walking

So I've started walking again. I know when I tell people that I walk for exercise, they think I take pleasant little strolls. I can tell you that it's a lot faster than that -I do about a 13 minute mile, which is pretty brisk for power walking, I think. It was almost seven years ago exactly that I started power walking before work every day, which (along with majorly restricting my diet) led me to lose approx. 70 lbs. I went almost every single day, no matter what the weather was. It took me about 10 months, and it was very gradual, but when it was all done, I felt awesome.

I kept up with the walking routine for probably a good year after that, but after I switched jobs and had to be in work two hours earlier, I didn't have the motivation to get up and do my routine. Slowly but surely, I stopped my walking, and soon after, started dating Greg.

Well, you know how it is when you start dating someone. You're eating a lot of meals out, you're totally focused on that other person, and all of my will power went straight out the window. Over the next year I gained back about 20 lbs. So I started it all up again, this time having to get up at 5:45 a.m., and guess what - I lost 30 lbs.

This year, I was doing pretty well with my routine up until I started working on the show this summer, and I found that I was so super busy I couldn't bear to get up at 5:45. So, I slacked off for the past couple of months. But last week, I was back. And once I really get into the schedule of it, I find that although I don't become addicted to it like some exercise enthusiasts (freaks!) will say, the guilt I feel if I so much as try to give myself an excuse not to go is enough to push me out of bed, into my sneakers, and out the door with my iPod.

All I want to do at this point is lose five lbs and tone up a bit. Wish me luck - and keep your fingers crossed that my 30-something metabolism doesn't kick me in the ass.