If it's not fun, Carmen Rodrigues won't do it.

That philosophy, she said, has been her biggest roadblock to staying in shape.

"I have a gym membership, but I hardly ever go," said the 32-year-old broadcast producer from Waikiki. "If it isn't fun, I'm more resistant to it, and I'll find every excuse not to exercise."

Three summers ago, Rodrigues, who grew up fishing and bodyboarding in Makaha, decided she wanted to learn how to surf. So one morning she and her friends rented longboards in Waikiki and paddled out to the lineup at Canoes. She hasn't stopped since. She surfs about five to seven times a week, usually in the early mornings, usually in Waikiki. Over three years, she's become a familiar face on the beach.

"I just love the waves there," said Rodrigues, who now owns five boards and lives just blocks from her favorite Waikiki breaks. "And I really love surfing with the morning crew. There's nothing else like that."

Her next goal: to conquer the waves in Hale'iwa.

But only if it's fun, of course.

Name: Carmen Rodrigues.

Age: 32.

Profession: Broadcast producer for Milici Valenti Ng Pack.

Height: 5 feet 5.

Weight: 120 pounds.

Workout habits: Surfing five to seven times a week for at least an hour; hula once a week for two hours; stretching while watching TV; and playing with her niece.

When and why I started working out: "I got into a car accident several years ago, and the only reason I wasn't seriously hurt was because I had just returned from competing in the Merrie Monarch (hula festival). All the conditioning, stretching and training made my body strong enough to sustain the impact. The doctors in ER told me that I was lucky to have so few injuries because I was sitting on the passenger side, which is what they dubbed 'the dead man's seat.' Since then, I've tried to stay active and keep my body strong. I continued with hula and found other activities along the way, but nothing sparked my interest until I started surfing. Now, every type of activity I do, I look at as a means to improving my surfing and hula dancing."

My good foods/bad foods: "My mum always thought I was a strange child because I've always liked to eat fruits and veggies. But, hands down, premium ice cream, dark chocolate, pastries (especially coco puffs from Liliha Bakery) and crispy french fries are my favorite foods."

My biggest motivator: "Competition! Many of my friends have been surfing for a long time and have incredible surfing skills, and I want to be just as good as they are. I want to be able to surf as long and as hard as they do, and to be able to paddle 100 feet out to the lineup, turn my board around and catch a wave without pausing or huffing and puffing because I'm out of breath."

My next challenge: "To get well-conditioned to be able to paddle through the strong current and out to the lineup at Hale'iwa during a small north swell and catch waves without losing energy and strength after the paddle."

What saves my sanity: "When everything else just seems crazy, I can escape to one of my two favorite things to do: surfing or hula. In the water, I practice doing really hard turns (on my board) and push my paddling ability until my anger dissipates. With hula, I can focus on the music and get lost in the song. Both allow me to change my focus toward something I enjoy. This allows me to come back to reality refreshed and recharged, ready to tackle the problem I left behind."

Advice for those in the same boat: "Find something fun that you'll enjoy doing and make it a part of your day. It doesn't need to take up a lot of time ... You'll feel better, and it will give you a chance to refresh your mind and body. And once it becomes a habit, you'll find reasons why you can't break your commitment to yourself."

Reach Catherine E. Toth at ctoth@honoluluadvertiser.com.