From: jfrawley@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Judy Frawley)
Subject: Re: Limiting exercise
Organization: Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 92 11:12:25 EST

In article <9379@blue.cis.pitt.edu.UUCP> jsl+@pitt.edu (John S Lundberg) writes:
>In article <1992Nov9.202248.27063@inmet.camb.inmet.com> mazur@inmet.camb.inmet.com (Beth Mazur) writes:
>>I suspect that if you did short distances twice (or even three times) a 
>>day, you could increase your mileage without hurting yourself.  I do
>>3 miles 2x or 3x a day...
>
STUFF DELETED
>people are simply getting less exercise in the natural course of their
>lives and have to go to extraordinary lengths--such as driving to a
>shopping mall or joining a club--simply to take a walk.
>-- 
>John Lundberg  
>jsl@unix.cis.pitt.edu 


I heartily agree with you, John.  I am having a really tough time
getting motivated to exercise to assist with my weight loss.  (I have
only lost a few pounds and I am finding motivation the hardest part).
I am most motivated after dinner, when I want to walk to burn off 
my dinner.  The problem is that in the suburban area where my 
SO lives is so *flat* and uninteresting that I find myself being
incredibly bored.  There are only so many driveways I can look at :-)

I live in an apartment complex on a very busy road.  There are some
residential areas nearby, but they, too are getting old very fast.
That means I have to drive to a nearby village to walk on the walking
trails around a lake. OR, drive way out of my way to walk nature trails
around a natural beaver lake.  Those are only possible on weekends.

I work at a University, and walking there is okay.  I try to walk on 
my lunch hour whenever possible.  I am not doing too well at this.
I want to walk and I want to lose weight, but for some reason, I just
can't get myself in weight-loss mode.  I know how to eat healthy, I
know how to cook healthy, I just haven't been doing it consistently.
The other frustrating part about it is that my SO has lost 15 pounds
in the last few months.  We eat the same things, and I have lost
about three pounds. 

Right now, I am working on not *gaining* weight.  I keep telling myself
"when my musical closes, then I'll start working on it","when I get over
this ear infection, then I'll start working on it". 

My alternative for exercise is aerobics; indoors at my SO's house. 
I can't do it at my apartment because the people downstairs would
kill me.  I am scared to death of going alone to the facilities at
the University because I don't want to see what I look like in a
swimsuit or workout gear and I don't want anyone else to see me, either.
The people who used to work here who went with me have been laid off.

I am thirty pounds heavier than I was a few years back. There was
a time when I was working out everyday, watching what I ate, and I
was thin (118 pounds; 5'3").  Then, my motivation went away (a boss 
I was trying to stay away from was fired, and I got a new job).
After a year of working on weight mahines and swimming, I just 
about dropped it cold turkey, which didn't do much for my waistline. 
Now, it seems the more weight I gain, the *less* motivated I become. 	
I just can't figure out what's wrong with me. 

Sorry this turned into a whining session, but John I do understand
what you are saying.  Maybe in my case, it is an excuse, but is really
frustrating walking along roads that were made for cars and not people.
I grew up in a small town and walked *everywhere*.  When I go back there,
I usually park my car at mom's and walk, walk, walk.

Thanks for listening.
Judy