Starting to Exercise…Again

Well, I’ve decided that it’s time to start exercising…again. I made this decision towards the beginning of the year, and like most tasks that people ‘resolve’ to do, it didn’t stick. This time, however, I am truly motivated to exercise consistently and actually see and feel the results.

I’ve started hitting the treadmill again. I mean, I bought it so I might as well use it, right. Anyhoo, I’ve been going at it for about a solid week and half, almost two. Something like that. I started really easy, not wanting to overdo it like I did the last time. (I started a little too strong and ended up bothering an old injury, had to skip a few days, which turned into months). So, to get things going I committed to a 30 minute session. I still pushed myself, but kept in mid that there is no race going on.

At first, I wanted to quit after about 4 minutes…like ‘OMG, really?! But I didn’t quit. I’d read somewhere that by 7 minutes the brain receives the chemicals/impulses signals it needs to start to feel a lil pumped about the exercising. So that became my ‘mini-goal’- get to 7 minutes. By the time I got to 7 minutes I was still in it, feeling fine, not wanting to give in. I kept going.

It took me about 33 minutes or so to get to 2 miles and when I got to that point I was nice and sweaty, feeling pumped and had had a great workout. I really do get such a great feeling from working out- something that I’ve unknowingly really missed. It feels good when your mind n spirit tell you that you can keep doing it even when your body wants to quit. To get through it all and be able to say “I did it!” is a wonderful thing.

So since that time, I’ve been sure to workout at least four days a week, a minimum of 2 miles. I’ve pretty much kept to that routine with the exception of one day recently where I decided to stick with it for an hour of walking, jogging and running. I did 4.045 miles in 60 minutes and burned 600+ calories. My heart was pumping so fast and I was dripping and drenched with sweat, but I was happy. It felt great. So, this is definitely something that will become a way of life. I’m going to try to workout every day from now on…adding in some floor work as of yesterday – 5 pushups, 10 sit ups, 20 lunges and 35 squats.

I’m on a road to a better, healthier, fitter, slimmer me.