Day 339 - Gotta Get My Get Up and Go, Going

Today was really hot - well into the nineties and I still had a good day. I set my alarm this morning and got myself going. I have set some goals for myself for the next few weeks and I was eager to get started. I am becoming increasingly concerned that I am not getting enough exercise. Nearly every day I read something that speaks to the benefits of regular exercise. My generation didn't grow up with the idea that you got exercise from going to a gym. I was a very active kid and as an adult I found ways to be active that didn't include a gym membership. I've spent a lot of time walking, I've hiked, done kayaking, canoeing, yoga, floor exercises, aerobics, light weights and I raised a couple of very active kids so I have always felt like I was in pretty good shape. Until now.

I still do some yoga and I work every now and then with kettle balls, but I need a regular routine that includes easier things I can do on my not-so-good days, understanding that on bad days, exercise is not an option. So today I played in the pool a bit with the kids and that was fun. I've gone to the pool a few times by myself this summer and I do like to do some swimming. It's easy on my body and I feel like it's a start. Tonight my hubby and I took a nice walk. My goal is to get out and walk every day that I can and get myself up to 8,000 to 10,000 steps each day. The past months my exercise has been very sporadic and that must change. I have to do this for my overall well being and since I have had a few good days in a row, I feel motivated to begin in earnest.

There is no significance to choosing this day to begin a new goal. It's a Tuesday in July, it's not an anniversary or my birthday or a date that signifies any particular event. What's nice about setting a goal is that this is up to me to do this my way. Today just happens to be the day that I set my mind to making a change so now it's up to me to make the change happen. Summer is the time of year that I feel most motivated to do projects and when I have a few good days I start to think about what I'd like to accomplish. Warm weather (not hot) agrees with me, so the evenings are a perfect time to start my walking routine. It was a lovely evening, it felt good to be out in the night air, listening to the cicadas, crickets and frogs. I started to work on my exercise goal and even though I am not any where near where I want to eventually be, every goal starts somewhere. This goal started with a lovely walk and I'll be back at it again tomorrow.