Alva James-Johnson: Exercise routine hard to achieve

I've written from time to time about my inability to stick to a consistent exercise routine.

As the end of the year approaches, I hang my head in shame.

The New Year's resolution I made a year ago lasted for a proverbial hot second, and then I was back to my usual "I'll get around to it" excuses.

Squeezing exercise into my schedule was much easier during the spring and summer months when the days were longer and I could count on good weather. I went on long walks with my dog, Country. Yet, I didn't quite make it to consistency.

I've also tried the YMCA a few times. I figured I could just swing by a BodyPump class to stay motivated. But there was always something that threw me off schedule. And when that happened, my workout was the first appointment to fall by the wayside.

It is unseasonably warm these days, and you would think that would make a difference. But no luck there.

My husband, on the other hand, works out at least five days a week. His discipline is beyond my comprehension, and I just marvel at his level of dedication.

Well, now I'm taking action. Instead of relying on willpower alone, I've enlisted a personal trainer.

I'm not talking about a super jock who's going to turn me into a herculean bodybuilder; just someone to help me develop a routine and hold me accountable.

I figure getting started before the new year will give me a little momentum before the winter sets in.

I first met the trainer, Fred Gramling, a couple of days ago at a local gym. I learned that he's a retired veteran and former physical director for the D.A. Turner YMCA. Though he still does some projects for the Y, he spends a lot of his time helping people like me get fit.

I told Fred about my lack of exercise, and he sympathized. Then he talked to me about making my health a priority.

"You won't be any use to your family, your job or anyone else if you don't take care of your body," he said. "You have to guard your exercise time like you would guard a date with your husband."

Fred is right, of course, and there's really no excuse for not finding time to exercise at least a couple of times a week. It all boils down to what I consider important.

So we developed a plan and agreed to meet once a month for follow-up at an affordable price. Before moving forward, we were supposed to meet 5:30 p.m. Thursday to finish orientation.

Those plans went out the window when I found out the next day that I had an office meeting around that time. But Fred and I worked it out so we could still meet that day. It just took shuffling appointments around to make it make it happen.

Making exercise a priority isn't easy, but it's sure worth a try.

Alva James-Johnson, 706-571-8521. Reach her on Facebook at AlvaJamesJohnsonLedger.

This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 10:37 PM with the headline "Alva James-Johnson: Exercise routine hard to achieve ."