Running into former classmates....well my experience is similar but in a different way (different age group, I am 25). I was a big geeky, quite an ugly duckling in high school. Now I am....quite the opposite and when I run into former classmates, the look on their face is worth a lot. Even better when they are guys that ignored me in highschool, who now ask for my number...and I turn them down. But looks isn't everything...

My mom had a heart attach and almost died, and she was very healthy, it is genetic in our family, our bodies make bad cholestorol and not enough good cholestorol. Even at 25 I had a bad cholestorol test! (I am 115 lbs, 5'5" btw). So I have to work EXTRA hard to be fit. I stopped eating meat too in addition to running daily.

Sometimes, I wonder "whats the point?" to working sooooo hard. I look at friends of mine who are just naturally skinny...but there is a real big difference between those who are skinny couch-potatos and those who really work hard and are athletic, not just in body tone but skin tone and endurance.

I also have ADD, and there is quite a difference in my focus if I have been working out for a while versus if I have not. Exercise naturally keeps me focused on my work.

Lets see what else? Oh I just feel very good about myself too Can't argue with that logic! Sure it is a lot of work but it is a better quality of life. And I have a major sweet tooth I have to satisfy, so I like that I can eat sweets (within reason...I dont eat fast food, but I love chocolate, ice cream, etc.) and still maintain a good weight.

Need I say more?

p.s. I have lost 40 lbs since my daughter was born!!!

Motivation To Get In Shape

Your posts are great. I can't believe that a former classmate would so willingly tell anybody about his rectal fissures. File that one under Too Much Information!!

I generally am lazy and unmotivated when it comes to exercise - OK, when it comes to everything. When I joined gyms in the past, there was no one around to hold me accountable (I can't afford a personal trainer) so after a couple of months my attendance would taper off. I therefore joined a fitness group that takes roll and will call or email if I don't show up for a couple of days. Being a codependent type, it is harder for me to let other people down than it is to let myself down, so since I first joined this group almost 5 months ago I've only missed one scheduled day.

My motivation for joining the group in the first place was my brother-in-law's wedding this coming October. He showed me a picture of the bride's maid's dress he and his financee were thinking for me, and I realized that I would look terrible in it. Not that the dress was ugly by any means - it was very elegant and slinky. But my body type was ANYTHING but slinky. I gave myself a year to get toned and down to my goal weight, and though my progress is a little slower than I had hoped, I think I'm well on my way.