Day 100: 17,025

I did it! I did it! If this was 2001, I would have totally made it so there was confetti raining down all over the page and I would have turned your curser into a little pair of running shoes and then your computer would have crashed. FUN TIMES! But I did it! I've never achieved any sort of fitness goal at all in my entire life, so while this may feel like an old lady-ish form of exercise, I'm feeling chuffed and very proud of myself.

So what's changed for me in the last 100 days? Let's see...

• I exercise pretty much every single day. This is a statement I've never been able to make before and one I couldn't have imagined making this time last year. It doesn't matter if it's a holiday or a weekend or an incredibly long work day, I still get out there and move.
  
• My asthma has diminished greatly. This time last year, I was using Advair, twice a day, every day, and I was still having a lot of tightness in my chest and rattly breathing. Now, I may use my rescue inhalor once or twice a month. It's awesome.
• My back doesn't hurt anymore. I blamed the aches in my back on a bad chair, a bad mattress, too much time in the car, whatever. The truth is, I needed to exercise more and get stronger, especially in my core.
• My waist is smaller. I've always had a nice, slim waist but last year, I started to notice I wasn't so little in the middle anymore. While I'm not where I want to be, I'm on my way there. My clothes are fitting much better.
  
• My cheekbones are returning. Hi, cheeckbones! I missed you!
  
• I have tons of energy and great stamina. For the last few years, that time between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. have been my enemy. I was exhausted and wanted to nap or consume a heroic amount of caffiene just to get through the rest of the day. That just doesn't happen anymore. A lot of the things I dismissed as, "Eh, I'm just getting older" don't happen anymore. It's very freeing to get out and do things without being hit with exhaustion in the middle.
• Sitting still for long periods of time feels unnatural. I remember working at my computer and glancing at the clock to find several hours had passed without my notice. I can't do that anymore. I have to get up and move every 20-30 minutes or I start to feel trapped. Every few hours, I really feel like I need to go and walk for at least 20 minutes. This has helped me have a much healthier relationship with my work. I am less all-or-nothing and I'm actually getting more done because I'm taking breaks that keep my mind fresh.
  
• My house and yard is tidier. I knew that housework could be a real workout but until I started wearing my pedometor, I never really realized how tasks like taking the garbage from the kitchen to the can or sweeping can really add up.
  
• I've saved a ton of money on gas. For the most part, I only take my car to and from work. I do most of the rest of my errands on foot. When you have to carry you groceries home from the store, it makes you shop differently too. A big box of ice cream sandwiches doesn't seem like that big a deal when you've got the cart and the car, but when you have to carry it home (and get it home before they unthaw!) you start to look at your purchases differently.
• My dog is better behaved. When we first got Ginger, she was a wild little pup. She's still wild but not totally embarrassing to take out on a leash now. She used to lose her mind if she got within 100 yards of another animal. Now she's excited but looks to me for direction instead of becoming a crazy, barking monster that scared strangers and irritated her owners. Good girl!
  
• I'm paying more attention to how I treat myself. I haven't become some heath nut whose whole life revolves around being fit, but I am a lot nicer to myself and being nicer has meant making some better choices. Stupid little things, like taking my allergy medication every night or have more fruits and veggies or getting a good night's sleep, have become a lot more important to me. I like my body a whole lot more now and I want to be nice to it.
  

So, what now? Will I stop wearing my pedometer? I've got it on today and I'm planning to do my usual long walk with the dog after I get home from work. Next week, I'm going to start the Couch to 5k program. Will I go for another million steps? Maybe. I'm not quite sure yet. I think I'll take the rest of the week off of blogging here and let you know what I decide next week. I'm leaning toward yes.