A year ago, I had a serious couch problem. If you believe the accepted teachings on addiction, it can be said I still am. I have just chosen not to exercise this addiction.

http://www.natechurch.com/nc/post/I-am-Nathan-and-I-am-addicted-to-Couch.aspx

Don't you hate those recap shows that some shows will do at the end of the season to remind you of everything that happened that season? Well this is my fitness recap show. I have returned to tell you about what has happened in this year. Not because you haven't been there for all or part of of the episodes, but because this is a recap show. I am putting it out there for the potential new viewers and as a reminder of how good last season was.

That being said, it has been a long hard year, but I made it. I ran and ran and ran. At first I didn't run very far, I was looking at my first workouts after the post and I was running 2.4 miles in 40 minutes. One year and ten days later I ran 10 miles in 2 hours and 20 minutes. A year ago, the workouts were farther apart too, but I kept running. That is an average of 7.5 times a month (roughly accounting for time off due to injury and basic training) or twice a week. After I got injured in December I started Crossfit to help get into better all around shape and avoid injury, which increased the number of workouts and my fitness but lessened the number of times a week I run.

In 12 months, I have lost 40lbs and lowered my BMI from 31.5 to 27.0. Basic Training accounted for 30lbs of it and the other ten I lost before I left(I think I also gained some muscle during that time). There are the numbers. They aren't anything superhuman, just one year of hard work. It feels good.

Where to now? I am afraid of losing what I have gained, but I also want to move forward to the next step. After all a BMI of 27 is still considered overweight, just not obese any more.

I am going to report on my exercise. Reporting on my exercise keeps me to the plan and makes me work harder. It also has the added bonus of uniting friends in common challenges and hopefully it motivates someone else. It also makes it easier to look back on the work I have done on those days when I am not motivated. In Crossfit, this is called the power of the whiteboard. You can't lie about what is on the whiteboard, only to yourself.

I am going to try and do more races. Yesterday I did my first duathlon and it felt great. Races challenge me and give me deadlines to keep me honest. I signed up for the Sugar Land Marathon in January 2010 and I am looking to do a half-ironman in April with Joel, although neither of us have commited yet. ;)

This isn't over, but it feels good. Real good. I am still going, and anyone is welcome to come with me.

(Cheezy thumbs up pose. Queue theme music "Move Along" by All American Rejects)  Tune in next time...