INCOME EVERY MONTH

I left the lights on a lot when I was kid. My bedroom, the basement, the hall, the bathroom--they seemed sad when left in the dark. I was told to flip the switch, but I still wasn't good at it. As I got older, and the electric bills were addressed to me, I changed teams. I saw the reason behind the request.

This scenario describes the trouble most people have with their health. They know they should work out or eat right, but they don't really know why. Being alive is a great incentive--it always beats the alternative--but that is too general. It's also a far-away thought.

If you want to feel motivated, you need specific and immediate reasons, which is why my tip for this article is to learn about your body.

Learn about the systems inside, why they need activity and the right food and what happens when they don't get either. What happens, exactly, when you don't eat your fruits and veggies? What happens, precisely, when you confine your muscles to channel surfing and walking to the kitchen.

With the facts tucked away in your mind, you'll have an arsenal of incentives ready to dispatch any time temptation hits. You may walk to the kitchen and reach for the cookie, but the better part of you will stop the reach, deliver the message, and guide you toward the carrots.