Walk a Mile in my Shoes...

... because then I won't have to!

I have set a goal for myself for the month of June. Nathan is doing Summer School, so I am by myself from 7:30-3:00 every weekday. Which means that all my excuses that I've been using all year as to why I can't find time to exercise are basically worthless. So I decided that I would get some type of exercise every day that Nathan is in school.

Yesterday was the first day of school, and the first day of my exercise plan. I wanted to ease into things, since I haven't worked out in awhile, so I did a 1-mile Walk Away the Pounds DVD.

As far as workouts go, this isn't a bad one. It takes about 25 minutes with the warm-up and cool-down, and it's low-impact, of course, since it's a walking workout. Even the host, Leslie Sansone, isn't all that annoying, though at one point she does turn to the heavy-set gal in the back and say, "Good girl, Sharon!" Uh... she may be fat, but she's not a 3-year-old! But other than that she's pretty encouraging and not so chipper that she makes me want to lash out irrationally.

Today, I needed to return some library books, so I decided to walk there. It's a bit over a mile round trip, not bad at all, but oh how I fought with myself about it. I did not want to take a walk. It was humid outside. And I was just plain feeling lazy. I put it off until almost the last minute, but then I decided that I was not going to give up on my exercise goal on just the 2nd day.

So I did it.

Grudgingly.

Still, I felt good afterward that I had done it, and that I didn't have to exercise again until tomorrow.

Or so I thought.

Tonight, after dinner, Nathan wanted to ride his bike. And Steve was still at the church. So I was in the game.

I could have told him no. I was tired, and I had already taken a walk today. But my boy wanted to ride his bike with me. And I wasn't about to let him down.

So, I walked another mile alongside Nate on his bike. And for some strange reason... I enjoyed it much more this time around! The time went quicker, the distance felt shorter, and even the heat didn't seem so draining. Being with Nathan made the difference. It almost didn't feel like exercise at all...

Almost.