Sticking to a regular exercise routine and schedule has always been a real challenge for me.  Yeah, I know it's something that I need to be doing, but that's not always enough to keep the motivation flowing. 

I joined a gym around this time last year, and I went at least 3 times a week for a while.  I developed a pretty good routine with the help of the trainers, and was doing great with it.  Then I had to take a break from going because of an ankle injury.  That had me down for a month or so.

I started going to the gym again for a while after the ankle stopped hurting, and got back into the routine I had been doing, and all was going well again.  Then vacation time rolled around, and you know what that means?  More time out of the gym.  Oh sure, there was a lot of walking involved during the vacation, and that is certainly a form of exercise, but it just wasn't the same as being in the gym.

After the vacation was over, I returned to work, life, etc..., and started playing catch-up in those areas, but I didn't jump back into the gym routine like I should have.  There didn't seem to be enough time in the day to do everything else, and go to the gym too.

Fast forward three months from vacation to last week when I decided it was time to get back on the exercise wagon again.

Inspired by my friend Cherise, who has been tweeting her pedometer readings after her walks, I went out and bought a pedometer of my own. I decided to put the pedometer through its paces by walking the outdoor trail at my gym, which was something I had never done before.  After finishing the 1 1/3 mile trail in less than 30 minutes, I followed it up with the rest of the routine that I normally do inside the gym.  And, I felt great having done so.

Maybe now that I realize that I feel a lot better after working out, and that I now have the goal of being able to participate in the ADA's Step out: Walk to Fight Diabetes in Indianapolis on October 3rd, maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to stick with this thing.

As they say, the third time's a charm. I'm determined to make this one mine.