Don’t you hate this part of the health and fitness cycle?

The “I know I’d feel better if I got off my ass and got some exercise but what I really want is to melt into my chair with some caramel popcorn and bourbon” phase. Everyone goes through that, right?

For some reason, January is a tough time for me every year. I know that’s opposite to the flood of people hitting the gym and doing cayenne pepper and cucumber cleanses this month; but even with the benefit of New Year’s Resolve, I still struggle to get moving in these cold gray days of winter.

Maybe it’s the lack of daylight, or the chronic low-level sinus infection that seems to hover at my door this time of year. Could be that horrible junk food addiction cycle. Or maybe that my great-great-grandfather was actually a Columbian two-toed sloth.

In any case, I know the answer: get some exercise back into my routine. I know they say exercise is only 20% of weight loss, but for me it’s a really important 20%. When I’m not moving much, I feel low energy, and that leads to craving sugar and refined carbs, which lead to lower energy and more cravings…  When I’m working out, I don’t get that exhausted all the time feeling. I also feel stronger and more confident, which makes it easier to choose healthy foods. It’s a positive cycle, at least in theory.

Time to move!

MJ Pullen

M.J. Pullen is a distracted writer and the mom of two boys in Roswell, Georgia, where she is absolutely late for something important right now. Her books include quirky romantic comedies and playful women's fiction. She blogs erratically with writing advice, random observations, and reflections on raising very loud kids and dogs. Join her Distracted Readers newsletter list for updates, free content, giveaways and more.