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!