I would very much like to join this fitness challenge and I hope I dn't have to invoke the Alien Abduction Challenge this time! Fridays are busy for me, so I will probably end up posting on the weekend, rather than Friday, with my goals for the following week.

I've scaled back my fitness goals a little -- at least temporarily -- and right now I am just focusing on brisk walking supplemented by crunches to try to work on my flabby abdomen. My goals for the next week are to walk a minimum of four days for at least three miles each time. I've been walking at the rate of 3.5 or 4 miles per hour (I'm faster earlier in the day), so three miels takes me a little less than an hour. Ideally, I'd like to do more than that, but I'm trying to be realistic. I'll also do crunches at least three days.

I'd like to get back to going to the YMCA and working out on the treadmill/swimming, but I don't think I am quite ready to do that yet. That's a long-term goal right now: before the end of this challenge I will start working out at the Y again.

Three benefits I get from exercise (other than weight loss);

• Increased feelings of physical well being
• Increased ability to mentally concentrate
• Fewer mood swings