Enjoy Exercise? Are you crazy? Well yeah I guess so...

The art of losing weight is finding activities (exercise) that you enjoy doing. Now I have heard this hundreds of times in my life and generally I tend to giggle at the person saying it but as I continue to grow as a person I discover new things about myself that I didn’t really know. I feel like I should whisper this one… kinda like a “pssst… you won’t believe this…” I like being active. Now I can hear the gasps from several of you that have known me for year and the I can feel the waves of disbelief. I never thought I would be saying this but here I am. Some people might think I have met a new guy that is an exercise fanatic… nope that’s not it… still seeing Bill. Some of you may think that maybe it’s the allergy medicine I am taking. Heh

The truth is that I have begun to discover new and interesting things I can do for exercise (no I am not talking about sex.) Last year on my vacation I really began to see my physical limitations. We went hiking in Arches National Park and I would get tired quickly. Walking through the Grand Canyon National Park was equally as exhausting and I wanted to do more then I was physically able. With the idea that I needed to be more active and build my stamina last December I bought an elliptical machine. I paid good money for a nice NordicTrack and I was determined it would not become a clothes rack. Thus far I have been doing pretty well. I have been on my elliptical machine at minimum a day or two each week some weeks three or four times. In the process of making myself do it I started thinking… this is boring so what can I do that won’t be boring?

The past few months Bill and I have been discussing the possibility of hiking this summer (if it ever gets here.) I have no excuse not to hike. I live in “The Great Northwest” after all and the mountains, hills, and countryside are beautiful. There are ample opportunities for me to hike around every corner, literally. So last month when REI sent out 25% off coupons I jumped on it and bought myself a new pair of hiking boots. My old hiking boots, which I bought to “hike” to work in the rain, were worn. This weekend we decided to go over to REI to pick up some books on hiking trails in the area so that we could be prepared. While there, they were having a dosey of a sale. I had been thinking about getting a pair of hiking poles. I have read website of people that use them and I figure with my knees anything can help. According to the website it says it takes the equivalent of 15 pounds of pressure off your joints PER STEP. I have been procrastinating buying the poles because I wanted the shock absorbing kind and they cost a pretty penny. So 20% off I thought was a great deal. I picked up the Leki Cor-Tec Anti-shock poles. I am going hiking! Heh
Oh and last but not least an update. This week I am down 4.5 pounds (woot!) that puts me at 10 pounds down and 40 to go. November here I come!!