will make you choose healthy foods, your relationships will improve, you will be happier, more likely to experience new things and be more successful.   Be good to yourself.