With the New Year here, it’s likely you’ve made some resolutions—perhaps to lose a few pounds, quit smoking, stop drinking, or start exercising. As a registered dietitian, freelance writer, author, and a mother of two, my livelihood is educating and motivating others to engage in healthful behaviors. But by setting a good example I also hope to empower my children—Spencer, age 13, and Eli, age 9—to make more healthful food and fitness choices. That’s one of the reasons why I’m proud to announce that I just signed up for my first half-marathon: the More/Fitness Half-Marathon!

I’ve been waiting a year for this opportunity. In December 2010, after several months of pain, physical therapy and cortisone shots, I had a small ganglion cyst removed from my left wrist. As someone who has always loved to power walk, weight train, ice skate, tap dance, and play tennis and various ball sports with my family, not being able to be as active as I always was upset me to say the least. I felt debilitated and couldn’t wait to get back to my usual routine. Before my surgery, I had planned to sign up for the race, but recovering from the operation, having an unexpected breast biopsy in January, and being in the midst of a hectic back-to-school routine with my kids made signing up fall off my radar. By the time I was ready to enter, I was too late and there were no more spots. I decided then that 2012 would be the year.

I’m an avid walker and have been a consistent exerciser for the last two decades. When my husband and I first moved to New York City in 1991, we joined the New York Road Runners Club and began to participate in races. Far from a natural-born runner, my claim to fame was eventually completing a 10-mile race. Although I was not a fast runner—it took me more than an hour and forty-five minutes to finish the race—I achieved something I never thought possible.

However, the more I ran, the more hip pain I experienced. As much as I enjoyed running, I was always happiest when I finished than I was during the run. So when I got pregnant with my first son in 1997, I decided to take up walking instead. The pain in my hip nearly vanished. Since then, walking has been my main aerobic activity. It’s something I can do anytime, anywhere, and is an activity I truly enjoy. While I log most of my miles alone, listening to music and my favorite morning radio show—The Morning Mashup on Sirius Hits 1—I also have several friends with whom I walk, and we always have a great time catching up with one another. Two of them—Elise Roberts, a best friend from sleepaway camp, and Liz Spittler, a friend from Chicago with whom I worked at the Academy of Nutrition Dietetics (for which I served as a media spokesperson for 6 years)—also signed up. We’re in this together!

Over the next 3 months, I’ll share my training experiences—the challenges, the triumphs, and how I stay motivated—with you. I’ll also sprinkle in some food and fitness tips (including those culled from some amazing nutrition and fitness experts) to help you get and stay motivated to accomplish your own fitness goals. Although I may come in last place in the race—especially since I’m walking—I plan to sprint to the finish line and celebrate what for me will be a mighty big accomplishment. Are you with me?

What I completed during Week 1: January 2-8, 2012
Monday: 1.9 mile/30 minute treadmill walk, 5 arm exercises (3 sets of each)
Tuesday: 4.5 mile walk outside
Wednesday: 3.8 mile/60 minute treadmill walk
Thursday: 2 mile/32 minute treadmill walk
Friday: 3.7 mile walk outside
Saturday: 7 mile walk outside
Sunday: 1.35 mile/20 minute treadmill walk, 5 arm exercises (3 sets of each) and 150 crunches

Elisa Zied, MS, RD, CDN is an award winning registered dietitian, creator of The ZIED GUIDE blog and e-newsletter, the author of Nutrition At Your Fingertips, and co-author of Feed Your Family Right!, and So What Can I Eat?! with Ruth Winter, MS. Visit Elisa at elisazied.com and follow her on Twitter at @elisazied.