On January 1st, I had great intentions of getting into better shape. I had definitely put on some weight over the Christmas holidays and was struggling to fit into my clothes. I was unhappy with how I looked and felt and had noticed a decline in my energy levels. My job is quite sedentary, and I continually suffered from soreness in my neck, shoulders and back. I knew that getting more active would make a huge improvement. I went online, looked for fitness centers in my local area and found several to choose from. Through internet access, I was able to take a virtual tour of the facilities and get a good look at the inventory of equipment and amenities. They all offer a very similar selection of machines and fitness classes. One includes a swimming pool but another offers an indoor running track. One features personal training and another offers massage therapy and tanning. All of the local gyms were offering incredible specials for memberships. I chose the one in the closest proximity to my office building, figuring it would be convenient to stop and workout on my way to or from my job. I handled the whole sign up process online. I didn’t need to step inside the gym. I then went out and bought a whole wardrobe of cute workout clothes, new sneakers and a snazzy water bottle. When it was finally time to actually attend the gym and workout, I realized how difficult it was going to be to stay dedicated. I immediately signed up for group classes so that I would feel accountable. Now that I’ve been working out regularly for a few months and have seen the benefits, I look forward to my workouts.