Ewh! Exercise (NOT!)

Of all the changes I made in 2012, the one of which I am the most proud was my decision to exercise daily. To get the full impact of that statement, you have to understand that I've been overweight my entire life (oh, there's a picture of a skinny me about age two, but after that I huskied up a lot).


I had a hamster named
Digger who loved to
exercise. My dad hated
the squeeky wheel. One
night he dumped some
WD40 on the wheel -
and the hamster. Took
me a while to get poor
Digger clean again.

In high school, I had an on-going argument with one coach that P.E. should be deemed 'cruel and unusual' punishment (he never agreed with me). My weight yo-yoed throughout my adult life. Exercise wasn't a part of my routine.

Three years ago I joined the ranks of work-at-home folks and gained even more weight. It was just too easy to snack. Combined with a lack of movement (butt in chair to get job done) my belly bloomed from soccer ball-sized to more beach ball-sized. I accepted it, because A) I rarely left the house, and B) working from home allowed me to wear very roomy clothing.

Then, this summer, I needed to dress up for a work function. I dug out my unused nice clothes and - dadadum! - they didn't fit. I went through five shirts before I found one that would button without leaving gaps. I felt sorry for myself.

Normally, I might bury my sorrows in food. This time, I decided to do something different. I registered for Healthy Coaching at work, cut my calories and started exercising daily. Three days a week I walk. Three days I lift weights. On that extra day, I do a combination of both.

I've lost weight (and I'm happy with that), but what's pleased me the most is how I've come to truly enjoy exercising. I love my speed walks, which have become longer over time. I even enjoy lifting weights and finally having some arm muscles. I feel so much better, I now question why it took me so long to get started.

How about you? Do you exercise, or avoid it like a plague?