30 Day Challenge: Day 9

Day 9: Something you Learned Recently 

Exercise doesn't have to be boring 

Alright so my wife Camille has been on a kick butt weight loss adventure, 30 lbs. and counting, I tried to keep up in the beginning but exercise routines tend to get boring for me. Being an ESFP I really am always looking for the next adventure. I have come to realize that adventure doesn't have to be some grand journey but can be the adventure of a soccer game, or the outcome of a softball game.

These are the ways that I exercise, not weight lifting or workout videos, sports. I have loved sports my entire life but never really looked at it as exercise when I was young. Now I take advantage of the regular sporting opportunities afforded to me.

Our church is a wonderful source of inspiration, we have a church softball league that I have been a part of for a few years now but never really took it seriously as exercise, just competitive fun. I have taken steps to improve my game and in doing so I have increased my skills and endurance considerably, as well as become healthier in general.

There is also a group that has started a weekly pick up soccer game at one of the local fields, this started as soon as the weather started turning, I would say warmer but well we live in Kentucky. They basically started playing when the snow thawed.

Now if I am being completely honest, I always hated soccer. I never saw a point in a game that goes on for over an hour and a half and can not only end in a tie, but end with neither team even scoring. I only ever played one season as a kid, because well I was pudgy and out of shape and the excessive running was definitely not my strong point.

However, regardless of my feelings toward the game at the time, I knew it would be great cardio work. The first week I went was one of Kentucky's warm winter days in late March or so, I was able to keep up for about 20-30 minutes before having to switch into goalie so that I could catch my breathe. The next week I went was awful, it was back to like 40 degrees outside, the cold burned my lungs horribly and I was done with soccer.

My ever persistent wife though inspired me, she was proud that I had decided to take my health seriously, and well I couldn't let her down. So I continued going and this past week without even realizing it, I was able to run at 80-100% effort for two full hours and was only just finally getting to the point where I had to stop. I'm not saying it was easy, not at all. I was totally exhausted but when I looked at my phone and realized how long I had not only played, but played hard and kept up I was so unbelievably overwhelmed by how far I had come, I was proud of myself for the first time in a very long time.