This is a great post from my friend over at Fitness Fig. I love her “tell-it-like-it-is approach. I thought it was a great one to share for today.

How do you get your butt in gear when it’s dragging on the floor and you’re having trouble getting up to do the workout you have planned? (Or are you more the type who doesn’t plan it and just gets up and moves when you feel like it?)

I have lots of little motivators to get my heinie in gear when it’s time to work out. I need them because I am lazy and a procrastinator by nature.

First, it helps that I know what kind of workouts I like. I am not going to drag myself up to do a workout I loathe. I’ve learned that I pretty much hate bootcamp workouts (even with my favorite DVD instructors), so I just don’t do those. There are plenty of other options so that I don’t have to do them.

Second, I do plan ahead. Sometimes I try to plan a month ahead but lately it’s been more like a week at a time. It’s easier for me to get up and go when I already have an idea what I am going to do. Today, for example, I knew I had a total body workout planned. In this case I wasn’t 100% sure which DVD I’d use for it, but I had a couple ideas. So I did the one I was in the mood for, but still fulfilled my rotation plan.

Third, I tell others what I plan to do. Obviously I usually list it here, but I also have some online friends whom I talk to on forums. I usually tell them what workout I am doing every day (or if I’m not working out).

Fourth, I visualize–not in some freaky-deaky way–just picture my satisfaction at finishing my workout.

Fifth, I just haul myself up and get to it.

Finally, I know when NOT to work out. When I got very little sleep the night before (happens with 2 kids and a dog), when I’m completely burned out, or when I really just need a rest day (I take at least one a week–if you work out hard for a long time you may need a rest week or more). I can abuse this, of course, in which case it’s time to back up and try my mind over matter methods again.

How about you? What do you do to get working out when you’re lacking motivation? Feel free to comment here or on the discussion over at Fit at Home.

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