Yesterday morning, I went for a run outside. It’s been a very long time since I’ve run for any extended time, let alone outside. I generally despise running for any sort of distance or doing anything that might be considered “endurance”. Running is uncomfortable at best- it’s laborious and continuous; your legs start burning and muscles you didn’t even know you had start begging you to stop, your breathing starts coming out in gasping huffs with your chest heaving just to catch up- it’s just not an enjoyable experience. And yet, Sunday night, I made a decision and promised myself I would go for a run Monday morning.
While I’ve been getting back into working out regularly and have been narcissistically taking pleasure in seeing my strength return and muscles start to show again (when it comes to short sleeves and tank top season, I’m a ‘Sun’s Out, Guns Out’ kind of gal), I’ve really been avoiding any cardio.
Now for some, running and cardio in general is all about burning calories and slimming down but endurance exercises, such as running, are fantastic for improving your cardiovascular abilities and thus strengthening your heart but also help to activate different muscle fibers (in this case, Type I Muscle Fibers). I want to start running more often to improve my cardiovascular abilities but also to use my muscles in a different way, which should ultimately help me to strength train better. But enough about the details as to why I’m starting to run again- let’s get to the real point.
The point of all this is that I’ve slowly been making changes and trying to adjust what I do daily to live a happier, healthier life. Healthy lifestyles don’t come from big moments, they come from the little decisions you regularly make each day. So, this month, I’ve decided to dedicate each day and the posts I share to be about being happier and healthier mentally, physically and nutritionally.
I’m using the hashtag #HappyHealthyApril and posting about the journey daily on Instagram and Twitter and if you haven’t already, sign up for my email list where this month I will also be sending tips and tricks for a happy, healthier you!
Anyway, I hope you’ll join me using the hashtag #HappyHealthyApril and share what you are doing to live a happier, healthier life!