This morning was hard. I stayed up too late last night and the 5 AM alarm sounded like an air raid siren. The weather was ok except for a chilly wind that seemed to cut through my normally solid jacket. Regardless, I got moving and walked the first half-mile. After that, I jogged the final 1.5 miles of my course.

I am a little worried to be losing motivation so early into my renewed attempts to become a runner. This is only day two, but there was almost nothing I wanted more this morning than to crawl back into my warm bed. I began to make a list in my mind of all the reasons why I am doing this. Here are a few:

• I want to live a long and healthy life. While exercise and fitness are not a guarantee, I can already feel my extra weight sapping me of energy and enjoyment. I want to feel better.
• I do not want to look so fat. It really does bother me that kids think I look like Santa Claus. Over the last year my second chin has become more pronounced. I want to look better.
• I am speaking at a professional conference in the spring. This will be an important introduction for me to some leaders in my industry. A good impression could go a long way, and no one can dispute that looking healthy makes a better impression than looking fat.

There is more that I could write, but the important thing is that I started. I would love to hear your feedback and what motivates you for running and weight loss. Just leave a comment on the form below.