Getting Started: Go For A Walk

Wow! Can't believe I'm already on post #3. These things I'm writing about have been bouncing around in the back of my mind for so long that it feels amazing to put them down on virtual paper. I hope that virtual people aren't the only ones reading...

In my last post, I talked about my struggles with food and dealing with my calorie and nutrition intake, and how I got started getting it under control. Continuing on with that thread, today I am going to focus on the the flip side of the coin: activity and exercise. As I was able to work on controlling my eating habits, I knew I needed to get out and start exercising. But it's not easy to start an exercise and fitness routine, especially when you weigh more than 300 lbs and you get winded climbing a single flight of stairs. Thing is, I'm the kind of person who has no problem sticking to an established routine. It's the getting started part that I have trouble with. So when I wanted to started exercising, I was game for the challenge, but didn't know how to go about it. I knew I was physically limited, and that I would have to start off slow. Luckily, there are plenty of opportunities available to me and it wasn't long before the perfect solution fell in my lap.

I got the starting point I needed in an email from HR, inviting all employees to join a team to do a 5k race in nearby Seal Beach. The kicker? I could walk it. Hmmmm. 5k? How far is that? It turns out that it's only 3.1 miles. I figured I could handle that. So I signed up and began going for walks. I considered it training. I didn't want to show up unprepared on the day of the race, pass out, and be hauled off on a stretcher. So three or four days a week,  I drove down to Belmont Shore, and walked on the beach for an hour at a time. To pass the time, I listened to music, took pictures with my Blackberry, posted them on Facebook while I walked, and realized I had actually found a way to enjoy being outside in the city. After 6 weeks passed I did the race, I finished in about 51 minutes, and as I crossed my first finish line I realized I'd found something good. After the race, I kept walking, keeping track of my pace, distance, and noting that the more I did it, the faster and farther I could go. I began to set goals, and each time I reached the goal, I set a new one. And I'm still doing it even now.

So you see, for me it was very simple. It wasn't a matter of going straight from the couch to running marathons. Or even half marathons. It was just starting at the beginning and working my way up. If you are like me, and looking for a way to get started, don't think big, think small.  Just go out and walk for an hour. Walk for a half hour. Walk down the block and back if that's all you can do. Then the next time, go just a little further. Or, ride a bike, swim in a pool, paddle a kayak. I can recommend a good guy in Huntington Harbor. Do Zumba, lift weights, or get on that silly elliptical. I can't stand the thing, but I people I love swear by them. You know who you are. Try different things until you find what you love, then stick to it. It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you are moving. Set your goals, get out and work for them, and once you reach them, set new ones. You'll be on the way to the new you in no time at all. I promise. Because I did it. If I could do it, anyone can do it. And yes, that means you, too.