I decided to try a boot camp-type workout I saw in Prevention Magazine. You walk for 3.5 minutes and then do 30 seconds of some toning exercise (there is a list) and then walk again. In the middle of the workout you do a series of strength exercises and then finish with a 10 minute walk and 4 minute cool down.

I’ve been stuck inside because of the snow. I decided that if I had to be on the treadmill I might as well do speed work. Combining speed work with this workout seemed like a good idea. It gave me prescribed intervals to run and then I’d change it up with some easy exercises.

I started the first interval and knew I was in trouble. After 30 seconds of running my right hip flexor was in pain all over again. Crap. I went back to walking. This is an hour long workout. Even if I walked it at 3.5 mph at least I’d be burning calories and not hurting myself but I felt like a slacker.

The first part was easy. The 30 second toning moves were things like lunges, squats, skipping, grapevines, etc. No problem. I wasn’t even sweating. I was feeling like a serious slacker by now.

Then I started the cheerily named Strength and Tone section. Partway through the first set of push up to side planks I was dying. Arms weren’t working, sweat was pouring, body shaking. Even though I had read the workout several times it hadn’t come clear to me on a visceral level that this was 5 minutes of serious arm work and then when you were about to cry, you repeated it. Crab walking – no sweat, right? Oh my god, my triceps! I was begging to get back on the treadmill for the last 14 minutes.

That was mentally tough for me. The hard stuff was over so in my brain the workout was over so I should get off the treadmill. Have I mentioned how much I hate treadmills? But I stayed on it the whole time! Willpower – 1, Lazy – 0 today.