Getting Past the Comfort Zone

I laid in bed this morning, not wanting to move. It was 6:30am, the time I had agreed the prior night that I would wake up the following morning. I wasn't tired. After all, I had just received a solid 7-8 hours of sleep. My issue was that laying in bed, half awake, yet half asleep, felt so amazingly good! My body was relaxed. The pillow felt perfect under my head. My bones, muscles, nerves and even my skin were in a complete state of comfort.

Yet I knew I needed to get up and start my work out. I didn't want to. Why not skip it? The present moment felt so perfect. I should enjoy this moment for as long as possible. The day would bring enough challenges on its own. Why start now?

I remembered a goal I made for myself, which is to achieve 10% body fat. The goal is an aggressive one. After all, my current body fat percentage is approximately 16%, which most organizations classify as "fitness" level. Ten percent is "athlete" level.

As I laid in bed, I started thinking about my reasons for wanting this goal. What could possibly cause me to leave this state of complete comfort and relaxation to put myself through a grueling 1 hour work out at 6:30am? Why do it?

I remembered that I set the goal to be an example. I am a Health Coach and provide nutrition products. I help people reach their ideal weight, which I finally achieved a couple years ago. Exercise is helpful, but not essential for meeting that goal. But to achieve my body fat percentage goal, exercise is necessary. So I want to set the example.

I want to feel great, and I knew that if I spent this hour working on my body, I would feel great for the rest of the day, not just for the few minutes I had left to lay in bed. I want to look the part. I want to look in the mirror and know that I worked towards something and accomplished the goal.

In other words, even though I felt great in the moment, I knew there was a way, with a little time and effort, to feel great for the rest of the day, and to take another step towards reaching a very worthy goal.

After having this conversation in my mind, I threw back the covers, tossed cold water on my face, got my work out clothes on, and started my work out. Once I got going, it started feeling great. I knew it was worth it. I knew I had made the right choice this morning. And now, two hours after finishing the work out, I still feel great. My body is relaxed as the muscles are now resting, a bit sore and tired, but thanking me for treating them right.

And I know I am one step closer to my 10% body fat goal!