The Road to Farley is Less Traveled

Today I ran for 5 minutes. Seriously. That was an accomplishment for me. A couple of years ago, when I sort of trained for that 5K, was the last time I did any significant running. So, the 5 minutes today interspersed with my usual 5K walk on the treadmill felt good and exhausting at the same time. It's only been a week, but with a few more yoga workouts than normal and some targeted stretching and resistance training. I feel better already. Now that I think about it, maybe I feel better thanks to that root canal last Thursday! You get so used to a dull pain that your forget what it's like not to have it.

Well, let me tell you, for Day 1 of my 142 Day Fitness Challenge, I am feeling pretty damn inspired. Here is the rundown of my day:  Up at 5 am for a quick walk with the dogs.  Off to the gym for a brisk 3.5 mile walk on the treadmill, while rocking out to John Mellencamp and reading "The Husband's Secret." (A nice little chick-lit set in Australia...so it reminds me of the buckaroos.)  Intake of food for the day -- decent. Breakfast: coffee with fat free creamer, Greek yogurt, and a string cheese. Lunch: Glass of dark chocolate almond milk and an apple with peanut butter. Dinner a big "clean out the refrigerator" salad plus 2 small squares of dark chocolate with sea salt.  Brisk 1.5 mile walk with the dogs after work to enjoy the 50+ degree temps and sunshine. (Downside: Their paws and bellies were very sloppy by the time we got home.) De-stressed with 40 minutes of yoga.  Got inspired by Sharon Stone. Yes -- that Sharon Stone. I saw an interview with h...

I am throwing down the gauntlet to myself, along with some potential public shaming. I realized today that my summer vacation and the first of three nephew weddings occur in 142 days and counting. The thought of being the fat American at the British Open or the fat aunt at the destination wedding in Colorado is not appealing. That gives me about 20 weeks to lose about 100 pounds and get fit enough to run a 5K. Ok, I am not aiming quite that high, but you get the point. 2013 was not kind to my body for a whole lot of reasons. This dreadful winter is not helping, either. I will report progress regularly. Wish me luck people. At the very least, I need to fit in my summer clothes!

I am not really sure when it happened, but I think sometime in the last 12-14 months. Don't get me wrong, I like to think I still got it going on like I did in my late 20s or early 30s. It ain't happening. I find myself reaching for the Aleve on a regular basis to dull all these aches that weren't there last year (shoulders, hip, feet, elbows, neck). Sympathy cards seem to be the ones I send most frequently these days. I feel sluggish the morning after drinking just two beers. I can barely stay awake after 8 pm, yet I have no problem waking up at 5 am. The cold and snow...I used to wish for more of it when I was 17. I just want it to go away now. My fat is now firmly entrenched in my gut. I can't read small print even with my progressive lenses. I used to love going shoe shopping, but who can get excited about sensible shoes? I have bad feet, people! I love the wisdom, independence, and the "I don't give a crap what you think" confidence I gain as each y...