Running and Random Acts of Kindness

Stop the presses because I have a huge announcement coming: For the first time in 69 days, I ran!

I ran for a whole five minutes! That is approximately four minutes and 50 seconds longer than I expected. While five minutes might be a warm-up to most people, to me it is a huge success and milestone in my journey. The fact that I actually attempted to run is something I haven't been able to say in nearly two and a half months.

Prior to moving, I had built my endurance to 20 minutes of running, and it took me six months to work up to that length of time. Running doesn't come naturally to me, but I am determined to become a runner. I want to consistently run three to four times a week for 30 minutes. Five minutes may not be much, but I have to start somewhere.

I was at minute four of my short run, and my legs were heavy; I swear there was an imaginary knife stabbing my lungs. Just as I was about call it a day, a truck drove by and the person inside yelled out, "Good job! Yeah!"

Thank you, random stranger, for your encouragement. That small act of kindness made me feel awesome and helped me make it another minute. That man didn't know if I had run five minutes or five miles but he did know that he saw me running and wanted to push me along.

As I have written about making the better choice for food, sometimes I have to remind myself that it is better to go out and do something, rather than stay idle. I am slightly disappointed I didn't run longer, but I am delighted that I actually put on my running shoes, got out the door and went for a run. I am thrilled that I am taking the time to add fitness back into my schedule.

I stepped my 5-foot-9 frame on the scale Monday morning and found out I had lost 1.2 pounds! While you couldn't see it, I assure you I did a little happy dance. By making small changes such as eating smaller portions and exercising a few days last week, I managed to lose weight this week. Trying to lose weight can be frustrating, difficult, annoying, awful, evil, painful (I think you get my point), but it is also rewarding when I see the numbers on the scale move down or there is a change in my measurements.

Creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't happen overnight, but gradually losing the weight and building my strength and endurance are great steps to take. I can't go to bed tonight and expect to wake up tomorrow making 100 percent healthy choices 100 percent of the time. If you can, more power to you, but I am honest enough with myself to realize there are times when my food choices may not be perfect, or I may just want to skip working out. I understand that those moments are fine, as long as those moments are not the norm. Part of my problem in the past -- and, frankly, here recently -- is that I allowed myself to let the special-occasion foods or the workout exceptions become my daily routine.

I am confident that I can reach my birthday goal of being in the non-obese category, and I am very thankful to share this journey with you. Whether I meet my "move-from-obese-to-overweight goal" by November 5 or not, I will meet it.

One of my favorite quotes is: "Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." I am completely fine with hitting a few stars along the way because I know when I arrive at a healthy and manageable goal weight, I will be over the moon!

After decades of dieting only to gain it back, two That's Fit readers have decided to finally rethink their relationship with food and exercise over the next year to move toward a lifetime of fulfilling, healthy living. Come by every week as Ashley and Lee share their successes and challenges as they tip the scale.

More Tipping the Scales:
Making the Better Choice
I Want to Feel Pretty
Scales, Blogging and Birthdays