Get Outside!

One of the biggest things that has helped me stay healthy and fit is my dog. He is super high energy and he needs to get a lot of activity during the day. Knowing that he needs to go get all that energy out forces me to go outside and take him. Every morning I either run or walk with him before I do anything else. Of course dogs need to go outside because they need to go to the bathroom and exercise. But people need to go outside too! When I run I don't have my phone usually or it is on silent and it is a great way for me to organize my thoughts in the morning with no distractions in addition to that early morning sweat!

Being outside, whether it's walking, running, biking, swimming, etc., is great for your physical health but also is great for your mental health. When my husband was deployed I remember at first not wanting to do anything sometimes. But knowing I had to take the dog out pushed me to make sure I was running and walking every day with him. That was so important in my move to a healthier lifestyle.

Today I was off work and I went for a walk with my dog first thing in the morning. After I had breakfast and did some cleaning I decided that I really wanted to go to the beach. I ended up taking Ringo which is a bit of a hassle because, well, he's a dog, haha. But even though I only was there for about an hour, I had to move around at the beach more than if I was by myself. Even if you are not doing rigorous activity, staying moving instead of sitting around helps keep your metabolism strong.

Sometimes it is so hard to get the motivation to get up and get moving. The bed is very persuasive early in the morning. But walking 2 miles takes about 35 minutes. Truth be told we all know how to walk. So if you aren't a runner or you don't have a dog to force you to go outside, remember that this is the one body you get. Take the first step, get up a little earlier and get outside. You will be amazed at how much better you feel getting out and getting moving!