As a self-professed sloth, I recently made the mistake of looking at my own backside in a mirror. If you ever want to find a way to give your exercise routine a jump start, just do what I did.

Of course, because of my previously mentioned slothness, I was unsure of how to start getting in shape. I mean, I haven’t exercised voluntarily since high school. For a long time I didn’t need to exercise. I worked in a job that involved lots of walking, lifting and climbing ladders. Then I began writing for a living and went from a very active lifestyle to one that was spent mostly sitting down.

So, how do you go from sitting down to being physically fit?

Enter Couch to 5K!

Couch to 5K is a fitness program that is pretty self explanatory. It will take you from being a couch potato to being able to run a 5K. This is not a fast program. It does not promise to get you in shape overnight. Instead, the experts who developed the program advocate taking your training slowly. They say that, even if you feel like you can do more, you shouldn’t. It is nice to find a program that doesn’t pressure you to “push it, push it, push it!”

There are two methodologies to Couch to 5K. You can train to run for time or for distance. The experts behind the program have worked out two training schedules to help you with either method. These methodologies were constructed to help you build your muscles as well as your endurance.

I used to tell people that “I only run when chased.” Now I am running because I enjoy it. I never thought that I would enjoy running, but as it turns out, it can be a very enjoyable experience. In fact, the hardest part I have with the program is stopping when it tells me to. I always want to keep going!