Back to School is here, and l once again we'll find ourselves in a more organized schedule. As we say goodbye to the lazy days of summer, I find myself wanting to get back on track with my health and create a fitness program that will fit my lifestyle, and that I can commit to. 

The trick is to get started and stay focused. Over the years my weight has fluctuated. In high school I was over weight, and in college I worked very hard to lose the freshman 15 instead of gain it. In fact, I lost about 35 lbs by eating less calories and working out consistently. With free access to the fitness center on campus, I was spending anywhere from one to four hours in the gym almost four days a week. The Parks Fitness Center at Kilgore College had become like a second home. I managed to keep most of it off through college, and didn't really notice as I slowly added few pounds over the years.

After graduation, I moved to Tyler and began working in radio. Working eight hours a day drastically cut down on the amount of time I had to spend in the gym. Naturally my priorities had to shift. I was very excited about my new job and new city, and it didn't take long for me to lose interest in working out and staying in shape. I felt like my goal had been accomplished, "it couldn't be too hard to maintain it."

I was wrong, and because of the diet and lifestyle change my body began to change again, too. I had slowly gained back nearly all of the weight that I had fought so hard to lose. Then a friend recommended a weight loss program that focused on nutrition. I joined it in the fall of 2007 and stuck to it. I added mild to moderate exercise to the program, and the pounds began falling off again. They taught me how to take better care of my body by making better food choices. I lost the weight and I felt better.

After losing about 28 pounds in six months I reached the maintenance portion of their program in March of 2008. Since that time I have lost more weight, and put it back on again, but have managed to stay under my goal weight from 2008.

In September I will turn 30, and from what I've read as we age our fitness goals become harder to obtain. I've recently made a commitment to start exercising again to improve my health and fitness level. I no longer want to be "skinny", but I want to stay healthy.

I've been walking after work with a close friend, and managed to walk about four miles in each of our treks. We managed to go twice last week, and are aiming for three outing this week. She accomplished incredible fitness goals through the P90X program two years ago, and in six weeks we want to attempt the fitness program "Insanity". From all accounts, I hear it is truly insane.

 

 

My goal is to lose about fifteen pounds through this process of walking and attempting "Insanity". It appears I need to be insane to accomplish this goal through this process. What do you think? Have you tried this program or one like it.

 

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