Working towards a healthier lifestyle

At the beginning of the school year, I started a walking routine. I was doing good...then winter happened. It was just too cold. Lame excuse, but it's true. I did work out on and off through winter, but no routine actually stuck. I was beginning to feel tired all the time. I had no energy or motivation to do anything. This led me to become one irritable woman. I was definitely in a slump. I knew I had to start working out again, but I was lacking serious motivation. I kept putting it off and making excuses. I knew I had to start walking again.

Fast forward to April.  I woke up one day and decided to go for a walk. I got Joey ready for school and put on my workout clothes. I did a few stretches and we set out for school. I dropped Joey off at school and I headed for my normal walking route. It took a while to warm up. I had to stop and stretch a little bit more. As I got to Marine Park, instead of going to the track, I noticed people walking along a trail near the water. I decided to check it out. The trail is approximately 8/10 of a mile around. The same as the track in Marine Park. The track is always busy with morning walkers and runners. Which is not bad, but for someone like me, I prefer the seclusion. This trail is perfect. That day, I didn't even make it 2 miles in an hour. It was a little discouraging, but I reminded myself it was my first day back. The next morning, I was able to go a little bit further, just under 3 miles in an hour. Every day, I got a little more rhythm. One day, I noticed I was the only one on the trail. I decided to try jogging for a bit. I didn't make it very far before I had to stop. For the next few days, I alternated between walking and jogging for one mile and then walking for the rest of my workout. Eventually, I started jogging and I didn't stop. Next thing I knew, I jogged a mile! I have never, ever done that before! It felt so good! I was so happy. Since then, I have jogged a little bit more every day. Today, I hit 3miles!! This is huge for me! I never thought it was possible for me jog that far. My pace is slow and I won't win any races, but I am doing this for me. This is a huge accomplishment for me. If someone told me I would be jogging in 2013, I would have laughed at them.

I workout for an hour or more, five days a week. I average 4.5 miles of jogging and walking. Some days are harder than others. In fact, almost every morning, working out is the last thing I want to do. Some how,  I am able to get moving and I feel great when I am finished.. When I wasn't doing my workout, I would take Joey to school, then come home and sleep for a couple more hours. I had no energy and was very irritable. I felt tired all the time. Since I started my workouts, I have more energy and I feel pretty good most days.

This is just one step towards a healthier lifestyle. I am currently trying to work on healthier eating and portion control. It's coming along. I'm still trying to figure out a diet that works for me. I still have a long way to go, but everything seems to be gradually falling into place. My workout plan is not perfect, but it's a heck of a lot better than before. I have awesome music and a great support system to help me along the way.

My view from the trail