It starts with a step – a single solitary step.

It seems so easy, but it’s not. What is it about working out that is so intimidating for many of us?

First, there’s the variety of machines. The treadmill, elliptical and stationery bike are all simple enough. But then there are people going 90 to nothing. You think there’s no way you can make it at half that speed for even ten minutes. So you start off at the lowest speed.

“Okay,” you think. “I can do this. Thirty minutes doesn’t seem too long. This isn’t so bad. I love this song. ‘I don’t know about you-‘ Oh wait, not out loud. How long has it been? What? Only three minutes. I can do this. I can- Okay, just make it to ten minutes, and you can quit.”

So you made it ten minutes. You’re sweating and breathing heavy. Water. You need water. After the best tasting water you’ve had in your life, you look around. There’s more machines – for the thighs, the calves, the abs, the biceps, the triceps. Maybe another time.

So you call it a day. Maybe it wasn’t the most successful trip to the gym, but you took the first step. The first time may not be rewarding for you, so you stop by Dairy Queen and get the blizzard.

Next time will get better.

And then it does. It does get better. Next time, you make it to 15 minutes. Then you slowly start adding in weights. And then the time will come that you’re enjoying yourself. It may be from the actual work out. It may be from the endorphins. It may be from the looser -fitting jeans. Or it may be as simple as walking up the stairs without being winded.

The other struggle is finding a workout buddy. Of the ten semesters I spent in undergrad, I spent one consistently working out. I don’t know how I managed it. My first two years, I lived with a girl majoring in clinical exercise, who is a licensed trainer. My last three years, I lived with a girl majoring in nutrition, who spent one of those years training for a marathon.

It probably would have been so much easier to get on the running train if I had jumped in with them. But I wouldn’t take the first step.

Luckily though, as I’ve made this shift into getting fit, I’ve still been able to talk to them, get advice or encouragement.

But the biggest reason I’ve been able to push through has been setting a goal. Ivey and I were talking one day, when we had a crazy idea. We should run a sprint triathlon. We found one in New Orleans at the end of March. It seemed like plenty of time to prepare.

We’re still about four months out, and I feel pretty good. Running has been my struggle. I’ve read books and blogs. Ivey and I discuss it regularly. It’s the thing that has been able to get me on track.

Weight goals have never worked for me. I get discouraged when I don’t make progress. With this, there’s consistent progress, whether it’s running a little further or swimming a little faster.

If I can do this, anyone can. All it takes is that first step. Today it’s five minutes. Then, it’s ten.

It starts with a step – a single, solitary step.