Three weeks ago today I got a Wii Fit, mostly in the hope of adding a little more exercise to my day. Little did I know at the time that it would become downright addictive to the point where I’m exercising over an hour a day. Gladly.

In fact, I’ve been enjoying the exercise so much that I also bought My Fitness Coach for the Wii. Let me just tell you, although I’ve been busting my butt doing the Wii Fit workouts — doing both the 20-minute step exercise and the long-distance run daily in addition to the full menu of yoga, strength training and balance games — the Fitness Coach workout really brings on the burn.

Oddly enough, I mean that in the nicest way: after 40-60 minutes with the Wii Fit and a 20-minute Fitness Coach workout, I feel amazing. Or, rather, I get to feeling that way once my breath returns to normal and the sweating stops.

Yeah, it’s a lot of exercise. It’s one thing to say to yourself, “Self, I’m going to exercise for 60-90 minutes today” — the recommended amount for weight loss — and it’s another thing to do it. But doing it I am.

In all honesty, I get out of bed every single morning thinking up excuses not to exercise. (I’m tired. My legs are sore. I worked out plenty yesterday so one day off won’t hurt. I need to clean house. I don’t feel like it.) But that’s the kind of thinking that helped me gain weight in the first place, the kind that led me to believe I could lose weight if I’d just find the right diet and perhaps the right weight loss pills. Three years and countless diets later, and it’s obvious to me that dieting alone (with or without pills) isn’t going to do it.

Surprisingly enough, even though I argue with myself over exercising the entire time I’m driving my son to school, by the time I get home I’m actually in the mood to work out after all. Maybe it’s just that I’m tired of my own whining? Or maybe — just maybe — it’s because I’m seeing great results.

As of today — three weeks after I started exercising and watching what I eat — I’ve lost 9 1/2 pounds. But wait, there’s more! I’ve also lost 1 1/2 inch in my waist and 1 inch from my butt. And my chronic joint pain? It’s gone, baby, gone. (Yes, I still get sore muscles regularly — but so what?)

With results like that, I’m not about to give up. And that, perhaps, is the best response to all of those early-morning “I don’t feel like it” excuses: I don’t feel like being fat anymore, either.