Day 1: I call up my neighbor, Christine, and explain to her what I'm doing, then ask her if she wants to help.

"Yeah," she says enthusiastically, "Sounds like fun!"

"Great," I say, then sheepishly, "Only I don't have time to start today."

"Sister," she replies, "I think I'm exactly what you need."

Fifteen minutes later, our four-year-olds are strapped into jog strollers, and we're out for a 30-minute power walk.

Lessons learned today: 1) Don't ask for help unless you're ready to accept it, and 2) If you think you don't have time for a workout, think again. Even a short workout is better than none at all.