Back to fitness

At the start of this year I decided to simplify my approach to living by making only one goal — to live my best life.  The idea was that if I just focus on doing my best and maximizing my experience with everything I do, then all the small stuff will take care of itself.

What I am learning is that some things won’t take care of themselves unless you give them the proper attention.  Fitness is a case in point.  After my engagement to be married fell apart last summer, I ended up gaining about 20-25 pounds and weighing more than I have ever weighed in my entire life.  I actually get out of breath bending over the tie my shoes every morning.  I also find myself having difficulty standing up out of a seated position and maintaining my balance for the first few steps of walking after I get up.

Well, enough of that.  After all, I used to run 5k races!  I need to get back to where I was and go even further into healthy living territory.  How can I live my best life if I’m not physically fit and active?

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To that end, I’ve started stretching in the morning when I get up.  I don’t want to do too much too soon because that just opens the door to injury.  It was very obvious the first day how stiff I was, but each day I can feel myself getting more and more loose.

I’ve also started making some changes in my diet to include more protein.  A large portion of my weight gain came from poor dietary choices, especially after last summer.  When my engagement fell apart, I threw myself into my work as a means of coping with my crisis.  It gave me a feeling of accomplishment that I needed at that time.

But I spent so much time working that I didn’t spend enough time taking care of myself.  Some advance planning and preparation of meals at home could have helped me avoid some of the extra weight I now carry with me.  Instead, I simply grabbed whatever was more convenient, and what was most convenient wasn’t always what was most nutritious.

Now I’ve made out some weekly menus with home-prepared meals that focus on consuming extra protein first, healthy fats second, and carbs mostly from whole grains, fruits, and vegetables last.  I’ll let everyone know how well that works for me.  But already I feel as though I am on the brink of starting a new direction that will work out well for me.  Here’s to better health!

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