100 Push Ups in 2009

Chocolate. Cakes. Pies. Pastries. Candy canes. Sound like Christmas at your house? Yeah, mine too.

It's all right to indulge a little bit over the holiday season, even if "a little bit" turns into "a lot," and then into "guilt and remorse." Honestly, there's no better excuse than the holiday season to pick up a few bags of Kisses and York Peppermint Patties to put in festive little bowls around the house.

But then the day of reckoning comes: January 1. New Year's Day. Time for resolutions. Time to get in shape. Time to lose the weight.

There's a variety of exercise programs you could try, but I like the simplicity and directness of One Hundred Push Ups. It's a week-by-week program with only one goal in mind: to help you do 100 push ups. (Yes, all in a row.)

Another one I tried with some success a few years ago was Cool Runnings' "Couch to 5K" running plan. Five kilometers (just over three miles) may seem insurmountable now, but they break it down into manageable chunks. In just eight weeks, you too could be huffing and puffing your way through your local charity 5K race.

No matter what your exercise goals are for the new year, remember that doing anything is better than doing nothing, and missing a day of exercise isn't an excuse to miss the next day, too. It's your health and your body, and if you make it to 100 push ups, just think of all the family members you can impress when next year's holidays arrive.