Saturday morning I woke up irritated. My kids never sleep in long enough for me to get any benefit on the weekends and I was tired. It didn't help that hubby and I had gotten into a semi-argument the night before just as I was trying to go to sleep. I wasn't ready to face the day.
I reluctantly crawled out of bed, went to the bathroom for my usual morning routine, but stopped before getting in the shower. Instead, I grabbed a sports bra, socks, and tennis shoes and headed for the treadmill.
I haven't used the treadmill in a very long time. If it weren't for the occasional visit from my mother-in-law, I'm not sure the old thing would even function any more. As it is, the display is hard to read (but does work if you can make out the dim numbers) and the belt has a couple of torn spots along the edges. I did actually dust it a couple months ago and clear the cobwebs off, but there was a nice fresh layer of dust that needed removing.
Armed with my Zen and my iPhone to use for a timer (screw the dim, hard-to-read display on the treadmill), I climbed on the belt and started it up. As I took the first few warm-up steps I slid on my headphones and cranked up the music. I've had Tik Tok stuck in my head for days, so I put on some Ke$ha and started jamming. (No judging my choice of music here, the beat kept me moving.)
I figured 20 minutes was a pretty good goal considering the only exercise I've had for the last several months includes chasing around my two little monsters or making a mad dash through the grocery store. Before I even bothered to check the time, I was already over halfway through. A few minutes later and I had met my goal, almost effortlessly.
I'm not at all a runner, so I'll admit to walking at a fast pace for that 20 minutes but it was enough to get my out-of-shape heart pumping and break a sweat. I only clocked a little over a mile, but it made me feel great.
I got off of the treadmill with my head held a little higher, the stresses of the morning a little lessened, and feeling a little bit invincible. It's funny how such a small thing can make such a big difference in your day.
That's why I set my alarm clock a little earlier today and got up and did it again. It was a great way to start the day. I wasn't thrilled to get up earlier, but again, I felt great when I was finished. I'm going to make it a goal to get up early at least 3 days a week from now on and visit my old treadmill. Who knows? Maybe it will end up being a daily thing.
I've been on this quest to simplify, to relax more, to find more "me" time during the day, and to achieve a healthier lifestyle, but I've only been taking a few very timid steps toward it. This is something I need, both for my physical health and my mental health. That 20 minutes on the treadmill did a lot for clearing my mind.
Yes, it's another small step. Yes, I've done it before and before long I've gotten tired of the routine and stopped. I need to find a way to hold myself accountable. Perhaps I should join a Twitter group or other online site. I did check out SparkPeople.com the other day and it looks interesting. Until I decide on something, putting it out here for everyone to see is a start.
