Mama Sweat Mantra

Sure, getting out of bed after a dastardly alarm jolts you from deep sleep isn't easy. If you're anything like me you start making deals with your sleepy self (and your sleepy self is a horrible negotiator). You automatically hit snooze and start refiguring your day so you can work out later. If you're lucid enough you realize "later" is a mirage--the puddle of water that remains out of reach. Later, as we all know, is vulnerable to exercise hijackers. But the dream was so good, right? You just want to see what happens next, or sort out the strangeness (why, exactly would I be floating on a raft with Workout Partner Pam in San Francisco Bay with all of my children and her children and the dog in search of a bar?) It takes fortitude to leave the dream and the warm covers behind. But the thing is, if you stay, and you get maybe an extra hour of sleep, is it worth it? You may be better off finding time for a Power Nap. Among the things you'll learn by clicking on that link: "studies show that 20 minutes of sleep in the afternoon provides more rest than 20 minutes of more sleep in the morning." So there you have it, scientific research to support a nap. (There is also such a thing as "nap hijackers" so be vigilant.)

One more time with me now:

If you still need help following through, may I suggest:

1) Get a workout partner. You have to be a real turd to stand up a friend at 5:30 a.m. This will get you up and moving and then, as a bonus, you have someone available to analyze your weird dreams. Sometimes their physical presence isn't necessary. Commit with a friend to workout at the same time, even if they live 1000 miles away. That's what the Internet is for!

2) Commit to a class. Even if you don't know a soul in the fitness class, you have a time, date and place to "be." This can be sufficient enough to light a fire under your comforter. And, if you become a regular, you can convince yourself that the teacher is expecting you (even if they're not, but sometimes they are and this is even better for your compliance).

3) Plan your workout the night before. If you don't have a friend or a class to keep you accountable, you can be accountable to yourself if you have a plan. I know if I'm laying there in bed and have to start thinking about what kind of workout I plan to do, nothing will sound appealing. But, once my alarm rings if I can start focusing on my workout plan I'm more likely to transition from dream state to sweat state.

4) Have children with an uncanny ability to wake you up 30, 45, or 60 minutes before your scheduled alarm. You're up anyway. Might as well work out.

So one last time: