You’re tired. You feel lazy. It’s been a long day on the unit or a long day of classes. The absolute last thing you want to do is work out. You know you should. Your brain is telling you to get up, but your legs just aren’t listening. Okay, you finally decide to go. On second thought, the couch is really, really comfortable. Sound familiar? From time to time, we all lack the motivation to get out and take care of our bodies. Here are 10 tips to help you get off the couch and onto the treadmill.

Stash this article away and bring it out whenever you need a little help getting in gear. Let’s go:

1. Think ahead. You know that feeling you get after finishing a great workout? Whether it’s a long walk, a short run, or a tough kickboxing class, you always feel like a million bucks when it’s over. Get that feeling in your head and let it motivate you to the finish line.
2. Turn up the tunes. There’s nothing quite like music to get the blood flowing. Load up your iPod with the Rocky soundtrack, some AC/DC, or even some Sarah McLachlan, and get a move on. The workout will be over before you know it.
3. Get a workout buddy. So what if misery loves company? So does exercise. It’s a lot easier to find your way to the gym when you know someone is waiting for you. Plus, it’s always safer to lift with a spot.
4. Buy some new workout clothes. Let’s see . . . shopping makes you feel better and working out makes you feel better. Talk about a match made in heaven! Get some new duds and show them off. You’ll look better and feel better.
5. Set up some time with a personal trainer. Leave it to a professional to help you set achievable goals, figure out a reasonable workout plan, and trim those extra pounds off your midsection. If you learn the right way, your workout confidence will soar.
6. Try something different. Not a big fan of running? Lift some weights. Don’t like weights? Try kickboxing. Kickboxing not your thing? Try hot yoga(link). No yoga for you? Hit the bike. There are a slew of options. Find the one that works.
7. Just turn off the TV. Honestly, since the end of Seinfeld, perhaps the greatest sitcom of all time, TV has been plummeting at an alarming rate. Between swapping families, Real World 43, and whatever new show Flavor Flav is on, the idiot box is turning into just that. We promise; you won’t miss anything while you’re working out.
8. You can meet someone new. Single and tired of the stale bar scene? The online dating not working out for you? Lots of people are meeting at health clubs nowadays. Honestly, is there anything more telling about a person than how they perform in spin class?
9. Get in shape. Well, duh. Who doesn’t want to be in good shape? The secret is that it’s not going to happen if you eat tubes of gooey cookie dough in front of Grey’s Anatomy re-runs. Don’t wait until bathing suit season to get in bathing suit shape.
10. Reduce your stress. The best way to unwind after a long day is to forget about it. Work out the aggressions on the punching bag. Sweat out the frustrations on the treadmill. Push out the irritations with some free weights. A clear head will be your reward.