For those of you that read my blogs, you know that when I started my exercise "jumpstart" a few months ago, I had to completely psych myself up for it. Every day I focused on the challenge I had made for myself and "winning".

I started exercising somewhat regularly about 6 or 7 years ago when I joined Jazzercise. I would go sporadically, sometimes 6 or 7 times a week and other times not at all. It was the first time I remotely enjoyed exercise since the days of intermural sports in school. Jazzercise helped me keep somewhat on track until I just lost it in January 2009. I still Jazzercised, but I was not watching my food intake at all. Well, I was watching, but I wasn't doing anything about it! I gained 30 pounds in 2009. By the time December 2009 came around, I weighed 285 pounds (from a "normal" or 225-255). My feet hurt so bad that I wore Crocs to work every day. My knees and other joints would hurt when I worked out. So, I didn't work out in December or January. I just couldn't. I had my surgery on 1/27 and by the end of February, I was ready to start moving.

Once I started exercising in earnest (Jazzercise, Personal Trainer, elliptical at lunch), I started feeling much better. As the weight came off, my feet didn't feel quite as bad and the other aches and pains started to subside. I noticed that about one month in, I stopped "making" myself go exercise. At that point, I wanted to go. There were a lot of times, that I could've talked myself out of it, but I KNEW that I would feel better when it was over.

About a month ago, I decided to start jogging. I thought it would be fun to make a goal of jogging a 5k. Let me make sure you understand...while I had started to feel better exercising, I hate to run. I HATE TO RUN! I don't understand the point of it, it is boring and I can't do it. A month ago, I said something to that effect to my sister-in-law and she responded in a way that said I was proving that I could do a lot of things I didn't like and that I thought I couldn't do. The challenge was on!

I started with a mile a month ago and yesterday I went 1.71 miles. It occurred to me last night on the way home from Support Group, that I am craving it. WHAT?? When the heck did that happen? I realized last night that I had no plans to work out today. I have two work outs scheduled on Wednesday, but not for today. I kind of panicked. Then I was confused. Ha!

I guess it is a new phase. I'm not sure how long it will last, but I'm grabbing on with both hands!

Funny hazard of working out: I was jogging on my home treadmill. I don't have a small MP3 player, just my bulky iPod Classic. When I'm running outside, I carry it in my hand, but when I'm on a treadmill, I put it in the cup holder or on the tray. I was going along and a song came on that I like. I threw my hands in the air (not sure if I was dancing or just excited...heh) and my iPod flew off the tray and down to my feet. I promptly stepped on it and jumped up because I didn't want to break it. I knew that was a bad idea as I started to come down on the (still moving) treadmill and flew off of it and into the desk set up behind it in my office. As I sat there, I thought that "death by treadmill" was just kind of sad and wondered how long it would take my friends to find me. Fortunately, I was totally fine but a little embarrassed. A few days later, I was jogging at the gym and had another iPod flying incident. This time I let it go and calmly got off the treadmill, picked up my iPod and got moving. The next day I smartly invested in a tiny iPod Shuffle. I guess I finally learn!! :tt1:

Have a great day everyone!