Well, I started a new exercise program today. I joined my local YMCA and worked out with one of my co-workers this morning after work.

My co-worker is also a personal trainer and she has offered to work with me for as long as I need for free! FREE! Can you believe that! Just because she loves to help people meet their goals and loves to teach people how to exercise properly.

I actually had a lot of fun. Its funny, because over the last 3-4 years, I have stretched beyond my comfort zone in several areas of my life and have a lot more self confidence than I ever had before and yet, I'm the heaviest I have ever been. I think that is why I am finally able to try an meet my weight loss goals....because the person on the inside is finally sick of the fat person on the outside! I have out grown her!

Wish me luck and motivation in sticking with this!

Hey, all these changes you are making sound amazing. Good Luck!! What is your weight loss goal right now? For me, I find that if I set small goals to work towards, like losing 10 pounds in a month, I'm much more able to reach it than saying I want to lose 80 pounds in a year. I find that smaller goals also help with my motivation because progress is more apparent.

Awesome you joined the ymca and even more awesome your friend is a personal trainer. Keep up the good effort. It will pay off, you just have to stick to it. By the way, writing down my gym schedule for the next week on a calendar over my desk at work and then following it exactly really helps me to stick with it. Might work for you too :)

Thank you everyone for the encouragement! Jennybean, your absolutly right! If I look at my "total" goal, it is very daunting - 100 lbs.... but if I look at it in 10 lb increments, I can do it!

I am trying to drink more water and eat more fruits and veggies, and of course the exercise!

Sheet...its funny you mentioned sleep! I'm a shift worker and find that on my week of nights I am EXHAUSTED!!! But the exercise has helped a little!

Thanks again everyone....I love the encouragement!