How I Began Working Out Daily

I was never an athletic person before this summer. I rode my bike on occasion and walked only where I had to. But now, I walk three to four miles each day. I have more energy, more stamina, and I am eating healthier so that I can continue to exercise.

So what happened that caused this change in my life? All of the credit ultimately goes to God for giving me the ability to have a good attitude about my health, but here are some factors that allowed me to get into the rhythm of exercise. I haven’t spent a cent on getting into shape, in fact, I earn money at it. But even if you have no financial motivation, I hope that making these small changes in your life can help you to experience the joy of being healthy and having energy.

1. Walking Socially

My mother and are very close friends. She has a Standard Poodle who needs copious amounts of exercise. Every morning, she rises early and walks him. I realized that if I wanted to talk to her about something, that window in the morning was a perfect time. We could pray for each other, encourage each other, and discuss family life while enjoying the weather. Soon I was walking with her once or twice a week, just for the conversation. I had a hard time at first, but it was worth it.

Soon, walking became an activity that my friends and I engaged in while we talked. I inadvertently started walking several miles per day.

2. Dog Walking

Since I don’t have a dog of my own, I began to make myself available to people in my city for dog walking and dog sitting. It started when a friend of mine asked me to watch her dogs and her house, and then recommended me to several other people. Now I have dog walking jobs that run almost back to back. Big dogs especially need to be walked pretty far. As a pet sitter, it is my responsibility to make sure the dogs get out there and take a walk each day. Not only does it help with separation anxiety, it keeps the dogs’ digestive system working well and helps them stay strong and active. One of the perks

3. Healthier Food

Due to the dog walking, I am now walking three to four miles per day. I found that I needed to eat healthier food in order to keep up with all of the calories I am burning. Carbs are one of the things that I have to stay far away from. They make me tired, confused, and unproductive. I realized this only when I began to exercise, and only lacked energy when I ate the wrong foods.

4. Time Management

Now that I have two jobs (working at a pottery studio, and dog sitting), I have to manage my time much more effectively. Television was one of the first things to go. I had so many other things that needed to be done in the evenings that I stopped watching it. Now when I have free time, I seek more productive, fulfilling experiences than television, internet, etc. I still sit and rest in the evenings while I write and crochet, but these activities help me to increase my productivity.