The hardest part of a workout sometimes is actually getting started.

This morning was one of those times for me. First the bed was nice and warm and I had not one, but two cats snuggled up next to me. And once I was up, the idea of sitting down to a nice cup of tea and Pinterest was appealing.

While in the moment, staying in bed and playing on the computer were what I “wanted” to do, I have a bigger “want” that got me upstairs and working out. That want is to have a strong, lean, and powerful body that is functioning optimally and fully allows me to express my authentic best.

If I had followed the immediate “want” of bed and/or gazing at beautiful pictures, the resulting good feeling would have been pretty short-lived. Guilt and self-criticism would have inevitably followed. A lot of my energy for the day would have been wasted on feeling bad about myself, and struggling to figure out when I might get my workout in—and possibly even more self-criticism if I wasn’t able to find a time to do it.

That’s energy that I could use for more things that I “want” to do and that will make me feel good throughout my day.

Doing what you “want” to do and what feels good then becomes a matter of looking at the bigger picture and what will have the biggest anabolic energetic return, or return on investment, if you will.

This is the reason figuring out “why” you want to eat healthy foods and move your body is so important. Having a bigger “want” that trumps the momentary immediate “want” is what will get you to the gym, out the door for a run, or pushing play on your workout video, even on those days when the bed feels especially inviting.

If you don’t have a compelling reason “why” you want to get up and do your workout, chances are you will hit the snooze button and then spend the rest of your day wasting the energy you thought you gained by 30 more minutes of sleep or kitty snuggle-time.

What are the reasons “why” you want to move your body and eat healthy foods? What can you do to keep your reasons “why” front and center in your mind? How much more positive anabolic energy will you create for your day by following through on what you really “want?”

Together we can do it!

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