Sheri C, Thanks so much for your encouragement. It sounded there for a minute judging by some of the other replies that others thought I just was not trying! I will keep at it, I know I will be a healthier person, a fitter person, and a happier person in the end.

Oh honey, nobody thinks you're not trying. We just want you to keep trying (safely) and get to be that .... healthier person, a fitter person, and a happier person in the end.

It is obvious that you are trying, cinnamon. I read the posts and they don't really sound like they are conveying you aren't trying, but rather encouraging the continuation of what you've started.

People are motivated by different things. I think I would buy a little stopwatch of some kind, and start timing how long it took myself to get up that hill, and keeping track of it. Maybe try it every other day. Maybe you will have to stop a few times to catch your breath, but maybe a few months from now you won't have to stop at all, and ****, maybe some day you'll be running up that hill!

As others have said, you have to start somewhere. And you did it! You aren't a failure at all. You pushed yourself and you made it up that hill, even though it exhausted you. That's the type of will and strength you need!

When I tried to break into a jog from walking, for the first time, I thought I was going to die right then and there. It was depressing, and I can relate to that feeling of failure. But I had to realize that I'm not just going to wake up one day and be fit. Nobody is going to magically bless me with a young body and heart and a body full of muscles. I've got to work at getting that back.

So please, don't feel defeated by this. Feel *proud*.

I would suggest you read the book "The Courage to Start" by John Bingham. It is a book about running, but don't let that scare you. You can read the first few pages at Amazon. See if you can find it at the library, becasue it's just the first chapter or two that's generic, then it gets into running training. When I get discouraged and stop exercising for awhile, I can read that book and get back into the spirit of it again. He talks about how when he started, waddling down to the end of the driveway and back was enough to exhaust him.

It is hard to get into shape, I've always said I was in shape, round is a shape. right?

You can start with working more exercise in your daily activities, try skipping the elevator and walking up 1 floor, park in a parking spot farthest from the door at the store, walk up the escalator. Walk to the farthest bathroom at work, and if you time it right (or wrong) it has to be a really fast walk depending on how much water you've been drinking.

You are doing great, you took the first steps and pretty soon you'll be able to conquer that hill and feel so proud when you can get up it without stopping. Eventually, thing baby steps.

Sarah