Today when my alarm went off at 5:30am I was trying to do a quick mental debate of what my body needed more—an extra 45-60 minutes of sleep or a run. I went for the run. I’m usually dragging myself out the door until I take my shoes out and lace them up on my back steps. At that point if I’m already out there with my shoes on I may as well make it happen.

I was chatting with my friend A the other day about exercise and dieting. She mentioned how she exercised her guts out for a good chunk of time, “..and it didn’t do a d*@M thing”. It made me laugh. I know that frustration. I’m trying to tell myself that I’ve started to exercise so that I can be a good steward over my body and be healthy for years to come. But I’d really just like that reflected in my jean size. Our scale broke a month or two ago now, and while I can tell my muffin top is not as pronounced, my clothes are in no way falling off of me.

It looks as though a beach vacation will be in our future in a few months. While I usually wrap up my body in sweaters and jeans and add my usual few pounds of winter weight I’m going to try to keep up my exercise for sure until (and definitely after) we go. Since it will be getting colder and I am only a fair weather runner I’m thinking of getting a gym pass. I never thought I’d want one. Ever. But here I am, thinking it will be a good idea. A local gym in town is having September free so I figure I don’t have much to lose to give it a go.

Do any of you cute gym girls have any advice for a newbie? Clothes to wear? Behavior or things to avoid? Perhaps by the end of the week I will have stepped through the doors…