There's a standing "joke" that, if you lose your parking spot by the front door of the gym because there are a zillion new members in January, be patient! If you can hold out and hike the extra miles from across the parking lot for a month or two, most of the newly enrolled exercisers will have fallen by the wayside by March. Sad, but true!

What about you? Are you finding that you have big ups and downs in your walking regularity?

Personally, two things have helped me to be very consistent with my exercise program:

1) I keep a daily log. I enter the basics of how long, how far, as well, as which shoes so I can keep track of my mileage on those. In my E4W Training Log, I can also call up a calendar view and feel good about how many days have entries showing what I did for exercise--when I see there aren't too many days missed, I feel pretty darned good!

I note in the journal section of my log the things that went particularly well -- those are the things I want to do more often -- or problems I experience. Since I have a chronic problem with plantar fasciitis and tendonitis, it's important for me to know when I 've hit upon things that both calm and exascerbate these problems so that I can be an active participant in helping keep these issues at bay.

2) I focus on the things about walking regularly OTHER THAN WEIGHT LOSS/WEIGHT MANAGEMENT that are benefits of being consistent. This is a pretty interesting turn for most folks who've been struggling to attain and maintain an "ideal" weight. It is so easy to be stuck in thinking "what's the point" if the pounds don't fall away with walking a few miles. And, if the magazines at the grocery checkout are to be believed (and I don't think they generally are), it ought to be possible to be a size 4 with a couple half hour walks per week.

This is where my brain is a better ally than the scales. I know that even when the scales don't move, that my consistency is paying daily benefits to my health and well-being. These run the gamut of keeping my blood pressure in a healthy range to helping to maintain a healthy lipid profile. Then there are the less obvious benefits, like better sleep. Did you know that research has shown that women who sleep poorly are more likely to be overweight? And, enhanced ability to manage daily stress (everybody's got some of that!!).

I also like the way I feel when I exercise regularly. For me, this wasn't always the case, because, in my 20's (last week ;-)), I was an irratic exerciser and I didn't really know what it felt like to be "me in motion". That is a decided benefit that you can only experience by getting out the door, perhaps on faith, nearly every day.

What about you?

When was the last time you listed the benefits you experience when you are the most consistent at completing your exercise program? The more things on your list, the more things you'll have to help you feel and to be successful.

By the way, now that Spring is right around the corner, it's a good time to start thinking about what events you might want to try this year. Have you researched volkswalks in your area? Are you thinking about some hikes with the Parks Department or Mazamas?

What about walking a marathon? If you've toyed with that idea and you're in the Portland, Oregon metro area, consider joining me for "Do You Have to Be Crazy to Walk a Marathon", Tuesday, March 11 at 7:00 pm at the OHSU School of Nursing Auditorium. (Details: http://everything4walkers.com/coolstuff/do_you_have_to_be_crazy_to_walk_...). You can register for this lecture online or at the site.

I hope this finds you settling into a comfortable routing of consistent walking.

Happy walking! Coach Ellie