Back to the Routine

 

My husband and I have began the slow return to our exercise routine.  I'm not sure if any of you can relate, but COVID quarantine/stress did not help my waistline.  The mix of eating my feelings instead of verbally chewing off the head of my loved ones in fellow quarantine, the stress of dealing with teaching in a virtual/mixed/quarantine world, and the pure boredom of quarantine stewed together to create a pot of pounds.  I learned something from all of this.  People need routines in their lives.  Being trapped in homes last year led to some simple decisions.  First, we attempted home improvement, thus fighting off hoards of people in the home improvement stores.  After my desire to remodel and money ran out, we bonded through games and singing.  However, being together so much caused a weariness that even the Von Trapp family would be singing, "So Long, Fare Well, etc..."  You get my point.  This led to binge-watching Netflix series to a mind-numbing degree.  Eventually, you no longer remembered what day it was.  I desperately needed routine- getting up at the same time, going to work, and exercising.  My youngest son inspired me out of my slump.  He told me, "Mom, I'm tired of being overweight.  I want to change."  I knew that the only way that would happen is if we helped and joined in.  I wasn't going to say, "No!  I don't want to stop watching Netflix in order to drive you to the gym!"  How bad of a parent would that be?  So, off we started back to the gym.  Some days, he pulled me off of my comfy couch and said, "Let's go."  Other days, I would yell his name up the stairs to hear the response, "I don't want to go to the gym!"  But we went.  After getting back on the treadmill the first couple of times, my daughter summed up how I felt.  She has joined a very experienced group of hikers at her college and went on a challenging hike.  She said that at the end of it, she looked like Kungfu Panda puffing up the hill.  Returning to the treadmill, I huffed and puffed worse than the big, bad wolf from the children's stories.  Eventually, it became a little easier.  Now, I can fit in a pair of pants that I had to rubber band engineer in order to close it.  You know the trick, right?  But the greatest thing is watching my son proudly tell me he has lost several pounds already.  This got me thinking.  Our actions and choices do affect those around us.  We don't need to share a million posts to change others.  Our actions speak louder than words.  I lectured my son about getting exercise and eating healthier for years, but it wasn't until I got up and took him to the gym that change came.  What do your actions say to others?  To your family?  Are you all talk, but little action?  If you don't like what your actions say, then do something about it!  

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!

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