On those really tough days... what gets you going?

Work has been really rough the past few days, I have a serious headache, I haven't gotten enough sleep so I'm tired and not least of all right now I'm at a point where I'm moody, bloated, craving food, very sensitive about my weight and mad at men in general

Help.

I'm not doing well either. I have chronic daily migraines and now, on top of everything, I'm in pain and awaiting a root canal tomorrow morning.

I love to have a t.v. show to watch at the gym so I just started watching LOST on my iTouch. If not, then good music helps a lot. For me, it's a matter of forcing myself to do just 10 or 15 minutes....once I get past those first few tough minutes, it starts to get a lot easier.

Another thing that helps is cute workout clothes. I know it's crazy, but if I am wearing something cute, it makes me want to do more.

Try to drink lots of water too....if you don't like water, maybe some Crystal Light. I have friends who swear by it.

I love entering a lower weight into the treadmill it makes me smile AND I tell myself I never wanted to shop @ any plus size store again

I'm always training for something - usually a running race. To meet my goals, I know I have to get my behind up and go. If I didn't have some kind of goal, it would be much easier to sleep in and let it slide ...

On the really rough days, I tell myself that I am just going to *start*. If I still feel awful, I tell myself I'll cut it short or make it lower intensity. Usually once I get going, I'm fine and complete the planned workout.

And I know when I'm done I'll feel SO much better!

This is really silly, but it is a black shirt. I keep track of my workouts on Fitlinxx and the Y gives T-shirts when you hit certain (color-coded) levels. I am *this close* to earning a black shirt.

Whatever works.

On low days I like to do workouts I consider fun to get me in the mood to workout. Like today, I feel kind of under the weather but when I go home I'm going to do some dancey step aerobics to get my spirits up. Hang in there!!!

Saying to myself : "Just go out for 15 mins... " Once I'm warmed up, I can go further NP...

Thanks guys This really helped me out and I actually had a pretty good work out on Tuesday, then on Wednesday I had an even better one after I got home from an extended dog agility practice!

This place rocks

i use flyladys mantra that you can do anything in fifteen minutes!! and usually i can keep doing for 30 or 45 - in the 15 minute increments. if i'm really feeling terrible or sick- then at least i made it through fifteen minutes which keeps the habit up and is better then nothing!

What motivates me is that I fear if I skip today, I'm going to skip tomorrow too... and I'll just start skipping whenever I want (which would be every day!)

What motivates me is setting a challenging fitness goal... First it was complete Couch to 5K before the end of 2009. Now it's get an hour of exercise in a day (average) for 2010.

When I'm grumpy/moody/gloomy/frustrated/anxious/whatever, even though it's nearly impossible to drag myself out, knowing that I will post my results somewhere keeps me going. Sometimes I get up and go just because I am falling behind (which - after a weekend of slugging around, I am now way behind for my month goal. Yikes!)

Also, having some structure. I find I don't do well with the vague notion of "going to exercise." So I take classes that meet regularly. And I am going to go through the C25K running program again, at a faster pace. The organization of that 9-week program (3x/week) really worked well for me when I did it. After that, who knows ... I'm going to have to think up some other kind of structured routine.

And the advice "do [whatever] for just 15 minutes" that several folks mentioned REALLY works! I need to remember this more often ....

Hope it's all coming together for you!

Aunty Jam: I am very motivated by lots of specific goals, really good music, non-food rewards, and telling others what my exercise plans are so that I am accountable.

EmmaD: If you look up a podcast called "PODRUNNER: INTERVALS -- Workout music for tempo-based exercise", they have a couch to 5k type thing called First day to 5 K. They continue after that with Gateway to 8 K and Freeway to 10 K. That might be good for you since you've already done C25K.

I have a routine after I workout where I shower and then have some cinnamon stick tea. When I really don't want to get started I visualize how I will feel in the hot soapy shower knowing I have done my workout and can have some tea and be relaxed.

Ah, yes hot showers after workouts feel so good, don't they? (unless of course you've chafed something

If I need to get off my keester I walk the dog. once we get to the park I can let the leash extend out and he's always prompts me to move faster. I also have to remind myself why I went on a diet in the first place.