I feel like every day I am saying how tough it is, but it is. And I always follow it up with how worth it, it is and that is because, it is. I am so thankful to be starting this journey that I know will have to last a lifetime. There are no shortcuts for me, my gene's saw to that. I decided that I want to have a fit life and for me, that means exercising every day. It isn't going to be easy but it is the right time for me.

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So, changing your eating and exercising habits does also create some challenges with your body. My stomach has been churning all morning and I think I am releasing a lot of those bad toxins from my body, in not so fun ways. he he he he....

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I want to be real in the blog, because.....I don't know I guess because if someone reads this who is starting out, I want them to know things that are happening to them are normal. I have found, in my walking that it is difficult to always control my bowels. Sometimes walking seems to loosen things up a little.....okay, a lot. I have had to end my walk early and one time it was a very close call to make it home in time.

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I thought I was the only one. I thought there was something wrong with me. I thought maybe it had to do with the fact that I had my gal bladder removed (forever a ago). Then I talked to my Dad who has been running every day for as long as I can remember. He told me it is totally normal and a lot of runners/walkers have to deal with that and each person figures out a way (usually they have 'special spots' to stop along the way and being guys definitely makes it easier). 

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I was so glad to know there wasn't something crazy wrong with me and so sad to know that it was just part of life and not much I could do about it. :( I have taken some steps, however, to make it less likely to happen.

1. I do my indoor exercises and stretches before I leave to try and loosen things as much as I can.

2 I go to the bathroom before I leave.

3 I drink before I start my indoor exercise. Then I take a water bottle with me and leave it on the trail (after taking a sip) at the bottom of my last big hill (or the first big hill for dropping it off). That way, when I am at the tail end of my walk/run I can pick up the water bottle and get a drink without having to wait too long before reaching a restroom.

4 I wear a pad, just in case.

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Okay, so that is my friendly advice for today. I will say that, although my stomach was churning, a lot, today I was able to get in my mile with my incline sprint. :) I also did 145 squats, 90 crunches, and 40 leg lifts. Mom, I was able to do all those leg lifts by telling myself "I can do hard things". Thanks for the inspiration. :)