Two Full Weeks!

If ever there was a day for me to stay in bed today would be that day!  I was TIRED and comfortable beyond my wildest dreams.  The only problem...if I didn't go today I would have been one day shy of two solid weeks of exercise!  As I put on my shoes I glanced up at the clock/outdoor weather expecting something a bit cooler yet seeing a temperature of 80 and humidity at 76%...ICK! So, there I was caught between a deep desire for more sleep, disgusting heat waiting for me outside, and two solid weeks of exercise...and exercise won!  This is something that I am very proud of.  It would have been so easy for me to let myself sleep and avoid the heat but it would have also got in the way of my fitness goals. 
Putting fitness above personal comfort is something that I had never really done before this fitness kick that I am on now.  It is a very big obstacle to overcome.  After all, if it was easy our obesity rates would be way down, there wouldn't be a Biggest Loser, and personal trainers would be out of a job.  Motivation and stick-to-it-ness is not easy to come by.  It is much easier to admit how hard something is and use it as an excuse to quit rather than to follow through.  At the same time, the harder you work toward something difficult, the more you appreciate the end result.  This is something that I hope I can share with my students in the fall...while English may not be their best subject (while in fact it may be their most difficult) it is worth it to stick with it.  It may not be the easiest choice, but it is the choice that will lead them to the most desirable results.
Yesterday I spent 37 minutes on the elliptical in our basement-I hate that thing.  I feel awkward on it and I have a hard time staying on for long.  Yesterday I was determined to get a better work out on it and I lasted for 37 minutes at a level 3 resistance and I "traveled" 1.25 miles.  Not too bad for my second workout of the day and boy was my heart pounding after that!  I actually wished that I could have stayed on longer but my knee was bugging me and I needed a rest.
One motivation for writing this blog was really the hope that I could get other people to see what I can do and be led to wonder what they themselves are capable of.  If I can do this and stick with this then so can a whole host of other people!  Yesterday, my future sister-in-law posted on my Facebook page "You seriously inspire the heck out of me." Now there is something mutually beneficial!  I am happy that what I write is inspiring someone else to make some fitness changes and I am motivated to keep writing because this isn't just a page sitting out there in cyber space.  It is something that is being read which really feels good!  My challenge to anyone reading: Make a healthy change in your life and rather than focus on how difficult it is, focus on how good it feels knowing that you are doing something great for your future!