I’ve been on a get healthy kick lately. Weight is something I’ve struggled with my whole life. Although, when I look back at pictures when I was younger, I was way skinnier then than I am now. Funny how that works, huh?
Anyway, around the end of April I decided to eat healthy and to restart my gym membership. It’s been quite a journey, which I will spare you all from reading. However, during this time I’ve discovered that lots of people have been supporting me! I’ve gotten messages, emails, texts, and many words of encouragement. My friends have met with me in person and have given me ideas on ways to be successful in this endeavor.
One way of support has been a bi-monthly meeting with a good friend of mine. We get together every other Saturday morning and walk the Fig Garden neighborhood. At first I was a little skeptical. I didn’t think I’d work up enough of a sweat like I did at the gym. I also didn’t think it would be fun. Walking does not equal fun in my book. Perhaps it’s because I’m use to only walking long distances on a treadmill. Or, it could also be because it’s a million degrees outside, and who wants to walk in that? Whatever the reason, I was not looking forward to the first meeting. (Other than to talk with my friend, whom I love.)
Well, as you could guess it, I was wrong about the whole experience! We each parked along the end of Van Ness and Palm (where Christmas Tree Lane lets out). We walked up and down Van Ness, going down side streets along the way. We kept the pace pretty steadily, working up that sweat I didn’t think was going to happen. Afterwards, I could feel the muscles get all tingly in my legs, so I knew I had gotten a good workout.
Along the walk I was able to see beautiful parts of the neighborhood. The trees provided shade. There were flowers and butterflies along the street. There were people passing us, who waved and said, “Hi,” or “Good morning.” We passed a lady with her dog, who was happy to have some extra pats on the tummy. (The dog, not the lady.) We also stopped by a gentleman’s house who had his dog outside. His dog had a condition where she could not walk on her hind legs anymore, so she was strapped in to a helper with wheels, this way she could still walk. The gentleman was very friendly, sharing with my friend and myself about life with his dogs. (He also had a beautiful, and very friendly, Doberman.) His wife came out as well and we chatted for a bit longer. Everyone we ran into was so kind and welcoming! We walked for a little over an hour, logging about 3 miles. The best part of it, though, was that it didn’t feel like I had walked that far. I had wonderful company, and the shade helped to keep us cool.
People bike, run, and/or walk along Van Ness often, so it was nice to be part of this community, even if only for a morning. I’m so happy my friend let me in on her little secret! If you need to change up your exercise routine, I suggest you head to over to Old Fig. It’s free (woot-woot), shaded, and close to Farmer’s Market for after walking treats. Take a friend with you, and you’ll enjoy the experience even more. If you go this weekend, we’ll be there again, so say hi!
- Visit Local: Selma - August 26, 2016
- Pet Medical Center and Spa - August 19, 2016
- Adopt Local: Animal Compassion Team - August 12, 2016
Leave a Reply