I remember a time in my life when I did not actively have to think or worry about being fit. My closet was filled with size 0 or 2 clothes, I could look down and see my toes and I could eat as much of everything as I wanted without a care in the world. Before I hit 30, I had promised myself that I would try to eat better and take my fitness more seriously. A promise I never kept. Now that I’m 30, the time has come for me to face the harsh reality that if I don’t start taking care of myself now, I may find myself joining the ranks of too many other people who would rather sit on a couch watching American Idol, rather than taking an hour out of their day to commit to their health.

Luckily, I do not watch American Idol and I have never really eaten badly. My problem has been that instead of taking the time to discover new recipes and make them at home, we’d hit the road and enjoy 1700-calorie entrees at a restaurant. While it’s not fast food, it can still be considered junk food. Sidebar: Clearly, entering my 30s means I’ll be spending more time in the kitchen so let’s move onto what this post is really about.

Running! Never have I done it just to do it. When I played soccer, running sort of happened. My soccer days were eons ago and chasing after my new puppy leaves me completely out of breath (not to mention utterly embarrassed for being so). I’ve decided to take up running. Daily. For 30 minutes. Why running? One of the most important reasons is because it is one activity I plan on doing with my husband every day. Fitness is an important part of his career and I want to make it an important part of our family life as well. Second, runners have absolutely gorgeous legs. Third, see second.

I found a running plan for beginning runners on Runner’s World (RW). RW came highly recommended from a friend. Their plan seemed easy enough for me. It’s an 8-week program that conditions you to run continuously for 30 minutes by the end of it. I know that there are a number of running plans for beginners but the only one I can semi-vouch for is this one.

I started the plan a few months ago and had a lot of success with the first two weeks. I was absolutely devastated when shin splints kept me from seeing this program to completion; it took weeks for the pain to disappear. Although I haven’t been able to start back up again due to a very odd work schedule, a recent shift in my permanent work schedule will make it easier for me to pursue this program again for the foreseeable future. I will be documenting my daily progress as soon as I start up again. Wish me luck!