Like Maria, my heroine in THE DEVIL SERVED DESIRE (out in ebook this week), I’ve battled my weight for years. I can (and often do ;-) blame it on the kids. After all, if I hadn’t gotten pregnant and had them, I wouldn’t have any weight to lose. Except the youngest is turning 14 this month, so my “I just had a baby excuse” was over about thirteen years ago ;-).

When I finally decided to get serious about dieting and exercise a couple years ago, I realized that I was no good at sticking to my goals by myself, so I needed a support system. I didn’t go to anything as quirky as Maria’s Chubby Chums support group, but I did turn to some friends who wanted to accomplish the same goals. We started walking together, trading diet tips on the three-mile loop. Then I joined a gym, and made friends in the classes I took. I’ve taken to posting on Facebook when I go to the gym or go for a run, not just to keep myself accountable, but because I have found some of my friends say it encourages them to get healthy, too.

I don’t have a high school reunion or any other big milestone, like Maria does, for my getting healthy challenge. Mostly, I realized I was now in my mid-40s and I either did it now or it’d be a thousand times harder down the road. I’ve NEVER been a person who worked out. I was, quite literally, that uncoordinated girl who was picked last for dodgeball, so for me to commit to this was a huge deal. After a year of working out regularly (five days a week), I have found that it is finally an ingrained habit. Working out has become a part of my routine, and I enjoy it (most of the time, LOL).

I did have to make it easier for myself, though, because it’s very easy to find a reason not to go to the gym. I go in the mornings, because then the rest of my day is free. The coffee’s on a timer, and ready before my alarm goes off. I lay out my clothes the night before, so they’re the first thing I see when I get up. I also get my other gym stuff ready and put it beside my keys, so I can stay in bed as long as possible, then head out. I also log in my workouts on one of two apps—Map My Ride (which lets you map your runs/bike rides and add other workouts to the list) and FatSecret (which lets you track your calories, too; it’s a free app and website). Just seeing that calories burned number gives me a sense of satisfaction, and tends to keep me on track the rest of the day.

Tell me, do you workout? Have you found any tips that work for keeping you accountable and on track with either the workout or the diet? Or have you found a way to stay on the sofa and keep those pounds off? If so, that’s the secret I’d really like to know, LOL!

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