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MAKING A POSITIVE CHANGE:
Fitness
Take the first step! By Amber M. Howland
T
he first few steps in the morning are the toughest. My body is tired and really was enjoying the cool sheets it has been resting in for the last eight hours. My mind races with what I need to accomplish and how quickly I need to do it. My two small dogs are awake and are excitedly running around the house wanting to play but more importantly, they want breakfast. Why can’t I have that kind of energy at 7 a.m.? It’s not fair. However, life can really hand us lemons sometimes. It is what we do when life hands us lemons, that can be the game changer we need. What we do when life isn’t fair can change our perspective and mindset, overnight. It was the beginning of May. All the days had blended together and I had lost all concept of time. The weather was starting to warm up but my motivation to get out and enjoy it was nonexistent. It was easy to fall into the quarantine slump. I spent hours binging Netflix and ordering takeout. Other than that, I didn’t have a lot on my plate, and my overall mental and physical health was starting to decline. I am an active person by nature. I am a social person. When the world around you starts to disappear, it’s easy to stay inside and hide. Self-motivation is a skill and hasn’t always been my forte. I recognized that I needed to do something for myself or I was about to embark on a very long summer of feeling tired and bored. Motivating myself to go outside and move my body was not easy. Motivating myself to run was even harder. This is why I never understood why people sign up for virtual running races or challenges. I didn’t understand the reasoning. Why would anyone sign up for a race that isn’t really a race? Who are you racing, yourself? The world was changing, and I needed to adapt. If I was going to change my way of thinking and start paving a better path for myself, I needed to get involved. I needed to jump on all of the motivational bandwagons and turn my mental blocks into jumping off points for overall health and happiness. First step: do something you have never done. Sign up for a virtual challenge. I took the first step. I made a commitment to myself and told a select few people about it for accountability. The challenge I signed up for was a 1000K, that is 621 miles over 108 days. I knew my summer was only going to be fun if I created that enjoyment myself. The best part was that it gave me structure. I had plans for the next 108 days. I had a goal to reach and promise to keep to myself. And it paid off. This virtual running challenge became a hugely successful fundraising campaign, raising over $10,000 for the Food Bank of Central New York and creating a network of people who wanted to change the community for the better. It all started with the first step. The first step is always the hardest. Your mind adapts. Your body adapts. If you move your body, you can change your mindset. There were days during this challenge, my body did not want to move. However, I always forced myself to strap on my sneakers for at least a couple minutes to move my body. Once I changed my environment, like going outside for example, and getting those initial steps in, I found that my body did want to move, and I was much more capable of the miles than I thought! Here are a couple of tips I find handy when kicking off a fitness journey or maintaining a healthy routine. 1. Dress for success! Lay out your workout clothes the night before. Find that highlighter yellow sports bra and tank top that says, “Will run for tacos!” It will make you smile, just putting it on. 2. Have a routine. Set your alarm at night with intention and have a set wake up time. I know this is easier said than done. You may have to work around kids’ schedules, work, or life in general. Your body will adjust to the new schedule and routine and be ready to push you on your daily workout. 3. Invest in good shoes! Your toes will thank you. 4. Find a new podcast or audio book to stimulate your brain when walking or running. Training your brain is exercise too! 5. Have fun! Some days are easier than others. Do something daily that makes you proud! Have a great September and I will see you on the road! SWM Amber Howland ran a 1000K for the Food Bank of Central New York as part of the 1000K for CNY campaign. She partnered with local businesses and showcased them along her journey. Learn more about the road to 1000K on Facebook, Amber Howland or ambermhowland on Instagram. For more information, visit amberhowland.com
September 2020
A Decade of A Circle of Red Edition
