Walking & Aliens

There's just something sexy about a man in leather chaps riding a horse........Oh wait, that doesn't have anything to do with running!  I broke my routine last night and went and saw Cowboys and Aliens with my cousin.  She had to work until 10 so we went to the late showing.  Way past what's become my normal bedtime but once in awhile is ok!  This is not my typical type of movie but I really enjoyed it!
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Even though I was up several hour later than normal I still woke up at my regular time.  Fortunately I was able to go back to sleep for a couple more hours.  So when I woke up again at 7 I was up and very looking forward to my walk.  So off I went!

I went a completely different route this morning.  We have a trail that borders a golf course on one side and is untamed on the other.  It was a far better path as far as views go!  There were some wildflower/flowering weeds along that way that were very pretty.

There were people out galore this morning.  Old people, young people, walkers, runners, bikers, people out running with their dogs!
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If I had to describe today's walk in a just a few words I'd have to say ~ WHAT A RUSH!! ~.  This was by far the best walk I've had so far.  And the funny thing is that it was also the hardest!  There's just something about pushing pushing pushing yourself past your normal comfort zone and knowing that you can do it!  That self-talk was very useful today.  I just kept telling myself that I could do this.  I left zero room in my head for negative thoughts!
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There were a lot more hills, it was about 2x as far and I just kept pushing myself!  I was past the main trial and there wasn't a sidewalk and all I could see ahead were 3 little hills that I knew I had to get past!  So I just viewed hills and walking on the gravel and dirt and ground cover was just a preparation for my hiking days to come! :)

I did have a little concern when I first started off because my foot was really bothering me.  I didn't know if it was one of those things that by straining it I'd make it worse or if it was just because I've started walking and soreness is to be expected.  I didn't want to use it as an excuse to keep me from my walk so I was just very careful and "listened" to my body.  And I'm so glad that I kept going because the pain did alleviate.  I'm still REALLY feeling it in my calves and in the backs of my thighs but oh what a feeling!
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Today is one of our City Days where vendors are all set up in the park and there's old cars and fun stuff so I'm planning to walk back to the park this afternoon and wander around there a bit.  In the past I would have driven even though it's close enough that the walk is very enjoyable!
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Tonight my cousin and I are taking an Italian cooking class.  Tonight's menu is Stuffed Peppers.  I'm hoping that they're stuffed with healthy things!  It's taught by a little Italian lady who is just a sweetheart so the classes are really fun!
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Now to get cleaned up and walk over to the Farmer's Market ~ I wonder what goodies I'll find today............ :)

10-Minute Trainer & Hiking!!

On the days that I do resistance training I'm using the 10-Minute Trainer and I love it!!  (If anyone decides to try it out, please get it through Beachbody Coach Mandy Horan!  She's great and will help you reach your goals!)  I like it because right now 10 minutes is all I can do!  It's a great workout and I know it's happy to be kicking my butt! ;)  And besides ~ who can't commit to just 10 minutes a day?  And before I know it, I'm positive that I'll be doing more than just the initial 10 minutes.  I'm doing it every other day, trading off with my walking sessions.
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Today was one of those days that I was just not getting that "10" that I like to get when I'm working out.  I didn't have any problems getting out of bed (yay!!) and once again I beat the alarm clock!  I was just not feeling it and on one hand was I kind of bummed that I didn't reach the level I wanted but on the other hand I'm so proud of myself for just pushing through it.  I didn't quit, I didn't give up.  We can't let days like these de-rail us!

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Let's talk about hiking!  I *LOVE*LOVE*LOVE hiking!

I've only been a few times in my life but oh what a feeling!  It's exhilerating and I can not wait to do more.  I love the hard work that comes before the payoff.  Whether it's a spectacular view or just that incredible feeling of accomplishment, it's so worth it.  No one in my family are hikers or outdoorsy unfortunately, so I didn't grow up getting to do this sort of thing.  I'm in the process of looking into some local hiking clubs but haven't found one yet that would be a fit for me - but I'll keep looking!!

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I bought a book that lists the best wildflower hikes in my state.  It tells you the best times to go, the times that the most wildflowers are in bloom.  Some are day hikes, some are overnight hikes.  As I mentioned yesterday about creating my "Fitness Bucket List", one of the items on the list is to eventually hike at least 50% of the hikes listed in my book!  I'm looking at starting that next spring!  Hopefully by then I'll have found a hiking buddy! :)

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I also have some other very exciting news!  One of the guys I work with goes hiking with his 4 boys and I mentioned that hiking is something I really want to do and he told me that the next time they go I'm definately invited!  Woo hoo!!  He has some property up by a lake that has some great trails & views.  Anyway I just kept on him about when we could go and today he said let's plan it for Labor Day weekend!  I cannot tell you how excited I am about this!  If you think you can guess how excited I am, take that and multiply it a million!!  (And with it a month away it gives me a few more weeks to build up my endurance!)

"Climbing is not a spectator sport." ~Mark Wellman

Walking & Sustainability

What a walk this morning!  I found myself just loving being out.  The air was cool & crisp and it felt great to be breathing in that fresh air.  Have I mentioned that I just love my community?  It's so walker/runner/biker friendly!  I passed a couple out running and was thrilled knowing that soon that will be me!  Eeeeee!! :)
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My route starts right out on a hill and today it seemed to be harder.  I was really struggling trying to keep up the same pace I've used on the previous days.  As I got to my original turn off I was so tempted to revert to my other, shorter route.  But I said "no, just push through it".  So I kept on the longer route and am so glad I did.  It's a great feeling of accomplishment to know I didn't give up just because it was hard!  I really think it's these little steps of perservereance that help me keep going.


One of the things I'm working on is remembering to hold onto those good feelings that come when I make the best choices.  Those days when I wake up and think I just want to stay in bed, I remember how I felt when I did get up and get moving vs. the disappointment I felt with myself when I did stay in bed.  There's that tiny moment between laying and standing that is the hardest for me!  Because once I'm up, I'm ready to go and won't get back into bed.  It's just the actual moving from laying to standing that is my hardest struggle.

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Today I've been thinking about the sustainability of the plan we choose for ourselves.  It's going to be different for each person and I think it's very important that we try different avenues and plans and be willing to just find those things that work for us and create our own custom plan.
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I've still got a lot to learn but here's a few things I've learned so far:
     -WHAT DOES WORK FOR ME:
          1.  Gradually change behaviors and habits:  I first changed my sleeping habits, then I started walking, then I started adding distance to my walk - that's where I am now.  And with the slower change over it feels more natural.
          2.  Slowly incorporate new healthy foods in as I slowly move unhealthy foods out so as to not feel deprived.  The minute you tell yourself you can't have something, it's the only thing you want!  I still have food in my house that probably shouldn't be there but over these past few weeks I've been bringing in more fruits and veggies in and I find myself reaching less and less for those unhealthy processed foods and more towards the good stuff.  I know it's there even if I'm not eating it so I don't feel deprived.  And if I do  choose to have it, I can have it in moderation to curb the craving.  Slow changes work best for me!
    -WHAT DOES NOT WORK FOR ME:
          1.  Completely changing everything from eating habits to exercise from one extreme to another all in one day.  In the past when I've started a new program I'd go in the clean out all the food that they said was bad, I'd jump right into a vigorous exercise routine that I'd do 5-6 days a week.  Well it wouldn't take long before I'd burn out.  It was such an abrupt change that I couldn't sustain it.  But by making one little change at a time (I typically do it for about a week before adding another change into the mix) it's a more natural progression into the person that I want to become.

I decided to add a "Fitness Bucket List" to the bottom of the blog.  I've listed a few things that I'm working towards.  As I think of new ones I will add them.  My one BIG one is to one day hike the Grand Canyon!

Resistance & Reaching Out

Today I beat the alarm clock again (yay!) and as I rolled out of bed I found that I was actually looking forward to doing my resistance training.  It's still a hard workout and it's still kicking my butt ~ but I wouldn't want it any other way.

Working out in the morning is the best time for me!  Mentally it's a great way to start the day.  It just seems to set the tone for the rest of the day.  It makes it easier to make better choices for the rest of the day when it's gotten off to a great start. And if you don't, you may feel like this:

....and who wants to start the day like that! :)
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For more practical reasons it gets it "out of the way".  I don't like looking at exercise that way but you know what I mean.  We may have all the best intentions to work out at a certain time of time, maybe it's even written in our calendar - but life happens!  Sometimes things beyond our control come up and put a kink in our plans.  Sometimes we can work around it, sometimes we can't.  So if it's been taken care of first thing, that's one less thing we have to deal with if life gets in the way!

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I want to talk about something that's really hard for me to talk about.  It's something I've felt for most of my life.  It's this idea that I swear some people have that "fat is contagious".  I've had this notion, whether real or imagined, that people don't like to touch fat people.  All my life I've made sure that I don't get too close to people for fear they'll be disgusted if they accidentally touch me.  I can't remember a time when I wasn't like this.  I never initiate touch because I've always been so sure that they're grossed out by me.  If you've never been on "this side" you probably don't know or understand what I mean.
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What brought this out more lately is when I started watching Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition.  When I first saw trainer Chris Powell I was intimidated.  I made a snap judgement about what sort of guy he was based on how he looked.  Because guys that look like him certainly don't really care about "us".  Guys like him laugh at the fat people.  Guys like him steer clear of fat people so as to not ruin their own reputation.
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I couldn't have been more wrong!  Watching him interact with his clients it's very clear to anyone that he truly cares about them.  And what's more - he's always touching them in an encouraging way.  A comforting arm around them if they're struggling, a high five and a hug when they've killed a workout.  Just a touch on the arm in passing.  I love him for this!  It's taught me that not everyone thinks they'll "catch something" if they touch a fat person.  Now this may not sound like much but I've never had someone treat me like that.  If someone ever touched my arm it's my jerk reaction to move away because I'm just sure they didn't mean it.
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And now I have a friend that a hugger.  And after a year of always getting a hug from her whenever I see her, it still catches me off guard!  She just comes up to me, no hesitation, and gives me a big ol' hug!

So I don't know if it's all in my head or if there are people like that out there and I've just had the bad luck of running into them my whole life.  But I do know that in the past year since I've been working on coming out of my shell, trying to be more personable, trying to branch out, that I get more of a positive response from those around me, including the occasional hand on my arm ~ so maybe it's a little of both.
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Maybe I'm learning that I get back what I give out.  That by shying away from people, they tended to shy away from me and that by reaching out to others, they reach out to me.

Starting Week 2:

First let's catch up on yesterday.  I vowed to do my resistance training after work since I couldn't do it in the morning.  Working out after work is one of my least favorite times to do it.  However~ I walked in the door after work and I didn't pass go, didn't collect $200, didn't sort through my mail, ~ I went straight in my room and changed my clothes and WORKED OUT!  And as great as it felt physically to work out, the mental feeling is incredible!  I made a committment and I stuck to it.  I didn't make excuses.  I followed through because I'm learning that I'M WORTH IT!
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So this morning was the start of Week 2 in my journey and I beat the alarm clock!  Yay!  Only by 2 minutes but what a feeling!
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The biggest window of failure for me in the past has been those few minutes between knowing I need to get moving and actually moving.  Such a small window but such huge repercussions!  Those few minutes after waking up are when I struggle the most.  Which even to me sounds silly because from experience I know that I've never regretted getting up and moving and I love the feeling of being out and moving.  So why do I struggle so so much when I know those good feelings are awating me if I'd just get out of bed?!  So far I've been successful in not letting that evil little voice keep me down but I'm aware of it so I can always keep my guard up against it!
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Since I'm now in Week 2 and already was feeling like my walking routine was getting easier I knew it was time to add some distance.  I left Cowboy at home this morning ~ the wind was blowing something terrible and he's such a delicate little thing ;) and I know he hates the wind!

So it was just me and my tunes this morning.  As I was walking I had so many thoughts running around in my head about things I wanted to share.  I know I can't remember them all!  Hopefully they'll come back to me!
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I added some distance this morning and definately felt it.  I was really slowing down as I got back closer to home.  What an amazing feeling!  I could feel it in my legs, in the backs of my thighs where I've never felt it before.  When I get those feelings it just makes me want to dance! :)
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As much as I love walking with Cowboy I do notice that I keep a steadier pace when I'm by myself.  So that's a good and a bad thing.  Have to learn how to balance that out!
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It was very quiet out this morning.  Only saw 2 other people and just a couple of cars.  But instead of that being a lonely feeling, I used it as a time for just thinking, a time for reflecting, a time for planning, and a time to just jam to my tunes!

One of the people I saw was a lady running.  Now in the past I would have been jealous and thought that was unobtainable for me.  But this morning I saw it not only as a possibiliy but as a PROBABILITY!  I know that one day that will be me.  No more sitting on the sidelines watching life go by and wishing I was in it.  Now I'm up and right in the middle of it! 
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Watching the Extreme Makeover: Weight Loss Edition season finale was so inspiring!  I saw Krista, at around 300 pounds RUNNING a 1/2 marathon and I realized: I HAVE NO MORE EXCUSES!  She's out there running ~ doing something that I just crave to do so bad and it spurred me on!

So as a result of that I know I've got to set another plan in motion.  (Tweaking & adjusting: isn't that what life is all about?)  In the middle of August my cousin and I are going on a 2+ week road trip (sooo excited but that's a whole other post!).  So the plan I'm setting up for myself is this:  I will continue my walking, increasing the distance & inclines steadily until our trip in 3 weeks.  Then when I'm back home I WILL start RUNNING!  Whether it's for 30 seconds or for a mile at first doesn't matter as long as I'm committed to giving it all I've got!.  I've been researching different C25K programs and apps and I think I've found one that I like.  That WILL start August 31st!  I'm so excited just talking about it!!
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Funny story:  On Sunday my sister, who has never been a runner nor expressed any desire to do so, officially announced that she's training with my sister-in-law for a 5K in November.  As I was a week into my transition already I couldn't help but laugh (in a good way of course!)  What is my family becoming?  :)  So now my quandry is this: do I tell my family my plan?  So far I haven't mentioned it to anyone outside of Facebook what I am doing.  On one hand the support would (hopefully!) be great, but on the other hand I'd love to be able to surprise them by telling them at the last minute that I'm going to run it too.  I can just imagine the look on their faces!
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(I have to admit that there are some underlying issues with me and my family that I don't want to go into right now and I'd be lying if I said that wasn't part of the reason for NOT telling them ahead of time.)  What to do... What to do...
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I've discovered something about myself:  I get so much more from being successful in being true to my commitment to myself than I ever did from seeing a lower number on the scale.  Don't get me wrong, anytime I lost weight in the past I felt great and it does feel good seeing that lower number.  But the rush & high that comes from doing something that is not only good for my body but also something that is bringing me that much closer to fulfilling my dream is priceless!
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"Life affords no higher pleasure than that of surmounting difficulties;

passing from one step of success to another,

forming new wishes,

and seeing them gratified.

He that labors in any great or laudable undertaking

has his fatigues first supported by hope,

and afterwards rewarded by joy"

-Samuel Johnson

The weekend...

It's very important for me to keep my schedule on the weekends.  So Saturday I was up and Cowboy and I went for our walk.  He loves getting outside and I know that the exercise is very important for him too so that's another reason for me to get up and go!  There were quite a few dog walkers out which is nice to see!.
Cowboy cracks me up.  He has a little skip when he walks.  It's hereditary ~ both his dad & grandpa had the same thing.  It's kind of hard to tell from this video since it's a bit shaky but if you pay close attention you can see what I mean:

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After our walk we went home and prepared to go to the farmer's market.  Oh how I just ~LOVE~ the farmer's market!  So many yummy, colorful, bright, & cheery things to see!  So Cowboy and I set off again and took another nice walk to the market.  Check out my haul:

Cherries, berries, lettuce, potatoes, a purple bell pepper (never seen such a thing so decided to try it!), basil that smells absolutely amazing, perfect jam, and a red onion jam!
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In just a short week I'm finding that it's easier for me to walk ~ time to add some distance! ~ and when I get back home I can climb the stairs to my second story condo a lot easier! :)  This is such a great feeling!  It makes me KNOW that it's working!  That I'm that much closer to my goal!
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Sunday was a rest day.  I'm feeling like a tweaked my knee on Saturday so I didn't want to stress it more.  So in the afternoon Cowboy and I just went for a leisurely stroll through my city's new arboretum.  It was nice to just be out in the sunshine for a little while! :)  Maybe it sounds silly but I get motivation from Cowboy just running & frolicking & darting from tree to tree, plant to plant!  He's so curious and enthusiastic!  One of these days he'll have his match in energy!  Haha! ;)
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Sunday evening I was at my friends house with their kids until they got home which was supposed to be about 10:30 pm.  A little later then my normal bedtime but I was helping them out.  But due to an accident on the highway, what should have been a 6 hour drive for them turned into a 9 hour drive - meaning I didn't get home until 1:30am!!  Nothing like that to upset the balance!  So I didn't get my resistance training in this morning.  Not to be a wasted day ~ I will be doing it after work!  It'll be hot and probably the last thing I'll feel like doing after work but I know that it's being diligent & committed that will make my goal a reality!

Numbers and a few other things

Today was a resistance training day.  Got up (barely!) and ran through the same routine I did on Wednesday.  I hate switching routines until I have mastered one.  It makes me feel like I'm "cheating" if I switch before I can master it.  I know that crazy thinking since I'm one that subscribes to the "muscle confusion" thought.  So perhaps I will try and find another routine to change it up a bit!

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It seems like it's getting harder and harder to get up in the morning.  Not really like I'm dreading it but just not having that "get up and go" attitude.  This scares me a bit because I know what I've done/been like in the past and do not want to repeat those same mistakes.  I always start very gung-ho but then loose steam.  I can imagine it's like this for most people.  That's part of the reason for this blog: to keep me focused & dedicated & committed!   I just have to keep telling myself that it's one day at a time.  Don't worry tomorrow because tomorrow never comes.  Focus on today ~ do your best today ~ commit to today ~ SUCCEED TODAY!

I said earlier that I'd share my thoughts on the whole "numbers" game involved in health, diet, fitness, etc.  These are just my thoughts and things that I've found out about what works and what doesn't work for me.  I know everyone is different and some people need the numbers to keep them motivated and that's ok!
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First, the scale.  While I think the scale is an important tool I don't think we should focus our entire life around the thing!  The more obsessed we are with it the more obsessed with it we become.  I was on Weight Watchers for 2+ years and while the program worked I was miserable because to me it seemed like everything revolved about the number on the scale and less about getting healthy.  Of course they teach healthy eating as part of the plan but go to the meetings and everyone is putting their entire self worth into what the scale says.  They'd be disappointed in themselves if they had followed the plan to a T and exercised faithfully but didn't see the result on the scale.  It didn't seem to matter that they were making good, healthy choices, things that would benefit them greatly in the long run simply because of a number on the scale!

It's great to see a number on our scale go down but if we are choosing to eat healthy and choosing to exercise then the number on the scale will go down!  Make your goal to be healthy and not a goal of just seeing a certain number on the scale.
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Second:  Counting calories (or points on WW).  The problem for me is that by having to count every. single. solitary. thing that went into my mouth I was more obsessed with food than I had ever been before!  I was thinking about food every minute of the day - which resulted in it being harder and harder for me to resist splurging or binging.  How many points do I have left today?  How many calories is this apple?  When is my next scheduled meal?  What am I going to eat? and so on!
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I look cooking and for me it's very relaxing and a stress reliever.  And it doesn't even have to be for me.  I just love to cook!  I'm not some great chef and am not into doing really fancy cooking.  Just good down home cooking!  Which does not have to be unhealthy!  I use a lot of vegetables, lean meats, high fiber foods in my cooking.

But see how relaxing cooking is when you have to weigh, measure,  calculate and re-calculate everything!  I cook like my grandma did ~ just toss some in the pan!  When I was on a designated plan, cooking no longer was enjoyable.
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That being said, I understand the importance of weighing & measureing our food.  And I do it.  Just not every day for every single thing.  I use it more as a guide to keep my eye-balling method in check.  I touch on it here and there so my portions don't steadily get bigger and bigger.  Cooking is now enjoyable again!

Maybe I should even get Cowboy in the kitchen to help me! ;)

So those are my reasons for not focusing on the numbers.  I'm not making this change so I can weigh a certain amount or wear a certain size.  I'm doing it because I want to be healthy.  I want to be healthy so I can enjoy life.
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One of my biggest problems is motivation.  I know that I feel amazing after I exercise.  I know that I enjoy exercising (believe it or not I don't look at exercise as torture!), I know it's crucial to my health.  I know it's absolutely necessary if I want to be able to do the things I enjoy.  So why oh why are there so many days that I can't get off my bum and MOVE?!!  It frustrates me to no end and yet I'm the one causing it!  I can watch motivational speeches, read motivational emails and they sound great, I'm nodding & agreeing...And still sitting there.  Then I beat myself up and that evil voice sneaks in and tells me I'm not worth it.
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And the funny thing is that if I'm around other people, I'm the one that wants to keep on going, I'm the one that's encouraging them to never give up, I push and push myself and others.  I won't quit!  It makes it seem like I'm being false ~ but I'm not!  I feel it when I'm with them.  But I don't feel it when I'm alone, so there I sit!  So these last few days I will admit that I'm not getting up and exercising because I'm so motivated, I'm doing it because I made a commitment to myself and for the first time in my life I don't want to give up on myself.  But I definately need to work on becoming motivated!
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I don't want to run just to be doing something healthy, I want to run because I crave that runner's high!  I'm one of those crazy people that enjoys exercise!  For me, running is the cake ~ being healthy and losing weight is the frosting!

Self-talk and listening to yourself

Today was a hard day to get up despite going to bed at 9:00 last night!  I was right in the middle of a deep sleep so when the alarm went off at 5:00 I was definately not feeling it.  But once again that GOOD voice came through telling me to just get up and go.  So I did! :)
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I'm learning that self-talk really helps.  When it was first suggested to me it was really hard to put into practice.  In the aftermath of an event I was asked if I had "talked" to myself and for me it's often not until the event is over that I look back and see where I could have used "self talk" but when I'm right in the middle of whatever it is, I'm so focused on that thing that I forget, or don't think about, doing the self-talk.  So it's definately a work in progress.  Remembering to self-talk is the key!
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When you've spent your whole life listening to the negative voice, whether it's external or internal, it's hard to believe the positive voice, either external or internal.  One things I'm proud of in myself is that when I hear or see something and my first thoughts are negative, I take a step back and consciously look for the things that are positive about it and focus on those.  And let me tell you that it goes a long way towards changing my attitude!
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Moral of the story:  Talk to yourself in a positive way, and more so - LISTEN!
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I took Cowboy on my walk this morning!

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He's a good little walker except that he feels the need to mark Every. Single. Tree. that we come across and as you can tell by my fuzzy picture....

there's a LOT of them!  They're planted like this the entire course of our walk! :)  Our community is a "tree community" ~ an honor from the Arbor Day Foundation so it makes for a beautiful walk with all the differenct trees and in such abundance!
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So Cowboy gets a good little workout.  He runs to one tree and I walk past while he's marking it and when I'm about halfway to the next tree his leash gets taut so I call him and he runs past me to the next tree and so on!  So he doesn't hinder my walk at all and he gets to run from tree to tree to tree!
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I'm feeling good from my commitment these last 3 days.  One day at a time!  My feeling of "good" is more mental at this point that physical ~ which is fine.  I know that what I'm doing will improve my physical well-being over time and right now it's awesome to feel good inside, to know that the choices I'm making are healthy and will lead me one by one to my goal of RUNNING!

My Step 2a: Resistance Training

I am alternating my walking days with resistance training.  I believe that it's very important to do both.  The DVD I'm using is "10-Minute Trainer"

It a great set!  As you can see it has a DVD for Total Body, Lower Body, Abs, Cardio, and Yoga.  So far I've only used the Total Body one and let me tell you it kicked my butt!
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It used to make be kind of depressed when I could hardly do what seemed like such a simple, easy workout.  Now I know that EVERY step I take, no matter how small, both figuratively and mentally, is valuable since it means I'm moving forward.  The workout band I got with this DVD set is the "hard" and towards the end I couldn't even stretch it above my head!  I know that I will get there though!  It just takes time & dedication & commitment!  If I can't even keep a commitment I make to myself, how can I ever hope to keep a commitment I make to someone else?
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The great thing about these bands are that you can ease or tighten (to a degree) the resistance.  So when I do get to where the workout is "easy" - I can just cinch up on the band and work at a harder level!
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I got my 10-Minute Trainer through Mandy Horan who is a Beachbody Coach.  If you're interested, contact her through her website, www.getfitwithmandy.com.  She also has the P90X and several others so no doubt you can find one that would work for you.
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And to copy what she always says: "Just press play!"
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~ A great pleasure in life is doing what others say you can't ~

My Step 2: Starting to Walk

As I woke up this morning my bed posts seemed to come alive and as they reached for me and told me to just stay in bed, just hit the snooze a few time, another voice coming from deep within said "Just do it, Becky!  Just get up and go!"  And that's the voice I listened to!  I knew I wouldn't regret it!

I got up ~ I got dressed ~ I got my walking shoes on ~ and I set out!  From that first breath of fresh air I was energized!  It was a crisp, cool morning, dew making the grass sparkle, and that quiet stillness that comes before the world has awoken.

The rolling hills in the background, birds flying (I'd like to say that they were eagles but most likely just seagulls!).  I love my community~ even at 5:30 in the morning there were other like minded people out and about.  Running, walking, even kids already at the skate park showing off their skills!
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When I got up to the school, I sadly discovered that they don't have a track like I thought they did so I will have to adapt!  There several trails that I can use instead.  When something doesn't go your way ~ don't give up - ADAPT!  No excuses!  Where there's a will, there's a way!
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I don't know the distance that I went but it was a very good first time out.  (I'll have another post soon about my thoughts on all the "numbers" associated with health, diet, exercise, etc.)
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I was feeling the burn in my legs ~ but it's a good kind of burn!  I plan on following this same route for the first few times and then slowly start adding distance & more inclines so that it never gets "easy".  I like the feeling of it "working".  I'm looking forward and guess what I can see in my future?  Me, running running running!

My Step 1: Regulate my sleep pattern

For the past week I've been going to bed and getting up at the same time every day (roughly: bed between 9-10 and up between 5-6).  And yes that includes the weekends!
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In just one short week I can almost get by without an alarm clock.  Which as you might know based on how most of us feel on the weekends when we sleep til whenever...feels great to just wake up organically!
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This morning before work I woke up before my alarm and it felt wonderful!  I didn't have to start the day with that tired feeling that comes from being so rudely awoken by that incessant buzzing of the alarm.

You have to start somewhere......

Few people know this about me but ~ I WANT TO RUN!

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"Away?" you may ask. No, I just want to run. I want to experience that runner's high that comes from feeling the pavement beneath my feet, the sweat on my face, my arms pumping along with the beat of the pulsing music coming from my iPod, the knowledge that this feeling is far better than any that could come from sitting on the couch eating some chips!

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Remember being a kid and that carefree, no-holds-barred, running we used to do ~ to our friends house, playing tag & kickball & hide & seek with all the neighborhood kids, and just for the fun of it? I want that feeling back!

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Just thinking about it makes me smile ~ makes me want to put on my shoes and take to the streets! Why don't I? Let me tell you: I've spent the past way-too-many years making choices that now hinder me from doing this thing that I love and yearn to do! -FOR NOW! I aim to change all that starting today!

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The reason people may not know about this secret passion of mine is because I've hidden it from the world. I've been ashamed to say out loud that it's what I want. I was afraid someone hearing it would take one look at me and laugh at the absurdity of it! But why shouldn't I run? Why shouldn't I take part in this thing that I want to do SOO badly? There's no reason why! That's what I've finally figured out! If I'm not running it's because of me! Because of choices I've made! No one else is stopping me from running! If I want to run, I have to be willing to GET UP, willing to GET OUTSIDE, willing to TAKE THAT FIRST STEP, and willing to KEEP ON GOING! Maybe I can only run a few steps my first time out ~ that's OK! It all starts with a single step!

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I've created this blog mostly for me ~ to hold me accountable, to keep me inspired, to keep me focused. Any maybe to be of some help to others who are looking to make changes in their own lives. My goal is that this won't be one more thing that I start but do not finish. I'm tired of failing at my own hand, tired of being held back (by my evil side, cause I know my good side wouldn't do this!), tired of starting something and not going all the way! I deserve better! I deserve a me that does what's best for me! I am going to quiet that mean little voice that tells me I can't do it and let the one that says I CAN have the reins!

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My promise to myself (and to you if you're reading this) is to be honest about both my successes and failures. I'm realistic enough to realize that there wouldn't be any mountains without any valleys. Some days are going to be better than others. But if I can't stand up to my failures, I'll never beat them back. By looking them in the eye I can have the hope of defeating them to make room for more success!

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As this blog progresses I'll be getting into more of my steps and my goals. But in a nutshell it's this: Start with walking, being able to walk to the track, have walking to the track become my warm up, walk/run on the track, run on the track, and warm up-run on the track-walk home as cool down.

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If you are reading this please feel free to comment! On anything, about anything, etc! I'd love to hear about what you are doing to make positive changes in your life and for your health! Maybe we can help each other and support each other!

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Those shoes in the picture on the header of this blog are my new Nike Shox ~ custom created by me, for me, and to get me moving! Knowing that they say "Becky Will Run" are like wings on my feet ~ propelling me forward as I strive to reach my goal!

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I know that I can't go out right now and *run* but I DO KNOW that by getting up, by walking, by speed walking, by taking it one day at a time, that - BECKY WILL RUN!