Last week was week 10 of "Ten weeks to HEALTHY in 2010"...

When I decided to take on the Ten in '10 challenge at the beginning of the new year, I had a few goals in mind.

1. RE-integrate exercise/fitness into my daily routine.

2. Prepare my body for the end of nursing (and potential weight gain that was/is sure to follow if I don't adjust my eating habits).

3. Become the active woman that lives inside my head... that I wish I was...

Well the ten weeks is up and so you deserve an update on my progress.

The short story is this - I FAILED... with a capital F.

The longer story ensues... (it's not that long, you can keep reading!)

I kept up with the weekly blog posts for about 3 weeks. After that it was too embarrassing to post "didn't do such a great job... am I pathetic?... where's my motivation?..." updates week after week. 10 weeks is both longer and shorter than it seems. Sigh.

So I obviously didn't get into a routine of exercising regularly in these past 10 weeks. I do however take comfort in a few things...

1. I walk the dog almost every day. It's not much, but it's something.

2. We've been doing renovations and although it isn't "traditional" exercise - lugging buckets of broken up ceramics or concrete up the stairs and outside has got to count for something. It certainly makes me sweat. It certainly makes me sore.

3. I'm learning things about myself. Where I do (well... mostly where I don't) find motivation. That I'm much more likely to actually get something accomplished if I write it down somewhere. that I'm much better at making plans and setting goals than I am at actually following through. Etc. Etc. Etc.

So what I am I going to do now?

With the nice weather arriving so early this year, it's tempting to start considering something as simple as "jogging". I can't believe I'm thinking this (let alone writing it) seeing as running for exercise is something I've always LOATHED.

At this point in my life, running seems like the only thing that makes sense... and the simplest form of exercise to integrate into my regular life. Why is that? For a few reason...

1) I'm already walking the dog every day, why not run with him?

2) We already have a good quality "jogging" stroller

and 3) It doesn't cost a thing to start (unlike the other ideas swimming around in my brain - buy an elliptical for the basement, join a gym, ...).

More than the simplicity, more than the good weather, more than the economic side of RUNNING - I've found a way to take it a step further. To make my goal to be more physically active something that isn't just good for me or an example to my girls...

What am I talking about?

Well... I've started looking into what I can do to make a difference for people affected by cancer (ever since following the story of Layla Grace) and among other things (Organizing a fundraiser, volunteering at the hospital, making a donation, growing my hair and donating it to locks of love...) I found Team in Training and the wheels in my head are turning...

So ten in ten is over but my quest is not. Now it's two-fold... and I just have to decide what I'll do and if this is how I'll do it.

(to be continued...)

A.