The Surgery Is Open: It Simply Isn't Working

It took me ages to get to the stage that I would actually finally get fit: maybe a whole year of procrastinating and rationalising. I'll accept all that. But what is now really, really bugging me is that it simply isn't working. I go to the gym and it hurts. I  run on the treadmill and I feel terrible. And week-end football with the kids seems no easier at all.

Well done: you've got over the first hurdle. Starting the change. But you now have a bigger problem: what strategy will execute the change? There are different ways to get fit, give up smoking, write a book, make a million. You have to find the strategy which works for you. Unfortunately we often don't make fully conscious decisions about that strategy; we assume it. "I guess people who write books do this...". "I guess to get fit I need to do this...". So: make this your quest: find the 'get fit' strategy which works for your body type, your personality  and your lifestyle. And how do you do that? You say you are going to a gym. There should be someone on the staff who can have that very discussion with you and in fact will be pleased to do so. Good luck. Once the right approach for you is discovered, you'll be well on your way.