Aiming for a Healthier Lifestyle

Today, my friend Kat and I went out to the gym to blow off steam for a bit. She talked about how she's trying to eat healthier, be more active, and just be better to her body overall. It got me thinking about the future and present, as well as the past. 

       In the future, I want to be a good example of healthy living to my children. I want to learn recipes that will have the nutrients needed, as well as the right amount of calories. I want them to know the fun in running, and the feeling you get when you see just how far you've gone. That accomplished feeling, knowing your body is capable of just a little bit more. I want my husband and I to do our best to keep up with our children, so that once they're older we will still be there for them. Exercise, in my opinion, is also a great bonding opportunity, specially between moms and teenage daughters.

       Right now, I realize that I must actually stay at the weight I am at. I am sad that I can't do my usual tae bo, and running, nor can I do any push ups or weights. I feel weak and vulnerable. I'm afraid that my muscles will forget what they're capable of and I will have to begin all over again. Not 75 sit ups a minute, but back to the 30 I started with. I will have to work my way back up to being able to do 25 push ups, 5 minutes of flutter kicks, all of the things I used to do! Everything I worked hard to even be able to do! Will I even still be able to run a mile in under 10 minutes!? I want to get in shape, and in the meantime, I want to stay healthy enough to give birth to the beautiful baby girl our family has been blessed with. 

       In the past I've been so careless about health. I ate whatever, whenever, and barely did I push myself. The only thing that made that change was my desire to show those people who called me weak, and those who said I couldn't do it, that I could join the Army, and that I could do whatever I wanted to. Sadly, I was not accepted into any of the branches, despite passing all of the physical requisites except for the Marines, due to having early arthritis and asthma. I had achieved my goal, yet it was taken from me by things I could not control. Arthritis runs in the family and shows up around age 13. Asthma was environmental, growing up in Southern Cali. 

       Yet, all of these things, these experiences, are now pushing me to want to change a few lifestyle habits I've tended to ignore before. I can stretch in the morning. I can do some abdominal exercises by laying on my back and just moving my muscles. I can dance around lightly and try to walk more. Take the longer route to where I'm walking, or just make two trips instead of one difficult one. Eat better, more fruit, things that will accelerate my metabolism. Encourage my husband to join me in this, as well as save up for a gym membership. I know he really wants a treadmill desk~