Exercise

Exercise.

It's important.

The end.



Ok, I'll say a little bit more about this.

(I mean, I did get a college degree in this subject.)


I am a true believer in exercising.

You know how most mom's have that one solution for any problem?

My solution for almost any problem is, "maybe you need to exercise?"

That, and "how much water have you had today?"

This COVID-19 came at a pretty tough time.

Our little town was just barely coming out of the long sleep of winter.

We've been stuck inside because of the cold for at least 4 months already.

And now that the snow is starting to melt and the temperatures are getting above freezing we can't go outside?!

I started a couch to 5k program about 2 weeks before quarantine.

Most of my runs were on an indoor track.

Luckily, there's been some nice enough weather (above 20 degrees) where I have been able to transition outside.

And more importantly, my kids need to get outside.

They're not toddlers anymore, but they still have energy that needs to come out other ways than yelling at each other.

Here's a list of some of the exercise activities they've been doing every day:

Biking (just up and down our street and maybe around the church parking lot)
Walking (up and down the neighborhood not getting close to anyone)
Exercise bike (inside)
Fitbit App workouts
Just Dance (wii)
Sword fighting (you know, the usual)

I have been doing Yoga on the days I don't run.

Yoga used to make me dizzy, but I've learned to only focus on myself and not doing it exactly right and that seems to be helping my head.

I love it!!

Anyway, exercise is important.

Just do it.

Running Hills (Part Four)

I've written a lot about running hills.

Running Hills (part 1)
Running Hills (part 2)
Running Hills (part 3)

But, not recently.

I was thinking about that the other day on my early morning walk.

My goal this summer is to do a lot of hiking, so I'm trying to get stronger.

Why don't I run hills anymore? Am I missing out on those lessons? Am I doing something wrong?


Actually, I don't mind not running right now.

Walking is what I need. 

I can talk when I'm walking.

There's more chances to look around and notice the beauty around me, than when I was trying to make a certain distance or time.


I do miss the sense of accomplishment I felt when I conquered a hill.

And, I still should probably find some hills to practice on.

But mostly, I'm just walking as much as I can.

So when I start hiking, and come to a hill, I'll already have some strength built up.


Walking can feel like I'm doing the same thing over and over again; without really progressing.

The way that sometimes saying prayers, reading the scriptures, going to church, etc. starts to feel.

But, walking (instead of running) is not the same thing as coasting.

I'm still walking and moving forward.

Saying my prayers and reading my scriptures every day is moving me forward.

Slowing down has helped me notice more of the beautiful things in my life.

It is still strengthening me.


And so, if/when I come to a "hill" in my life, I'll have the strength I need to conquer it.

Putting God First

I had a wonderful summer of exercising with friends almost daily.

We walked, we ran, we jogged, we pilate-ed.

Exercise (especially with friends) is good for my soul.

I knew when school started back up that I would need to find a different routine to get my exercise in.

Because of my awesome summer, I decided that I wanted it to be a priority.

Instead of trying to figure out how to fit exercise into my life, this time I would try and fit my life into exercise.

I knew it was a good priority to have because of how good it made me feel.

Then school started.

And I just wasn't feeling it.

Well, I was feeling something.

Unease.

Stress.

Discombobulation.

Finally, this morning, I decided that I had had enough and that exercise was just going to have to be put on the lower priority list.

I knew this was the right thing to do, but I had been fighting it.

And justifying it.

Even so, I prayed so intently this morning to God and pleaded that if I was going to just try and "fit" exercise into my life, to please help me find the time.

I got ready to get into the shower and head off to work.

Except....

I didn't have the clean clothes I needed.

Are you kidding me?

So, instead of showering (sorry, co-workers), I started the wash, put my exercise clothes on, and headed off to work.

Ha, Ha. This is how my prayer is answered? with dirty clothes?

I still have to work though; that has to come before exercise.

But, guess what happened when I got to a stopping point at work?

My friends were just starting a workout around the corner from me.

Do I want to come join them?

What do you know? I already have my exercise clothes on! I can totally join!!

I decide to put God first (following the spirit, instead of my wants) and my prayers are immediately answered (having my desires as well as my needs met).

Amen.

Running Hills (part 3)

It seems like I've been running hills for a long time now. 

All the places I have lived for the past three years have been surrounded by hills. 

And any kind of running, meant going up a hill.


I realized as I was running a hill yesterday that the home we are in the process of buying is surrounded by farms; flat land.

There won't be any hills that I have to run up.

And I thought, "What am I going to do to feel like I'm pushing myself if there aren't any hills?"


I'm going to have to seek out other ways to improve myself. 

Maybe it will mean going faster. 

Maybe going longer distances. 

Maybe I'll have to look for hills to run, instead of them just being there.


I think there will always be times in my life when there are hills that I can't avoid. 

Challenges that I must face even if I don't want to.

And then there will be times when everything is just flat. 

 
It's those times that I need to find other ways to push myself harder.

Maybe that means giving more service. 

Studying my scriptures harder. 

Praying more fervently.

Or looking for hills.

 
The important thing for me is to not lose any of the ground that I have gained while running "my hills." 

I want to use what I have already gained to push me farther.

I want to keep running.
 

Running Hills (part 2)

When I was in college, there was a hill I used to run up; from my apartment to a boy's house. 

About a month ago I spent the night at my sister's house in Orem.  Close to where I went to college.  I went running that morning and decided to run "the hill."

A flood of memories came back to me.  I remembered all the thoughts that used to occupy me as I ran. 

I didn't really like who I was back then. 

There was the angst of boyfriend issues, the worries of what would become of my life. 

I think I may have used that hill as a punishment.  I thought that if I could make it up this hill then I could control the other "out of control" things in my life. 

What a difference 20 years makes. 

I was amazed at just how different I felt. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.

I had the biggest smile on my face as I ran past his house.  I remembered all the good memories, and realized I really like who I am now.

Don't get me wrong.  I still have angst and worries about the future.  And I definitely have lots of improvements to make in my life.

But, getting to the top of a hill does not make that stuff go away.


The reward of running hills is not getting all my problems behind me.

The reward is the actual running of the hill. 

It's what makes me stronger.