Run, Forest, Run!!!

Or walk...or do both. Yep, I got back on the treadmill today. Just for a little while.

I, like many working parents, find lots of reasons not to get on the treadmill, some of them warranted and some of them bogus little fibs meant to get me out of exercising even the smallest bone in my body.

But, I'm doing it. I'm sticking with the 20 minute rule, because it's hard to say that 20 minutes is too much time to spend on keeping myself healthy and de-stressed.

I thought about it all day. I grimaced. I thought twice before I stuck another bite-sized Snickers in my mouth, and I drank my whole canteen of water. I even talked about it to the kiddo on the way home from daycare, "Mommy's gonna run when we get home. Do want to run, too?" He said yes, but he wasn't interested in running on the treadmill. He wanted to run outside. And I will admit, it's a much better feeling to have wind on your face and fresh air gushing into your lungs. But, in our neck of the woods (literally), running/walking after work isn't an option because it's absolutely dark by 5:00. It took some convincing to stop the whining... "What if I let you run on the treadmill when I'm done?" Begrudgingly, he caved.

You might be wondering why I'm having this conversation at all with a 2-year-old...but, if you knew mine, you'd understand. Mr. Independent-I'm-in-charge-of-everything-and-I-missed-my-calling-as-a-dictator has to be involved in whatever I am doing if I'm the only parent home...which I was going to be for at least 30 minutes before D. got home and wanted to get on the treadmill, too.

So, I dropped all my gear, walked right past the "fur bunnies" piling in the corner by the door (we have several pets, so these mighty little fur accumulations find homes all over our floors), and changed into my workout clothes. I turned on the radio and jumped on the treadmill before I - or my son - had a chance to talk me out of it.

20 minutes. That's all...then just your basic sit-ups and push-ups and DONE. 1 day down...about a million more to go.

Actually, I was doing pretty good with this running/walking business during the summer. Then the weather started getting dreary, and it took us awhile to break down and buy the treadmill. Then winter vacation came, and I was a total slouch.

So, there...small change for today accomplished. A simple workout, nothing fancy - and no gym membership needed (a financially wise decision).

If you don't have a treadmill...as long as you have light, you can walk/run. If it is too late for that, hand weights are cheap. Just doing crunches, push-ups, lunges, etc. while you watch T.V. is better than just sitting like a lump on the couch. Also, there's a great line of 10 minute workout videos called The 10 Minute Solution. There's no excuse to say you don't have at least 10 minutes. I'm holding myself to this!