Intro

My name is Alison and I'm a couch potato. In general, I haven't been very apologetic about this. I've enjoyed my sedentary lifestyle, and the thought of exercise tends to put me off. But now I believe this state of affairs needs to change.

Why now? Several reasons. First, I recently went through a physically challenging pregnancy and a bout of pre-eclampsia. At times, I could barely get around on my own. I had trouble sitting up, changing positions, rolling over, walking, etc., and then was even stuck in a hospital bed for a few days. I vowed to myself that once I had normal control of my body back, I'd take advantage of it for a change, appreciating my ability to move around in a relatively easy and pain-free manner. I also wouldn't mind losing the last 5 to 7 pounds of my pregnancy weight, though weight loss is not a specific goal of my No Potato Project.

Second, I recently decided I would like to participate in my town's annual 5-mile run/walk this fall. I just figured I'd walk it, not run it (ha, ha, ha, me running!), yet my mother still expressed her doubts I could do this. Huh? We're talking 5 little miles, and it was still 7 months away when I told her about it! I personally thought I could have walked it that same day if needed. Okay, so my mother is not a good example of the "can do" attitude she claims to appreciate, but I began to think that even if I could walk it any day, I'd prefer not to spend hours doing so, and want my ability to do it to be a no-brainer--not something so far out of the ordinary for me that there is any doubt I could handle it.

Third, I'm turning (gasp) 40 this year, and that's given me new impetus to keep myself healthy and young-feeling instead of aging poorly. (Especially with a new baby to keep up with!)

So now to get moving...