James vs. 2 AM James

I've discovered that in my efforts to get fit and live a healthier lifestyle, I have a real and dangerous adversary. I call him 2 AM James.

You see Regular James wants to get fit. He's committed. Regular James sets out his workout gear before going to bed and makes sure his water bottle is clean. Regular James knows this process isn't going to be easy, but he's in for the long haul.

Then there's 2 AM James. 2 AM James could care less. 2 AM James would be way more interested in fitness if it came in the form of a pill or perhaps a chalky chewable tablet. 2 AM James likes getting a full night's sleep. He hates being sore, and he really hates being tired.

All this sounds simple enough. Clearly in the battle Regular James has the advantage, right? I mean, he's organized. He's motivated. What could go wrong? I tell you, 2 AM James is an evil genius. He knows he doesn't have to break Regular James; he just has to put up a few roadblocks.

2 AM James got his name by turning off the alarm clock in the middle of the night. This way, he knows, I will wake up too late to workout...or late enough that he can convince me it's too late to workout. Another successful strategy he has employed is to put off or not finishing work at night. He knows this will mean I have to wake up early, not to get my sweat on, but rather to finish up whatever jobs he has left for me.

I realize that to beat 2 AM James I have to think like him. What do I know about 2 AM James? He's lazy. If I put him in a situation where real effort is required to do his evil, he's just as likely to let the moment pass.

To this end, I've started plugging in my alarm clock several feet from my bed. Now, shutting off my alarm would require 2 AM James to get out of bed and walk across the room. He's not going to do that. He'd rather just get the sleep he can in the meantime.

I'm not saying that I've beat 2 AM James. No, ours will be a war that lasts a lifetime. I will say, though, that I got up early this morning and beat him up a bit.