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From Couch Potatoe To Active!

Instead of active I wanted to say athlete, but I do not feel I am quite there yet. When I can run a full 5k without stopping I will upgrade that for sure!

When I started all of this back in January I literally had not done any physical activity outside of walking since I was in high school(5 years). The idea of working out intimidated me greatly. After some research, I love Google!,  I decided that I would be better of losing at least 10-15 pounds through diet first, so that there was not so much wear and tear on my joints, and I felt that would put me at a comfortable weight where I would not be embarrassed at the gym. After I lost that weight, Dustin bought me a gym membership and I started the next step in my weight loss journey. The first day I went to the gym I was a little scared, I did not know what half of the equipment did, what was best for a beginner, and dressing in the changing room...what a NIGHTMARE!

I figured the best approach would be to ask one of the employees what everything was and where I should start. I figured since they were all pretty, skinny, and fit they wouldn't be nice or interested in helping little fat me. I was wrong! They were they most encouraging and helpful people I could have ever imagined. The old saying don't judge a book by its cover really applied here. In reality they saw I was trying to improve my life and couldn't offer enough advice or polite words. The young woman  that showed me the equipment and how it worked was fantastic and spent more time helping me than she should have. She also informed me of classes such as Zumba, and water aerobics that they offer there that she knew many people had had great success with.

Once we were finished with the tour she set me up on the treadmill and told me to stay at a comfortable pace, expect some discomfort in my body, and if I was too uncomfortable to slow down or stop. She reminded me, like I read so many times, that I should start slow and build up endurance because jumping the gun will only end in defeat. That day I walked for 30 minutes at about a 2.8 pace. Boy was I sore the next day! And I am not ashamed to admit that because even though it was a slow pace, it was my first steps to a new me.



Over the course of the last few months I have worked up to running at a 5.0-6.0 pace for 10 minutes or so, and at home I run/walk about 3 miles in 35 minutes or so. I have come a very long way and I am proud to admit it. I was also afraid of lifting weights because of that old, you will look like a man, mindset. I researched weightlifting and found that it is great for weight loss because it builds lean muscle which in turn burns more calories, and makes you look better naked!

The whole point of this is to tell you it is okay that you may not be able to do much now, because a few months from now you will look back and realize that you have come the distance, literally! Do not let the idea of exercising intimidate you because even the little steps count, 30 minutes of walking a day can burn up to 500 calories depending on your stats. So get off that couch and go for a walk!

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