This is not a cliché.

Right? Devising a new exercise plan for the new year? Making impossible promises? Right? Not at all. This time it's....different *cringe*. Yeah. Well, it sort of is. At least I'm not counting on a complete change of character as the bells ring out the old year, and in the new. This time I'm looking my character flaw (unable to commit to any exercise program for more than 4-5 weeks) square in the eye, and using it instead of trying to choke and kick it to death. 

The facts

- I have to exercise regularly, or else I will stay slightly overweight for the rest of my life, never quite happy with my appearance. As much as beauty comes from the inside and all that, I know for a fact how much happier I am when my weight isn't bugging me. It gives me peace of mind to focus on more fun stuff. Like getting on with life. 

- No matter what form of exercise, the story is always the same. I start a new program, go all out in the first couple of weeks, loving it, then interest drops and after just 4-5 weeks I've stopped. Every time, without fail. (The only (sort of ) exception is running which I tend to do throughout the year, but still in bouts of 4-5 weeks of activity, then a couple of months of nothing.)

- I have limited time to spend on exercise, and I don't like timekeeping and crowded classes - I prefer to do it in my own time, on my terms.

The plan

- In 2009, instead of finding one or two new forms of exercise to keep me interested, I will attempt to find 12 - one for each month.

- I will commit to doing a minimum of 1 session a week for each of the exercise forms, so that's a minimum of 4 sessions per month. The plan is to mix this with my usual walking and running, so the total number of sessions per week should be on average 3. The number of sessions per week will depend on if I have to buy memberships or pay per session etc. Credit crunch and all that.

To be decided

-The actual list of exercise forms

-The rewards(s) for completing a month, and the year

-The punishment for NOT completing a month

I doubt this will be easy to fulfil. And I know there will be times when illness and holidays and work will try to get in the way. So I'm not expecting a perfect 52 at the end of the year. If I get to the end of the year and I'm actually still posting on this blog I'll be amazed. My track record of these things is less than poor. So anyone happening to read this and wanting to cheer me on - you are most welcome to and I know it would do a great deal for my motivation to keep this going. 

Here we go!