Starting on a Healthy Path

"I'll get in shape... tomorrow."

That's the well-intentioned spirit of millions of New Year's resolutions that were made and already broken in the past week. And for a few years now, it's been the spirit of mine.

Make a pledge, buy a one-month pass to yoga classes or Weight Watchers or Planet Fitness then quietly stop going as quickly as you started.

Well, I'm done with that. I made my resolution and plan to stick with it for a while.

The goal: Lose at least 25 pounds. Then lose another 15. Then run in the half-marathon at the Baltimore Running Festival.

And I plan to take my readers along for the ride, in hopes that we can all help encourage each other.

After all, everyone needs a little push. My former Towerlight colleague Brian Stelter (now of The New York Times) famously tweeted his diet and lost 75 pounds in six months, a loss even noted at the end of the documentary Page One: Inside the New York Times. His diet Twitter account provided him with motivation and accountability.

My motivation and accountability may well come from someone else's Twitter account. On Tuesday, my roommate taunted me in person and online about my intentions, my frustrations and my diet. Determined to prove him wrong that evening, I set off to do something big.

The problem was this: I have no idea what I'm doing. 

I went to the , where I took advantage of the young adult membership, for $38 per month.

I used an old gift card to pick up vitamins at The Vitamin Shoppe in Lutherville, healthier food at new running shorts at Kohl's and leftover whey protein from my mother's Lutherville home. And starting Wednesday morning, I became a regular at the gym, hitting the treadmill and quickly learning to time my visits so I could watch Doctor Who on the treadmill television. Nerdy? Yes, but it works.

My new morning and evening routine will more often than not include a trip on the treadmill, ellipticals or stationary bike.

And after three days and four trips to the gym, I want to avoid saying I feel "better," as that could give me an excuse to fall off the horse. Instead, I feel more on the course to getting better than I have in years.

What are your strategies to staying in line with your New Year's resolution? Tell us in the comments.

Week 1

Weigh in: 205

To goal No. 1: 25