The proverbial first step is always the hardest… trust me. In my younger days, I was this skinny kid who could literally eat till I was sick and not gain an ounce. When I graduated from high school, I weighed 153 lbs. at 6′ tall.
It was during my junior year in college that my thyroid suddenly decided to stop doing its job and my metabolism took a nosedive. From that point, weight control was a challenge. I didn’t gain the biggest part of my weight until about 10 years later. It led to needing back surgery, having to start taking blood pressure and cholesterol meds, and sleep apnea.
Fast forward to June 2015… this was the moment when my younger brother Chris convinced me to try running a 5k with him a month later in Wilmington. I had traveled down to Sampson County to see him finish a 5k there and he ended up winning as the overall male finisher.
Right before taking this picture he told me about the TriSpan 5k/10k that would be taking place in about a month and how he wanted me to try the 5k with him. This was also the day I had finally lost my first 50 lbs which I had done with diet and exercising on my elliptical. I hadn’t run since high school gym class, well maybe a little in college on a tread mill but that had been twenty years ago! I thought it sounded crazy but I agreed. The excitement of seeing my brother win and the thought that it might help me reach my fitness goals spurred me on. So I went and bought a pair of running shoes and so began my adventure as a runner…
That first 5k opened up a whole new world to me. The excitement of race day, the feeling of accomplishment at the finish line, the encouragement of fellow runners made me realize just how special this sport of running really is and I was suddenly hooked!
But all of this would have not happened had I not taken that ‘first step’. If you can relate to any or all of this and are contemplating a change in your physical health, your first and hardest obstacle will be that first step. But you can do it. 90% of that first step is mental. Set a goal and start with a small step and slowly increase your progress with time. Don’t expect changes to happen overnight and don’t get discouraged. If you stick to your goals and plans, YOU WILL SUCCEED!