much-needed motivation.

Even though I have a goal for my third 5k race coming up in May (Race for the Cure, downtown Detroit), it is still difficult to find the will to visit the gym after work. Why is this? First of all by the time I get to the gym, it's dark and cold outside and my mind is telling my body to relax for the evening. Second, the couch is just way too comfy.

With the onset of New Year's and the resolutions that come with it, a lot of the employees I speak to at work are also bogged down with finding fitness motivation. So I thought I'd share some motivation tips for getting our butts off the couch.

1. Set simple and realistic goals. Lose 20 pounds in a month? Not realistic and bound to make you feel like a failure. Make sure your goals are specific, too. Instead of your goal being to work out more, have your goal be to work 4 days a week instead of 3.

2. Start slowly and be patient. You may become frustrated and give up if you push yourself too hard. For example, I'm planning on increasing my mile time by 20 seconds every 2 weeks, giving my body plenty of time to adjust and become comfortable with the increased speed.

3. Vary your activities. Walking alone will get super boring after a while. Try walking one day, yoga the next, and lifting weights a third. This will keep your workouts mixed up and interesting.

4. Have fun! My friend Salina reminded me of this when I complained to her I was seriously slacking off at the gym. It's supposed to be fun, so make sure to do an activity you enjoy!

5. Reward yourself. Met that realistic and short-term goal? Buy yourself a magazine or a new shade of nail polish. Remember how it feels to accomplish that goal, and keep on keeping on.

6. Most important in my eyes, be flexible! Don't beat yourself up if you're simply too tired or don't feel like exercising. Just be sure to get back on track when you get over your slump.