Exercise Is the Secret

A very wise lady (Lap Band Gal) told me that exercise is the secret. Is it? We'll see, but I'm hoping she's right.

I'm very pleased with how I have ramped things up in the last couple of weeks. We moved into the new office building. It's lovely. Pretty kitchen that isn't someone's office, so we have a place to eat lunch in peace. A shower in the ladies' room (and the men's room too, from what I hear, but I haven't investigated). And the best part - a 4+ mile running and bicycling trail a block away.

Oh yeah. It rocks.

I've been out there only once so far (I didn't realize it was there before so I had been doing lunchtime workouts around and around and around the buildings). But it...is...awesome. Shady paths, right up alongside a stream, just enough wildlife to be interesting but haven't seen anything scary. Clean and well maintained. I'm planning on taking full advantage of that thing and spending my lunch breaks out there at least twice per week. Tuesday I went down one direction on the trail for a mile and a half and then back up for a mile and a half. I did the second half in much less time because I ran a good part of it.

I have some serious athlete co-workers - people who do Ironman triathlons, serious bicycle riders, and more. My friend Kelly is a marathon runner and she gave me some great tips for really getting in to it and building progress. Even though I will probably pass out, she is going to take me running. Even though I am WAY WAY slow compared to her, I think that her pushing me would help me get better. I think that when I get some extra cash I am also going to try to pick up a used Garmin Forerunner GPS sports watch (I want one BAD) to record my progress and she said that using hers gives her just enough data about her progress to improve, but doesn't have so many bells and whistles to be complicated or get bogged down in so many details.

I also signed up for a series of Boot Camp classes (got a Groupon) per Island Bandit's example.

I can't seem to lose another ounce, no matter how well I eat these days, so I'm going the other way...adding SERIOUS exercise. Not just futzin' around a couple of days a week.