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About a year and half ago, I got serious about exercising and started running again. I wish I could say I was motivated by sheer personal desire, but if my dad hadn’t challenged me to complete my first 1/2 marathon, which I did earlier this year, I’d probably still be a bit of a couch potato mom.

Since the 1/2 marathon, I’ve kept up my running regimen, but haven’t been putting in a tremendous amount of effort. I run about 2-3 days a week and only do about two miles — nothing strenuous. When I think about it and if I’m not totally exhausted, I’ll go to the gym to lift weights…again, nothing strenuous.

I suppose this passive exercise plan is better than nothing, but I’m bored stiff with it. So on Wednesday, I implemented a new plan. To help mix it up, I picked up a couple new resources and dusted off my copy of Bob Greene’s The Best Life Diet:

This time around, I was motivated by my boredom and the titles of these resources, instead of my dad. Hey…I want a “bikini belly” and “killer legs” so I can live my “best life” — don’t you?! Plus, the DVD promises to deliver tangible results in 10 workouts, and Lessig’s book promises I’ll see a difference in 10 days — Ok, I’m in!

Want to join me? If so, here are some simple steps to get started:

1. Set a S.M.A.R.T. goal. S.M.A.R.T. = Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound. My goal is to drop exactly 10 lbs and be able to comfortably run a 5K at a 10 min/mile pace by August 20, 2008.
2. Get resources. I needed an infusion of new ideas to move me from “blah” to “rah! rah!” and the resources above helped. You can start by browsing the ones I picked above. If you need more, consider hiring a personal trainer.
3. Enlist support. You’ll need people to cheer you on when you want to give up. I have my dad who is usually in the top three for his age category for most every race he runs, and then there’s my husband, kids and run partners to keep me motivated. Who’s on your cheer squad?
4. Track your progress.There’s nothing like seeing your progress to get you motivated. I like online trackers. My personal favorites are Online Fitness Log and LogYourRun.com. Of course, a good ‘ol pen and notebook work well too.
5. Celebrate your success. Every couple of weeks, if I’m on track with my plan, I have small gifts for myself planned — new running shoes, a facial, new outfit, night out with the gals, etc. In the end, the ultimate gift will be the gratification of knowing I met my goal.

I can’t wait to log back on in a few weeks to let you know my progress. Be sure to share your progress with me too by posting a comment or sending me a quick message.

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