Exercise ~ Week Thirteen/Month Three

This coming Friday will be the end of week thirteen (and it's Friday the 13th!) and Sunday will be the end of month three. I am so excited that I am still working out every day. In eighty-seven straight days I have missed only once, because I was sick in bed. Not too shabby for someone who usually can’t stick with an exercise plan beyond the first two weeks. Yay for Mary!! I have also in the last week graduated to sixty minute sessions, which was the original goal I set out for myself. I had managed a few hour long walks here and there over the past couple of months, but they were few and far between. I started off with twenty minute sessions, and moved up to thirty. I stuck with thirty for awhile, doing twenty minutes on days I was tired or hurting, or just short on time. Then I increased to forty-five minutes, and thirty was my "short" session. I did the forty-five minute sessions for several weeks before I was able to do an occasional hour. If I was able to do a longer session one day, I didn't require myself to continue that workout duration unless my body felt good enough to repeat it the following day. So basically I just let my body tell me when it was ready to do more. As I felt good, I gradually increased my time. I didn't set timelines or dates for myself. I let it happen naturally. I decided right from the start that one of my downfalls in the past was forcing myself through sessions that were simply too long and difficult for my fitness level. As a result I was overly sore and exhausted, got burned out after a few days, and became very good at thinking up reasons to skip sessions. This time I didn't want to make that mistake, and that is why I decided to start off gentler. The twenty minute sessions seemed like such a short workout, but looking back it was the right thing to do. Here I stand, looking back over my thirteen weeks and I can be proud that I have stuck with it, and in a natural progression I have achieved my goal of regular hour long workouts. Double Yay for Mary!!

Another thing that has really been obvious lately is how much more often I hit my rhythm. About five minutes into a session, I feel the warmth spreading throughout my body and mind. I feel happy, can feel my body and mind relax, and I start to think more positive thoughts, relive happy memories, ponder my exciting future. I feel my muscles working, sometimes hard, and I am coming to enjoy that feeling. I have been told many times that some people truly love exercising. They love the way it makes them feel, both during the workout and afterwards. I always thought these people were possibly nuts, that any normal person would not love torturing themselves, and that certainly anything called "working" out would be . . . well . . . work. I realize now that I am enjoying exactly this euphoric experience. I enjoy the high. I enjoy the feeling of my body working and moving and getting strong. I enjoy how I feel when I finish a session, both emotionally and physically. My body is tired, but in the best way. I feel good about myself, proud of my discipline, excited about my improving fitness level. My mind is clear and I feel happier, freer. It's such a wonderful way to transition from a stressful work day, to recharge my batteries and release the tension I have carried home with me. I get to sweat out all the negativity, push it out of my mind and my muscles. Afterwards I shower and wash all that sweat and tension and stress away, and then I can properly enjoy my time at home. All in all, I am very pleased with how well my lifestyle change is progressing. In less than a week it will have been three full months. I am so grateful that I got the boost I needed to get started (thank you Vickie) and for the support and encouragement and praise I have received all along the way (thank you ♥ Ed ♥).

Here's to another successful thirteen weeks/three months!!