[doggiedo]

I had a particularly long day at work today. My legs and back hurt. I know I should exercise and I've gotten to the point where my body NEEDS it.

My pants (jeans) no longer button - well, they do, but they are almost on the verge of not buttoning. I need to take control and get back in shape.

I just feel so tired today. Do I pick my butt up and walk the dog (which is the LEAST) I should do, or do I go home and relax? I can't decide. I want to be good to my body, but I'm tired of the excuses, too.

RIght now, though, I kinda feel like I need a nap.

hey, doggiedo. firstly, you might consider seeing an MD to ensure that you are healthy enough to start exercising. walking is a good exercise to start and if you have a dog to keep you company well, that makes it all the more fun. i'm not talking of walking the dog to the corner and back; i'm talking of taking a 1 mile walk per day and upping it to 2 miles per day after a week. while walking will increase your strength and stamina, it will not burn the calories. for that, i recommend cycling. last year i bought a cheapo bicycle online from Kmart - spent a little over $100 before shipping and tax. got a basic 1 speed bike to maximize exercise (the land is flat where i live). what a great investment it has been. cycling is easy on the feet and knees but really gets the heart pumping and the lungs working. my next step is investing in a better bike and joining a bike club to go on rides. that is my goal for spring / summer. lately, i've been supplementing the biking and walking with weights for upper body strengthening and toning. weights are good for the bones as well as the muscles and having broad shoulders and bigger biceps really helps the self esteem. btw, my waist size has shrunk drastically from the cycling. can't recommend it enough. thanks to the exercise, you will look and feel better! all the best to you!

I don't have any wonderful words of wisdom to give you, I'm afraid. All I can share is my own experience - I work out 6 days a week (intense DVDs, Supreme 90 Day or P90X) and rest once a week. Whenever I have those days where I don't feel like exercising, I remember how good I feel afterwards and how it has helped to get me in the best shape of my life.

Try not to think about immediate satisfaction (watching tv, snacking, using computer, etc). Try to think about how great you'll feel once you're done exercising. After you make it a routine, it'll feel weird when you miss your workouts!

Good luck to you.

[doggiedo]

Thanks for the support guys. I am not overweight as I am out of shape...I had a physical in Dec and got a good report. I just have to get up the energy to get up and go.

I used to have exercise bulimia, so I don't have that much of a healthy relationship with exercise. I just need to get up and make small changes to get back in the swing of things. I know it's about small changes...I just NEED to start..

[Silent_tsol]

I send you support. I'm at the "need to start" point too. I bought some good runners and hopefully I can make good use of them. Good luck

once you start exercising, your body will release endorphins that will step in to help you feel better. they are our natural anti-depressants - sort of nature's version of chocolate chip cookies, if you will! but, you have to start to exercise in order to experience them.

i went biking today for the first time in months. (it was 50 degrees in february!) it felt good but i could tell that i was out of shape. can't wait to go riding again! it makes me feel so good!

[doggiedo]

Thanks guys. I did pretty well last week. I took the dog for a long walk (and even ran, though at short increments). It was nice to get him out, and you are right - the fresh air was a nice wake up, of sorts.

I'm hoping it will be a consistent thing. Traveling at the end of the week for work, so that'll be hard to keep in something active outside of the busy schedule ahead of me. I guess the hardest part for me is keeping it up...consistency.

dogs are a great motivator....once you start taking them for walks...they demand to be taken again & again. & before you know it you have developed a habit. i take my guys out for hikes...we don't walk for speed we just walk...there are nice paths in the parks here so i pick one & off we go...they are bassets so it 9involves much sniffing..buty you can get a brisk hike in...

the fresh air is good, as is the sun..as my mother would say "it blows the stink off"...once you start doing it then you can go further 7 such. don't worry about distance..i plan on just getting a good 30 minutes in of pretty decent movement...or i pick a path of a mile or more. either one. i don't put any pressure on myself...since if there is pressure i won't enjoy it & won't continue.

i do go to a gym & use the treadmills etc there..& that is a different type of workout for me.

the walks with my dogs are for enjoyment...but you know...they are just as important to me as the ones in the gym..sometimes even more so...& that might be a good place to start..cuz if it ain't enjoyable you ain't gonna do it. & a happy pooch is certainly going to help.