We Can’t All Be Runners, But We Can Certainly Try.

Recently the popular creator of the television show Girls, Lena Dunham, surprised everyone by professing her love of running. If you are  familiar with the star then you would know that she not only talked about how much she hated running, but how she could never see herself really doing it. 

We have all been in that position where we refuse to participate in strenuous activities just because our friends and popular figures are doing it. Even here at Model My Diet, we have been slow to jump at the jogging phenomena. However, here is what we learned when we started running outside.

It is the best way to clear your head, focusing on one activity. A lot of times when we are busy working on new releases, trying to connect with our clients, or researching new diets or information that would be helpful for our users, we take it in all at once. We want to provide the best services, but with so many ideas flowing freely, we forget to take the time to slow down and focus on our bodies. So when we start running, whether it is 5k or over 20k, we give ourselves and our body the time to focus on our thoughts and try to find helpful solutions. 

Being outside while running is a great distraction and yet, inspiration for new ideas to come.  Our best ideas often come when we are not expecting it. Like the switch of a lightbulb, a solution comes to your mind when you are able to clear all the distracting thoughts in your head. Sometimes it is hard to think straight when you are restrained to an office with so much pent up energy. Running allows you to use that energy to strengthen your body and your mind. It forces you to explore places and destinations that you just don’t find in an office. You see the world differently when you run, giving you a new perspective on exercise and your health. 

We turn “I can’t” into “I will”. We have all made excuses,  including some of us at Model My Diet, for why we cannot run. That first 10 minutes is a killer, because you are using muscles you never normally use. You feel pain in your thighs, your heart is beating at a rapid pace, and your breathing starts to shorten. Nevertheless, it is the best feeling you can have, because you feel your body is detoxing and recharging at the same time. The further distance you run, the more accomplished you feel to the point where you don’t remember why you were making excuses for not running in the first place. 

Whether you run to the top of a mountain or along a beach, the effort to do so is a milestone in your start to a healthy lifestyle. This post is not about leaving advice or sharing tips, but writing from an experience we felt when we started running. After every run, our body was in a well rested state the next day and it allowed us to continue working hard, with even more motivation; refreshed and recharged.