This is the FIRST MONTHLY update in a series, following the launch of BlogHer's 2008 Good Health-a-thon. Sign up (and get your blog badge) here.

Betcha thought I forgot.

This is the third update in a series, following the launch of BlogHer's 2008 Good Health-a-thon. Read about how it began and how you can set goals you can actually attain here.

I don't know about you, but it feels to me as though the month of January has lasted approximately two years. It is just dragggggging on, as though to say, "I know you are trying to make lifestyle changes, so I am going to test your resolve! I am going to make this month last an eternity! Bwahahahaha!" Because I guess January has nothing better to do than taunt all of us and our New Year's resolutions.

The trouble is, if you have your sights set on some major goals (as I do), getting there seems to take forever. For. Ev. Er. Which is why I have to remind myself again and again that setting short-term goals is really quite necessary. Otherwise, I'm going to feel discouraged.

So here is what I'm going to do, and where being a BlogHer is going to make all the difference in the world:

Before I started going to the gym, the prospect intimidated me. It was the same feeling I experienced when I thought about public speaking, or going on a job interview – I was afraid of looking stupid. It wasn’t the cardio machines I minded so much; they’re pretty self-explanatory. It was the weights.

Looking fantastic isn't all about what you wear; how you feel is even more important, really. If you are well rested and hydrated and healthy, it will show in your skin and hair and demeanor. Your health is worth committing to, and the first step to a successful exercise routine is to have the right equipment. Let's talk about how to gear up for walking, running, and yoga.

My name is Catherine Morgan and I am a Sugar Addict. Yes, I admit it. Isn't admitting you have a problem the first step towards recovery?

2008 is already almost three weeks old, and the holiday season is fading fast into our collective memories. As the ordinary day-to-day routine reclaims our lives after weeks of traveling, shopping, and eating, sticking to those fitness resolutions that you made a little over two weeks ago might be getting a little bit tougher. As the novelty of new work outs and diets begin to wane, I surfed some fitness-centric blogs written by women who are not only successfully sticking to their plans, but were also gracious enough to share tips with the rest of us slackers: