Facing fitness facts

I'm so much happier with my body now than I was six months ago. A cleaner diet and a more rigorous exercise schedule have helped me whittle away 15 pounds or more, 10 of which I'm blaming on years of cancer treatment. I feel lighter, tighter, and more confident than ever before. Still, there's nothing perfect about my current physique.

For four years now, I've managed to hang on to a handful of post-pregnancy loose tummy skin. It seems no matter what I do to tone my body, this skin -- and its accompanying stretch marks -- just stays put. So does the jiggling skin that covers my quad muscles -- I never even knew it was there until I sprinted on the beach recently. Boy, did that skin flap in the wind!

I don't have ripped muscles, can't brag about a six-pack, and would never be mistaken for an elite athlete. That's just the way it is. And I don't see things changing anytime soon. You see, I'm a stay-at-home mom with two little boys who just don't allow me to focus much on myself -- I'm lucky to get 45 minutes of solid exercise each day. And I'm not wealthy. So I can't afford a personal cook or a full-time trainer. I just can't devote my days or my funds to the overly ambitious pursuit of physical fitness. I must face the facts, then: I am doing what I can, and this may be as good as it gets.

We can only do what we can legitimately manage when it comes to diet and exercise. I try to accept this reality every time I see flawless celebrities who happen to work out five hours per day while personal chefs prepare them precise portions of healthy morsels. This just isn't the way the world works for some -- well, most -- of us.

It's time we get a handle of our own fitness facts -- and find a way to maximize our efforts within the constraints that define us.

What are your fitness facts?