It's Day 4 of the Fitness Challenge!! So, for me, that meant a walk...
I felt GREAT today. I wasn't as sore and felt strong, so I decided to take my walk up a notch... and take a hike! It's funny, because hiking is actually just walking... :) I call it walking or hiking based on where I do it... street or dirt trails! (So, "Stella' had to stay home today... she can't handle this hike!)
Today I went to a Regional Park that I'm lucky enough to live a few minutes from. It's a small enough park that I know most of the trails now... so I love going there because I don't have to worry about getting lost.
I don't go to some of the bigger Regional Parks nearby without my husband because they are too big! This one has a HUGE hill in the beginning which definitely gets my heart rate up. The dirt trails are hilly and beautiful. I really noticed the people I passed throughout my hike today... some were all smiles and "good morning"!!... others were frown-y, determined and did not want to smile. It was fun trying to get everyone I passed to at least smile! If you're feeling happy.... spread it!!
I even had a turkey on the trail in front of me for a bit... I saw some MONSTER dandelions that were so pretty! You might think, those are just weeds... but dandelions have great health benefits actually! If you haven't seen my post on "Bloat Tea", check it out because it has dandelion root in it! Here's one I saw today....it was so perfect.
I felt really energized and strong today, so every once in a while, I'd run for a stretch, then walk again when I got too tired. This is good to do because it is like "burst" training... like in the workout we're doing! It's actually more beneficial than long stretches of just jogging slowly the entire time!
Today I took my headphones and listened to Pandora. I always pick my station based on my mood. Today it was Ray LaMontagne Radio... I felt like a mellow, relaxed music mood today. Some days when I need energy, I'll choose something more upbeat like Justin Timberlake or Lady Gaga! But today, what I chose was perfect!
I hiked for an hour. I still felt like I could've gone further when I left! You'll notice this during these 30 days... some days you'll feel more energy than other days. Listen to your body and adjust!
I know of FOUR people who are just starting this Fitness Challenge TODAY... so today is going to be their DAY ONE!! Congrats on getting started!! My dental hygienist that I mentioned yesterday let me know last night that her sister and her husband are going to do this challenge with her!! That's fantastic! Another one I heard from this morning can't do ANY arm exercises because she recently had surgery.... she is STILL JOINING US!! She's modifying the moves and will still get great benefits! So, NO EXCUSES! Proud of everyone! I know for some of you, exercise is totally new... keep it up....it's a process...you'll be SO happy you did.
Remember, have fun. Getting in shape takes time... don't slow down the process any further by quitting! ;)