Just Go!

Aren't those shoes cool?  Yeah, they're my new shoes.  Yay!  I treated myself this year.  Oh wait, but this isn't a style post, this is a fitness post!  We'll get back to shoes, trust me.

I hate fitness.

But I have the metabolism of a banana slug, so just eating right is not enough to keep the weight off of me.  I was never much of an athlete on any level.  I was always picked last for teams in school, never was in extracurricular activities.  I even walked most of the mile we had to do in school.  I was bringing up the rear with a girl who had asthma and a guy who was born without leg muscles.  I'm not joking.  I was perfectly healthy.  Just not athletic.  Give me a cozy nook with a book and we are good to go.

But you need to stay active.  Even if you are one of those lucky few who can be stick-thin and still eat whatever they want and be sedentary, you still need to keep movin' and taking care of your body.  If anything, look at your older relatives (or those of your friends), and you will see the difference between someone who does no physical activity, and someone who does at least some, and someone who does a lot.

It was so hard for me to find something to motivate me to get out there.  Oh, excuse me:  #getoutthere.  I realized I don't like team things, I don't like classes, and I want to be solo.  I also don't like lots of equipment.  For me, that meant walking.  I have tried running, but to say I'm not a runner is putting it mildly (see above paragraph about high school).  I will jog on occasion.  And by jog, I suggest you pronounce what I am doing as "yogging."  Walking is great, and I can walk forever.  But, you only get so much cardio and strength training in that.  And you need a balanced workout.

This is where hiking has come in handy!  Hiking gives you lots of cardio as you climb those hills.  And believe me, there are hills somewhere close to you.  I am lucky to live in the Bay Area, which is surrounded by hills.  There is a place by the Bay, only five minutes from my house.  More intense, "East Bay" style hiking can be found within 20-30 minutes of my doorstep (and redwoods only an hour away).  The above picture is taken at Pleasanton Ridge, part of the East Bay Regional Parks district.  Find your local parks district or State Park, and get out there.  It's cheap-to-free and so good for the soul to be out in nature.

An aside about gear:  I don't like gear.  I don't like technical clothing.  Meh.  Bah humbug.  I was hiking with Converse or Vans on, or my Clarks desert boots (hey, they had a picture of someone hiking on the shoe itself!).  After a few times of almost twisting my ankle, or sliding backwards down a hill as I tried to hike up...  I treated myself to the above boots.  What a difference!  And hopefully a way to help reach my full potential.

A few other things I do in my spare time:  I am married to a mountain biker, so naturally I have an epic mountain bike I am far from qualified to make good use of.  More on mountain biking in another post (I'm beginner level).  I also just recently signed up for ballet/lyrical/barre classes at my local rec center.  Added bonus:  My work is reimbursing me!  A class!  Who would have thought I'd be motivated.  But, it is a block from my house and free--can't beat that.

I'll talk more about mountain biking (as a beginner being drug out by an advanced rider), and barre classes (woohoo I get to buy ballet slippers!) in other posts.  I want to leave you with this thought:  Just get out there.  Find what you like to do.  Maybe it's joining a softball team, or taking a new class, or joining Planet Fitness (only $10 a month!) (I didn't like it because I hate the gym).  Just find what you like and keep showing up.

Summer Tomato blog has a great article about getting out there and how you will never regret it.

The last time I went to my lady-doctor, she said I had gained weight since last year.  I was shocked!  I thought all my clothes were shrinking in the wash.  I said I try to hike or whatever, but then things get busy and I fall off the habit and can't get back into it.  She said JUST KEEP GOING.  JUST GET BACK IN!  So, even if it has been a few weeks since you did something active, just get out there!  Today is the beginning of the rest of your life.