A Wake Up Call

We moved to Northern California from Louisiana at the beginning of this year. The difference is huge. Health is a big thing here. There are Co-Ops and organic food stores and lots of outdoor activities. Biking is a big thing here. There are so many people who get around on bikes! There are bike lanes on every road and even on the freeway. There were barely even any sidewalks where I used to live! I haven't ridden a bike since I was 12. So crazy different, and it makes me feel even worse about myself.

My real wake up call that I need to do something came yesterday. I'd been tossing the idea of starting to work out around. My daughter started preschool 3 mornings a week and my son is in school, so we have a few hours alone some mornings. I told my boyfriend I wanted to go for a walk, so yesterday we found a trail and went for it. I was wearing my Skechers Shapeups and after just a little while my legs were burning. Old people were passing us left and right. I kept thinking "How in the hell are their legs moving so fast?" I was sweating and hurting and then... We got to a sign that showed how much further other trails were and I looked to see how far it was back to where we started from. .75 miles. 3/4ths of a mile. I HADN'T EVEN WALKED A WHOLE MILE AND I FELT LIKE I WAS GOING TO FALL OUT. I'm only 25 years old!!!! That's when I realized that this is not okay. I should be able to walk a mile without breaking a sweat. I should be able to run around and chase my kids, and play with them on the playground. I shouldn't be moving aside to let an 80 year old man pass me on a trail.

So I'm awake, I see this. And I'm ready to change it.

I ended up walking 2.3 miles yesterday and then later I did 15 minutes of yoga. Baby steps.... But I'm gonna make it.