{ LiFe SaVeR }

A few years ago I began to experience difficulties. It was difficult to catch my breath, my vision would go all funky when I walked up a flight of stairs, (or stares... get it? Because they're lookin at my bum. Not really. Ok. This... this joke never happened.) and at times my heart beat was painful.

My dad kept saying that if I just worked out, I'd be fine. But I don't like working out. I don't have time to go to the gym. And running is for punks!

My German exchange students put it best when walking past the high school track one morning. "Who goes running? It's crazy. Running in circles. That's what crazy people do." And they were right. Crazy people DO do that. (Heh. Doodoo.)

Which is why you don't go to the track, dummy.

I considered my exercise to be walking to and from school every day. It was like... 3 blocks. Took about 10 minutes one way. 20 minutes of exercise, and I'm good, right? Hah.

The problems persisted. During marching band it was a little better, but when band was done for the season, the problems just came back.

I just figured I'm young, and honestly if I died from this, I'd just go to heaven and be like "Oh sorry! I was young and stupid and didn't know what to do! And doritos are TOO GOOD to pass up."

Then I met Joe. I realized I was in trouble when we went biking nearly exactly a year ago, actually... and he was running circles around me like a crazy person. Biking circles. Literally. And going up and down hills without even getting off and walking.

And even though I was a smitten kitten and planned on marrying him from the second I met him, well... I figured I'd just be the mom. The mom that stays home while the kids go out to play with dad because her weak soul can't handle it. And I felt bad because even with my family, I wasn't wanting to get out and play with them... It was a chore. It was nice to be with them, but why couldn't our family time be a trip to the ice cream parlor?

Things got worse at the Turkey Trot in Colorado consisting of Joe's family and me. I really was not in shape. They were amazing and cheered me on and weren't pushing me too hard, but I was still fighting the light at the end of the tunnel.

And I got tired of that.

It started when Joe and I decided to get in shape together for the wedding. I'd do 200 situps a day, he'd do 100 pushups a day. And that went for a while. But sit ups are easy. You're SITTING.

And then one day he said we were gonna go running and I felt like dying.

But it got better.

And then we moved and I realized I'd have to bike to work every day and I got really scared. But that got better too.

And one day Joe was busy and I went running alone. And one day he offered to let me use the car to take to the train every day and I thought "No! I like biking."

Because really I do. Something that had been a chore before became enjoyable. And I don't know how it happened.

But my heart doesn't hurt anymore. I can run up a flight of stares no problem, and now people really are staring at my bum. (Joking. Preschoolers would only stare at my bum to laugh about the word "bum".)

Healthy food seems nice now, and healthy recipes are WELCOME. Please send them to me! I already know about skinnytaste so SHUT UP OMG I'M TIRED OF HEARING ABOUT IT AHHHH....

And then when I feel like eating a bag of doritos and 14 otter pops, I don't feel as bad. Because I worked hard and I deserved it.

I like this whole... fitness thing...

Motivational blogs, recipes, tips, all that stuff... please send them to me or comment below, I love it :)