In search of motivation

When you embark on a weight-loss journey, there are two ways to go about it: 1) eat fewer calories and 2) burn extra calories. Often, people mix these two, but not always. In fact, studies have shown that working out isn't nearly as important as watching your food intake when you want to drop pounds.

When I started on the 50n50 path, I opted not to add exercise until I weighed less than 175 pounds. Because I have had bad knees most of my life, I didn't want to mess them up more by putting pressure on them. It was a good decision.

Enter the 3-Day training when I walked all over Kansas City - almost literally - and loved it, followed by training for my first 5k.  Then, I hit my goal weight and shifted my attention to maintenence for a couple of months and that was that.

Now I want to get back into losing weight and it is proving more difficult than I thought. I'm practicing most of the good habits I learned while losing 50 pounds - except one.

I don't exercise.

I hope it's just the weather that is causing this - maintenance began just as winter hit and it's been a doozy - but for some reason, I think there is more to blame.

This is a dark, dirty secret I have been hiding for a couple of months now and I'm ashamed of it. I ashamed that after all this time, I still can't get over how much I dislike physical activity. When it comes to exercise, I just can't seem to get over the hurdle of pain. I know it's going to hurt and I don't wanna feel it. I know I'm going to sweat, and I hate that sticky, icky feeling.

I have all the resources I need - access to the gym at school and a Groupon membership (30 visits in 90 days) to the Golds Gym in my 'hood. But I haven't activated either this year.

I'm supposed to be running a half marathon in SIX WEEKS. So, it's time to get my ass in gear, seriously. Realisitically, there is no way I'll be able to run the entire thing, but there is no reason I should walk to whole thing either.

My 3-Day training and 5k training came with motivation - curing cancer, but the half marathon isn't cause related. I need to find that spark. For some reason, it's easier for me to get off my butt for a cause like breast cancer, but not for my own sake.

This, my ladies, is one question to which I don't have the answer. But, I'm no longer full of excuses ... At least I'm heading in the right direction. I just gotta make sure I pick up the pace.