I just published an article a few days back about losing weight without exercise, and I fully believe that exercise is not necessary to lose weight. However, I also wrote that physical activity is necessary for strength, conditioning, and for about 10% of total weight loss. Well, I think I reached that last 10%.

My weight loss has all but stopped. My weight has been hovering between 180 and 184 lbs without any further loss in the past three weeks. That was all the message I needed from my body to tell me to get into gear and start exercising in earnest. The push ups I’ve been doing has been great at strengthening my upper body, back, and stomach, but not so much for burning calories and getting some good cardio. That all ended Saturday morning. I have added running to my regimen.

I want to stress something important before I proceed: I successfully lost 110 lbs in a year without exercise using diet alone. I did not suffer, and I did not starve. I ate delicious, satisfying, and filling foods and lost weight. Only when I got down to normal weight did I have to start exercising, as I want to go beyond normal into optimal.

My first run was uneventful and, by most standards, rather light. My pace was at 11 minutes/mile, and I only ran for 20 minutes, but I never stopped to walk and I even picked up the pace in the last 1/4 mile. I’m pleased with that result, and while it was hard for me to admit to Sherry when she asked me, I am proud of myself and how I did.

Sunday morning, I felt really sore, but most of the soreness began to go away after noon after I was able to get up and about for a bit. Getting up out of a chair or up out of the couch did hurt a bit, but as a Marine, I know the difference between the good post-workout pain and the bad pain of an injury. This is the good pain; the kind that tells you that you worked hard and that your body is adjusting and getting stronger. My son’s football coaches would always tell the boys, “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” I tell myself this as I run, and after I’m done.

I’m committed to this. I still say I don’t like exercise because I don’t, but I will make the best of it, give it my best shot, and continue to push myself to longer times and longer distances. My goal is 165 lbs, and I can only get there with physical activity. If that’s the next obstacle, I will break through it and push all the way there. It’s what Marines do.