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Appetites and Adventures

Why I Started Exercising + WIAW

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Some days I love to run.

Some days I’d rather light myself on fire.

Today I have an uncharacteristically sappy story to go along with my cloudy (thank god – it finally cooled down) run.

It’s about what motivates me, even when I don’t realllllly feel like dragging my ass to the gym or out for a run.  Exercising was not really my “thing” until about age 24.  To be honest, you would have been hard-pressed to convince me to much more than walk to dinner.  My mentality was “I’m not a big person, so why bother?”

I would exercise but it makes me spill my drink

Then my dad was diagnosed with cancer.  Despite chemo, stem cell transplants, and a lot of experimental drugs, he still did some form of exercise almost every day.  One morning while I was visiting him at MD Anderson where he was getting treatment, I went down to the fitness center with him and jogged on the treadmill while he walked along beside me with little 2 lb weights in his hands.  It was all he could do, and he was happy to be there doing it.

That moment is when I started running.  I looked at him and decided that if he could do that with terminal cancer, I had absolutely no excuse not to take better care of myself.

Birthday run for my dad

Years later I’ve found a lot of forms of exercise I love.  I love to lift, I can run if I’m in the right mood, and I’ll attempt to play any sport.  Most days I look forward to doing it, both for fun and for my health.

But yesterday I ran for my dad again.  It was his 61st birthday… and I’m sure if he was still here, he’d have been running circles around me.

End sappiness. 

Read on for my whole day of eats, and link up to Jenn’s WIAW baby right here today!

WIAW - New

Breakfast:

The usual morning cocktail followed by my vitamin gummies. 

Then this deliciousness happened:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJdJVA-giFI/

Lunch:

Post-run I was happy to have Meghan’s Spinach Lentil Veggie Burgers in the fridge.  I heated it up and topped it with mustard.  Sides of red bell pepper and raw asparagus.

Spinach Lentil Veggie Burger

I love these burgers.  My little sister loves them.  Vegas… well, if it doesn’t have meat and I call it a burger she is not amused.  Hahaha!  Don’t listen to Vegas though.  These are good.

Snack:

I got more Growing Naturals protein in the mail, so I very excitedly made my favorite smoothie bowl after a quick back workout at the gym.  This never gets old.

Chocolate rice protein, CocoCardio, spinach, cinnamon, sweet potato (it makes it creamy – trust me), ice, and water.  Topped with granola and chia seeds.

Chocolate-Beet Protein Smoothie Bowl

Dinner:

Vegas had grill duty again with these Blueberry BBQ Skewers.  That sweet-n-savory BBQ sauce is like crack.

Blueberry BBQ Pork Skewers on the grill

Then we were off to a concert which involved wine and popcorn.  #treatyoself

[Tweet “How I got motivated to get off the couch plus #WIAW! #fitfluential”]



***
That passion for fitness also led me to get certified and begin offering personalized online training and nutrition programs!  Check out my philosophy here and fill out the from for more info.

Have you always enjoyed exercise?  Do you now?

Do you like veggie burgers?  Try Meghan’s!  

Comments

  3. Aw loved reading your story. Everyone started somewhere and often has someone or a personal reason to honor each time they workout. All your food looks delicious! I love anything on a skewer and wine and popcorn is one of my favorite combos!

  5. So thankful for what your dad taught you; my daddy has taught me so much too, and I think that his determination despite having lymphedema and health problems is something that often inspires me to workout and keep pursuing life with excitement and joy.

  6. This is great – such a wonderful story and semi-emotional (I’ll blame it on the new baby hormones). So inspirational – you are such an amazing person!
    I haven’t always liked exercise and even now, the only things I really like are running and hiking/walking. And I LOVE veggie burgers – I’ll have to try that out!

  7. That’s such a sweet story about your dad <3 I'm sure he's very proud of all your athletic accomplishments. I grew up playing softball, basketball, and running track so there has never been a lack of fitness in my life but now I prefer to exercise alone, haha.

    • Thanks Jess! That’s awesome you grew up playing so many sports. I tried just about everything but softball was the only one I could stick with.

  9. That is an incredible story about your Dad! I’m so happy you shared it too. I feel like so many people have a story but don’t always share it so thanks for that. We all find motivation in different ways!

  10. I love that story! While I’ve always loved exercise in some form (my favorites have definitely changed over the years), my grandparents set a great standard that I’ve always wanted to live up to. Literally right up until the day my grandfather passed away, after numerous falls and pushing 90 years old, he would still get up, go out to the driveway, and walk up and down the driveway to get in his daily exercise. That was all he could do, but he did it every single day.
    My grandma now still does the same thing and she’s in her 90s. I completely believe that her commitment to moving and taking care of herself has helped her live this long and I hope to be just like her at that age.

    • Your grandfather (and gradmother!) sounds amazing. Mine was like that too – he was climbing trees to shake down pecan until right befor ehe died at 93!

  11. I am the SAME WAY with exercise. Somedays I feel like running, somedays I feel like biking, somedays I feel like lifting. I try not to keep myself in a box and just let my body do what it wants for the day. Loved reading how you found what works for you in fitness!

    PS: the linkup said I had no backlink in my post even though I do! Can you approve it?

    Thanks!

  13. I had a similar start to running, but I was much younger. My dad had a heart attack when I was 15. He started walking 4 miles a day after that. My mom and I would join him, but he was such a fast walker, our walk was a run to keep up with him

  15. I’m so sorry to hear about your dad, Laura. That’s an inspirational story, and not too sappy at all. (This is coming from a graduate student in creative nonfiction–I’ve seen sappy.) I’ll bet your dad would be so proud of your efforts to take good care of yourself. 🙂
    What was the concert you went to go see?

  17. That story totally made me tear up, my friend! What a motivator it must be to have your dad in mind when you run. I hope that you and your sister swapped fun dad stories yesterday to commemorate his birthday. <3

    I'm linking up to the party for a change!

  18. I was always active as a kid, but I hated exercise for the sake of exercise. Now, I’m more of the exercise but not so much play. I would love to try to find a middle ground with that!

  19. I read and reread what you wrote about your dad above… It fits so perfectly with my post today as well. I found my love of the weights at around… 22.
    I’m still not a huge cardio fan 🙂 but embarrassingly I complained each day I did it until I hurt myself and couldn’t do a thing for months. And then I was just grateful I could move.

  20. I was fighting back tears on this one Laura. I have to tell you, your blog posts are one of my favorites to read because in addition to being quirky and funny they are always so raw and honest. This one especially made my heart warm. Just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your little corner of the internet here!

  21. I’m sorry for your loss. The health of a relative is also what got me into healthier eating and fitness. I didn’t want to live like that. I’m so glad I changed my lifestyle! Though you won’t catch me running after anything other than the baby :p
    I miss out grill! We haven’t pulled it out once this year, pathetic! Or realistic?

  23. that’s so sweet. your dad sounds like suuch an inspiration!
    also, FINALLY just bought some cococardio. you make it so appealing, and i cant wait to try it!! 😀

  27. I love the inspiration behind the role exercise plays in your life. I came to exercise a lot later in life too (sport isn’t really a big part of growing up in the UK…sadly) around the age of 23/24. Now training is part of my everyday and it makes me feel like me. I am a stronger person now physically and mentally for it 🙂

    • I hear that all the time bout Europe. It’s funny how different we view health/fitness across the ocean. I think you guys just get to walk around more too though. No one walks in the the US.

  28. Seriously. I will forever think about your father and his strength when I ever have the thoughts of “I CANT DO THIS”… That will surely motivate me to keep on truckin! Your dad kicks ass!

  29. Aww your dad. I college I refused to sweat, it was a secret sorority pact. I didn’t start running more than just a random mile or two here or there until I was 23 — it was the week after my very young grandmother died from lung cancer . . . I remember going to Memorial Park in Houston thinking about her and then finishing a 9 mile run! 3 months later I did a marathon. BTW, I used to work at MD Anderson until we moved to Austin in late 1996

    • I can’t even imagine you refusing to sweat!!! I love hearing you story – I had no idea how many people had similar motivations. And isn’t MD an amazing place? I’m forever grateful my dad was able to have access to that level of medical technology and care.

  31. I almost choked up a bit there. I have a kinda similar story for why I’m exercising. My dad was a health nut, so everyone expected him to live up to a ripe old age where (his words) he’d be feeding his grandkids with fresh fruits from his trees in the backyard. He passed away in his sleep, and nobody knows the reason why, not even the doctors. I had a really hard time accepting the fact that he was gone. I tried everything, meditating, writing, exercising. It was the exercise that helped me pick myself back up the most, though I know the other stuff also helped. I love exercising now and I’m grateful for it because it helped me with my grief so much.

    • Oh wow… I’m so sorry to hear that. I can’t image having those questions. Thank you for sharing your story too. xo

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