Getting Personal about Fitness Goals : Listening to your Body

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I’m on a mission to clean up my lifestyle and that includes more workouts!

Cardio is something that I have a love/hate relationship with. I have pretty bad allergies, so when running outside, it takes me longer than a treadmill workout would. However, the outside is justtt soo prettyyyy (living in Florida helps). 😉

I am lucky enough to work for a company that allows the occasional work-from-home days. The other day, after having some sink issues, I had to WFH to be there for it. It was just so beautiful out that I decided to spend my lunch break outside.

I’ve talked before how the back of my apartment complex is an abandoned golf course (which is all sorts of awesome). So, they have numerous different path options you can take, making your desired workout length easy to accomplish.

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I decided to do a quick 1.2 miles and time myself. I stopped a few times (to take some quick photos, to catch my breath from the stupid pollen, to make sure there weren’t any large bugs near by..) and was surprised to see the time at the end of the run was a little under 12 minutes.

Still, even a week later, I am feeling a little self conscious about this time and even now am typing out excuses (well, the pollen was high.. well, I did stop to take that one picture.. well.. well..). Sometimes I just need to stop myself and remember that where I am right now is okay. I may not be back at my 8.5 minute mile I was a year ago, but that is okay. I’m working at it and that’s what is important here.

I think this is the case for a lot of people. They don’t want to run because, for some reason, it is branded in our brains that unless our mile time is under 9-10 minutes, we’re out of shape and embarrassed by our mile times. (or maybe that’s just me)

Part of my mission to clean up my lifestyle, I’m attempting to clean up this thought pattern that I have. Therefore:

  • If it takes me over 10 minutes to run a mile: That’s fine.
  • If I need to pause and walk for a little bit during my run: That’s fine.
  • If I want to stop running to take a picture and actually enjoy where I am: That’s GOOD.

Everyone’s got to start somewhere, right?

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Before I forget, and before you need to ask… 🙂

  • My pants are from Khol’s. I’ve surprisingly never really been before, but they have constant sales (so I’m told), and these were only $17.99 from $35!
  • My top is from TJ Maxx, it’s Nike
  • My shoes (pictured above) are also Nike

I’m just going to leave you with one bit of ‘fitspo’ that motivated me:

“No matter how slow you’re going, you’re still lapping everyone on the couch!” So get out there and enjoy nature. 🙂

2 Comments

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