Getting into shape

I think my lovely wife and I are going to take a cruise/vacation in February for our four year anniversary. Because of that, I have more motivation to get into great shape. I have been jogging consistently, but it is difficult to push myself regularly. I think this upcoming vacation will provide some additional motivation for me. I think at some point everyone struggles a bit with motivation. I think there are several keys, but I don't necessarily always use them.
1. Focus on only one day at a time. It gets pretty daunting to think about how long you need to work out to get into really great shape. But if you are just focusing on the present day, it gets quite a bit easier.
2. Focus only on the next exercise at a time/set small goals. Just push through one block at a time (if you are jogging) and don't think about all the blocks it takes to get to the end.
3. Measure results. Whether it is in waist size or weight, it is important to keep track of progress. This will continue motivation when you may be running low on it.
4. Trick yourself into enjoying getting into shape. Consciously think to yourself that exercise is fun while you are doing it. This will kind of trick you into thinking that you actually are having fun.
5. Don't beat yourself up over one missed day. You can occasionally miss, but you don't want to miss a bunch in a row.

I realize these aren't profound and if I knew so much about getting and staying in shape, I wouldn't be on the uphill battle I'm on. But I have told myself I would keep writing, so here it is. I will force myself to do this every couple days, whatever the topic.

Need to write...

There are a lot of things in life I need to do. I need to exercise so that my gut does not get bigger, I need to drink Dr. Pepper to counteract said exercise, I need to work to pay bills and I need to spend time with my wife, friends and dogs. One of my ambitions is to write something someday. There are several genres I would love to write: science fiction, theology, memoir, maybe all three combined... but either way, if I ever want to get off my lazy butt and write... scratch that. If I ever want to sit on my active butt and write a book, I need to write religiously and regularly. Stephen King says writers need to write. Write anything at anytime, whether you feel like it or not. So that is what I need to do. I need to write. I need to apply myself to this craft so that I will hopefully produce something worth publishing. So here I am.

Since I wrote last... we have a new dog (Ivan the husky), new roommates (Grant and Des), a new church (Refuge Community Church), and my favorite season has begun (fall and football. They are pretty much synonymous). My team dropped their first game unexpectedly, but they seem to be regrouping for a run... hopefully they show poise and perseverance. My job gets monotonous, but I think there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. My wife is wonderful and supportive, I hope she feels as appreciated as I do. Overall, I haven't much to say, but I need to write. Hopefully this can start a new trend and habit.