On Exercise

Once you start exercising every day, it becomes such a habit that you don't have to talk yourself into it.  And if you start a streak--even a "five-days a week" streak, not necessarily a "consecutive days" streak--keeping the streak alive becomes a quiet obsession, propelling you to exercise even on those days when you are so tired that all you really want to do is watch television until your eyelids close.

Exercise makes you feel virtuous.  Exercise burns calories.  Exercise reminds you that your body was made to move.  Exercise improves your mood, helps you sleep better and gives you energy. 

I'm up to 162 consecutive days of exercise.  (I count it if I've ridden at least 30 minutes on the exercise bike--20 minutes if I'm in a real pinch, like on Christmas Eve--but normally I ride 45 minutes.  I ride at night, sometime between dinner and bedtime.)  I need to add weight training to my routine and I've come to realize that I really need a set of weights at home so I can work-out with weights at night because going to the YMCA just isn't happening on a regular basis for me.

Anyway, if you haven't added exercise to your life, do it today!  Figure out a way to make daily exercise an integral part of your day.  Make it convenient.  And then, just do it.

You can thank me later.