Today I am going for a run, coming home, likely having smoothies for lunch (as we accidentally left the fridge unplugged and all our carefully frozen fruit is now unfrozen and must be used in the next few days for fear of losing about 30 bucks worth of organic, local fruit from the UBC farm market. We also must now make large quantities of pasta sauce to freeze as we had two pounds of organic extra-lean ground beef in the freezer as well which defrosted and can only be refrozen once cooked... I know what we're doing tomorrow), and then heading out to the climbing gym, before having to be at work at 4:30.

Yesterday I had a brilliant run. 4.14 miles in 45 minutes... it felt perfect, amazing... My mind cleared and I focused in on what I was doing and just went for it. I love that moment, about five minutes into a run when your muscles start to warm up, and your breathing hits its pace and everything just comes together. It's perfect and it's why I run.

Lately, I've been having a lot of the same conversation, it goes something like this:
Person x: "Wow, you look tiny, have you lost weight?"
Me: "Yeah, well since September I've been working to take off a lot of weight, I'm down 45 pounds now."
Person x: "That's amazing, how did you do it?"
Me: "By working out, and eating well. You know I'm at the gym six days a week, I started by biking, then the elliptical, and then running, now I run about 20 miles a week." (Sometimes I mention, the trainer, sometimes I don't. I realize it isn't something everyone can afford. For me, it was the right decision, and I don't think I could have been as successful without his help, but it was also a rather personal decision to hire him and I don't share that with everyone).
Person x: "Oh wow, I have good weeks sometimes but I don't always make it to the gym, and I could never run, besides I always have to force myself to exercise because I hate it."

This conversation, I'm sorry to say, annoys me. Anyone with enough determination (barring medical complications) can do this. It takes dedication, and yes, the first two months are hard. Forcing yourself to make time for exercise, and pushing yourself through workouts which are frankly more than just slightly uncomfortable takes dedication and mental force, but it is certainly doable. I had to force myself to go to the gym everyday for nearly two months until I realized I felt better if I worked out than if I didn't. Until I found myself addicted to the adrenaline rush, and endorphin high that follows exercising. Until I realized I'm a bitch to everyone around me if I don't get a good workout in.

Making time for the gym isn't easy, but is well worth it. I understand that people are busy, they have work, and other complications, but investing that extra hour in themselves everyday might just change their lives. Hell, it certainly changed mine.