Kim,
A lot of the warning signs were slapping me in the face, and I am sick of being labelled morbidly obese on my medical records. That little voice inside me told me it is time. I had a severe leg break 6 years ago, so walking more than a mile at a time starts to cause me pain in my left hip due to my leg bones being out of alignment. I had to do something, so I finally bit the bullet and joined a local health club that has a lap pool. I hesitated for a long time because it really can be seen as a meat market, but as I focused on why I was there instead of worrying about "fitting in", I now hold my head up high, and act like I own the place!
Like you, I'm starting very slow. I was a swimmer in high school, so I set goals for myself every week. I am up to 600 yards each time I go, and I feel so great! My doctor is thrilled, and she said that the club I chose was a good one because so many doctors are members there.
You keep it up, and don't get discouraged. If today you don't feel well, then don't beat yourself up if you don't walk that day. Working this into my schedule is very difficult, and if I can't go one day, so be it. I'm even starting to wake up on my own at 4:00 a.m. to "get moving"! Good luck with your routine, and even just parking at the far end of the parking lot helps.
