*If you hate working out, reward yourself (who doesn't like presents?). Prepare your favorite meal under the pretense that after your workout, you get to devour it or share it with your friends. What's my motivation? I love to show off my Stella McCartney for Adidas running jacket. It makes me feel like a sexy professional marathoner even though I haven't run any respectable distances (or times for that matter) since high school track. The point is, I always find a reason to get excited about running that has nothing to do with the end result. This may seem backwards but when you've been working out for what seems like your whole life, you have to become an innovator in self-motivation. If I go home to the Berkshires, I take all of my gear along and can't wait to take in the amazing views around my favorite running trails. Up behind my mother's house, there's an old mill. It has it's own train station and the tracks wind beautifully around a large pond (I often interrupt the quiet serenity by belting out The Ting Tings and Madonna to my heart's content.) Whether the ground is covered in snow or the first apple blossoms are blooming, the scene always conjures up a feeling of health and vibrancy that keeps me coming back. If you can hold onto an image like that, you can repeat the emotion for any activity.
