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Living for my daughter

I'm definitely healthier as a SAHD.
Staying home with Willow has helped me pursue, and so far keep, a healthier lifestyle.
I'm no Lance Armstrong. Far from it, but I am shedding weight a feeling better. I walk frequently, am eating better and am feeling less stress. I'm also reading and writing more and am generally more active.
It's not that I have more time to do these things. Actually, as I've shared with my wife repeatedly, I feel like I have less down time than I used to when I was commuting to my second-shift job.
But the mindset is different. And the change in routine (hours) is definitely different.
Having long commutes and a stressful job seemed to overwhelm any attempts I had at being healthy and fit. And the commutes and the stress made wonderful excuses to just take it easy.
And the hours (and the hard hours at work) wreaked havoc on my diet. I usually ate lunch, supper and a before-bed meal back then. Now I get a normal day's meals.
But it's probably the walking that's made the biggest difference. I enjoy taking long walks with Willow, and she seems to like them too, especially when they're bookended by stops at the playground (see picture).
I've also toyed with jogging recently but my newfound asthma has delayed that. I'm going to give it a go again, though, once my doctor gives the go-ahead.
I log all my walking and running at www.runkeeper.com, which is a social site for people who walk, run, swim or bike. I'm on there by myself right now, but I'd like for you to join me. Join the site (it's like Facebook) then look me up and invite me to join your Street Team. I'll support your activities if you support mine.
And that brings me to my point. Yeah, it was tough for me to get a fit routine going while I had my second-shift job, but just because my life has straightened out a bit isn't why I'm succeeding now.
I think the real reason I'm doing well lies with the bundle of joy that's graced my life.
Willow is supporting me, not directly but indirectly.
I want to be active for her, to set a good example, to get her out and into the world. I also want to be there for her for a very long time.
I want to add years to my life, and to hers.
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