Exercise is tough for me being as overweight as I am.  I do not own a scale, so I do not know what I weigh, nor am I interested in knowing.  I just know my body is unwieldy and uncooperative.  I was once a good athlete and I loved to exercise, but the more weight I gained through eating compulsively, the harder and harder exercise of any kind became.  I am plagued by pain in my lower back and lower legs which makes even short walks difficult.  Even yoga is difficult due to the weight of my body and the size of my stomach.  Either I cannot bend completely or I cannot support the weight of my body in most poses.

So where do I begin?  I know moderate exercise will be a crucial part of my recovery, and it was an area I neglected in my last long period of abstinence.  I need to do better.  I am just doing what I can.  I bought a beginner yoga DVD, and I am doing the poses I can to the best of my ability.  I have to believe that the more I do, the more I will improve, and the easier it will become.  I am also doing lots of stretching.  I am hoping I can release some of the tension in my lower back and legs so that walking becomes easier.  It is no longer an option to do nothing.  I have to dig myself out of this hole.  I need to start with simple exercises and work on setting higher goals for myself.