What do you do when you're having a tough day? You know, when you struggle to get out of a perfectly good, warm bed and your whole body aches. Maybe you're coming home from a long day of work and you just can't see yourself lacing on a pair of sneakers? You need to get in your miles on the road or trail this week, but you feel unmotivated and lost for the moment.

Your energy has tanked. How could you possibly exercise?

When I feel like this, I reach for two essential tools to get me going. The first is a glass of cold, pulpy orange juice. A few sips and the simple sugars rush to my brain, giving me a quick boost of energy.

The second essential tool for getting me motivated is my iPod Shuffle. I put on a podcast from Endurance Planet (itunes link) or switch on some Lady Gaga or Lil Wayne and within 50 feet from my house, my heart is pumping and my legs grow strong.

The key parts of finding your energy to exercise is:

Recognizing when you're feeling low
Knowing what your body and mind need to get back on course.

For me, I know orange juice can save my day (and if it is the morning, I gulp coffee). I make sure I always have some in the kitchen. Similarly, pop music and rap can transform me from shuffling around the house after a long day of work, to effortlessly pounding out miles on an evening run. I just prepare for low moments by always having an up-tempo song list loaded into my charged iPod Shuffle.

This prep can be the difference between meeting your weight and endurance goals, and falling behind. Sports and endurance podcasts are also helpful because when you listen to other athletes talk about dealing with struggle, you think "Hey, I'm not giving up either".

Do you have a tip for finding your energy? Add a comment below.