Time to level up...my body?

It's been a while since I've gotten out and exercised, and having moved to a very, very, VERY fitness active state (Colorado) I'm a little intimidated to run outside.

Every time I try and tell myself to go for a run, I imagine myself getting passed and trampled by hordes of athletes, ancient and very young included, and I find myself flopping back on the couch and playing Minecraft instead. 

However, I know that getting back into shape is important for my health. I'm the heaviest I've ever been, and while I don't at all consider myself obese, this is still something I need to keep in check, especially because I have a gigantic sweet tooth and diabetes runs strong within both sides of my family.

So because it's time to get back into shape, I have to come up with some kind of strategy. Dieting and getting into shape in my mind is very comparable to an end boss in a video game.

You have to strategize and know your enemy, because my usual method of attack, which is running at the enemy full force and hoping I do as much damage possible before I get squished is not a plan that can work in real life, and especially not in the long run. 

Sure, I COULD attempt a marathon tomorrow. Who knows, I may even finish the race, gasping and crawling across the finish line like a wounded moose, however, I'm certain that this head-on battle attack would destroy all resolve to keep exercising and I'd be no better for my efforts.

It would, however, allow me to brag about how I ran a marathon without training but I'd probably be unable to move without crying for about a month. 

So, I shall start my plan for getting back into shape by examining my life style, and seeing what I might be able to change. 

For starters, I currently have a job that has 90% sitting. I have tried to fix this by standing, but this still means I spend 8 hours not really moving. 

The number of times I exercise a week is....0. Oops. That at least is an easy fix.

Water consumption is low, and I have always been bad at that. When I'm at work it's easier, because I get bored and drink more. However, I'm sure I'm still not drinking enough.

My diet consists of some junk food (like pizza hot pockets, mac n' cheese, soda, chips etc)

But I also eat a lot of dehydrated fruit (mostly bananas, mango and applesauce)

In the past, getting into shape has been strongly influenced by exercise. I know that everyone can be different, that there are different body types and builds that can influence how much exercise you may need. But exercise or dieting alone aren't enough. After all, a dragon slayer wouldn't go off slaying dragons without both a sword and armor.

So, my proposed battle plan (I am proposing this to myself, I think), is to:

*Stop drinking soda altogether. There's just nothing good about it. If I want to drink something other than water, I can drink iced tea or juice (which still has sugar, but I don't expect to be perfect, just healthier).

*Spend at least a half hour EVERY day doing SOMETHING. A walk, a run, some push ups, crunches, kayaking, whatever. I think to count as exercise, I should have an elevated heart rate at the very least. I've read on Reddit that you should never have a day where you do nothing, because as long as you do SOMETHING, then you are creating a good habit that becomes harder to break. 

*Reduce the amount of unhealthy snacks. I know it is unrealistic for me to stop eating junk food altogether, and should I even try I'm likely to find myself craving it until I can stand it no longer, and I will transform into a junk-food-eating-monster, and nobody needs to see that. 

*Increase my water consumption. It doesn't have to be a lot, I think the recommended amounts you see on dieting websites is extreme, and I don't have enough bathroom breaks at work to drink that much. I've started to keep a water bottle by my bed at night, which increases the likelihood that I will drink water before bed, instead of trying to go to sleep while feeling dehydrated but too comfy to get up. (This is a common issue for me.)

*Not setting a weight loss goal. Many people think it's best to tell everyone how much weight you plan to lose, but what they may not realize is by doing this, they are getting emotionally rewarded by the people they tell, which makes them tend to not actually go through with losing the weight. So to tackle this problem, I've decided to focus on lifestyle changes and not worry about the weight. If I'm doing things right, it will come off on its own. 

I can't change that my job requires a lot of standing or sitting in one place, but I've started pacing and stretching, hoping that small changes like this will aid me in my goal. 

While I may still feel intimidated by the fitness crazed folks who are already running the trails, I need to remind myself that these are not my enemies, outpacing them might be a fun turn of events but it is not the end boss. I have to beat myself, my lack of resolve and my currently unhealthy lifestyle.

Today is my day one. Day one on my journey to get back into shape, to conquer and defeat my inner couch potato.

After work I plan to hit the trails, I'll be sure to tell you how I did tomorrow.