Working Out

In Middle School, I remember our coach (he was large and egotistical) yelling at everyone that we were all fat and ate too many hamburgers and needed to run more. Well, I couldn't run like everyone else. I ran around the track once and felt like I would vomit. I couldn't breath and I just couldn't keep up. The sprinting cycles of soccer were challenging enough, but I enjoyed them and could handle them but couldn't run like everyone else. It turns out it was the asthma. It was always holding me back. I came to accept that I'd never be a runner. I loathed running and running loathed me. Well, in June I decided to debunk that myth. I read in an article that a person had started out walking 5 minutes, running 1, walking 5, running 1. We bought a treadmill for $150 bucks. It was almost new because some old people had gotten it and not used it. When I told Jared I wanted it, he was concerned that it wouldn't get any use. I was determined to show him otherwise. Now seven months later, I've used it 10 times it's worth! As soon as we got it here, I started using it every other day. For thirty minutes I'd do the walking 5, running 1, walking five running one. And it was really difficult!! Keep in mind I'd been sedentary for a long time, I was fat, I had asthma, and I'm not a runner. I was proud of myself for doing it, though. I kept it up and about every month to a month and a half, I'd change my routine. The next one was walk 4, run 2 minutes, walk 4, run 2. When I eventually hit a plateau weight and couldn't lose any more, I upped the total amount of time. This was tricky because I felt so comfortable just being able to do really well at what I was doing. But now I know that "comfortable" means I'm not pushing toward progression. It just means stagnation, even if I'm spending time and effort to workout 6 days a week. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I would go to the YMCA and do the stair stepper for 30 minutes, and do the weight circuit (14 machines). I kept this up, barely missing any days. I wouldn't miss a day for anything now. Eventually I geared up my running to 5 walking, 10 running, for over an hour (basically I go until I hit 700 calories) and now I add in the incline to 4.0 while running. Burning more calories in less time! Yay!
I do the stair stepper for 45 minutes (fat burning course) and lately I've been able to up the level. It's so cool to phsyically see myself getting better! Just recently I realized I could add about 15-20 lbs on each weight machine and give myself a much harder workout. It's really challenging now, but at least I know I'm pushing myself. Before, if I'd ever talked to someone that said they work out for an HOUR a day more than three times a week, I thought that person was a complete weirdo with no life. At first I felt guilty for being away and working out, but I realize now that I need it to be healthy and my kids can see me trying to live right. I can do a lot mroe with them and I don't have to take two hour naps each day now. I can actually carry on a conversation while I run. I've NEVER been able to do that before June! And just think, now with the added muscle, I can burn a lot more calories just by sitting still just by having that extra muscle. Not to mention I look a lot better now. So, start slow. Push yourself. Keep going. Commit the time and be happy!