In a little more than two months, I turn 50. I don’t know exactly what 50 is supposed to feel like, but I’ve come to the realization over the past few months that I want to feel better about myself physically. That means it’s time for me to get my butt in gear and get back to a regular exercise program. Yes, I’ve gained a few pounds over the past couple years, but the thing that bothers me most is that I’m out of shape.

In my 20s and early 30s, bicycling was my form of exercise. Losing a few pounds here and there through dieting was easier then, too. During my mid-30s to mid-40s, I attended cardio-kickboxing classes every week at the local YMCA. The Y was within walking distance of my workplace and the kickboxing class was at noon – a perfect lunchtime distraction and stress reducer. The class worked every part of my body and I loved how it kept me in shape.

One thing led to another, however, and I stopped going to the class. And basically, I stopped exercising at all except for walking every now and then. Of course I realized this wasn’t healthy for me, and I’ve always had good intentions of getting back into an exercise routine again. But …

Well, turning 50 has got me thinking that there is no time like the present. So this morning I joined the Daily Burn, a web-based fitness program that allows me to tailor workouts to my liking. I’ve been considering the Daily Burn program for about a year now, but for some reason never took the plunge. Most of my workouts are about 30 minutes for now; what I really like is that the Daily Burn workouts are done at both low- and high-impact levels. That’s great for someone like me, who is so out of shape that I need to get back into the routines at a slower pace than someone who didn’t stop exercising almost five years ago.

My goal is to lose between 10 and 13 pounds (the scale said 140 pounds this morning), although frankly I’m not that concerned about my exact weight. I just want to feel comfortable – no good – in my clothes, something that hasn’t been happening for awhile now.

And another thing. I don’t plan on going on a strict diet. Yes I’ll try to watch what I eat, but I’m realistic. I’m not going to totally give up sweets or alcohol. I don’t want to do that and if I tried, I know I would succeed only for a short time before reverting to old habits. So I just plan to enjoy the sweets and alcohol in moderation.

That’s where the regular exercise should help – not only to get me back into shape, but also to help with the occasional cocktail or ice cream sundae.

At least that’s what I hope will happen. The first workout is in the books and I’m already feeling the burn. Look out 50 – here I come!