Ectomorph, endomorph, mesomorph?

Part of getting my blood levels under control is beginning a new exercise regime. This is easier said than done for someone who hasn't had a serious gym routine in years. They say the first step in addressing any personal issue is admitting that you have a problem; well my problem is laziness and inertia - I just can't seem to find the motivation to get of my butt and head to the gym. At this point, I don't really have a choice, my health depends on it.

I turned to Martha today for a helpful dose of motivation and advice. She came through with an interesting analysis, a work out strategy based on my body type. Apparently, it's important to tailor your workout strategy to your natural body type, whether it be ectomorph (slender), endomorph (curvy), or mesomorph (muscular.)

Jennifer Kries, one of Martha's Well Living gurus and a Philadelphia fitness coach writes, "Ectomorphs are live wires. Everything about them moves fast. They think quickly, act quickly, digest quickly, and can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time." This is unbelievably accurate for me. The rest of the description is eerily familiar, down to a description of "transluscent skin," which those who know me best probably immediately associate with my typical glow-in-the-dark appearance.

To address my inertial laziness, Kries and her colleagues recommend that I focus on high impact, high speed exercise that I can do for a short period of time: tennis, running, and jumping rope. They recommend adding in some toning and muscle building exercises to combat my genetic lack of muscle tone and weird skinny-flabbiness.

I feel better now that I have a game plan, something to aspire to. Instead of working out without a mission, I now have some tips tailored to me that can give me more of a purpose.

I started on my journey this week, and joined New York Sports Club. I decided running would be a great way to ease my way into things. So run, I did. Twice this week! Which, for me, is definitely something slightly short of a miracle. I plan on growing on this and trying to keep to working out three days a week, which will definitely help get my sugar and high bad cholesterol down. After all, there is no way to go except down from here.

I am hopeful that getting in touch with my body will provide just the motivation I need to get to work. I can thank Martha for my inspiration.