What a beautiful day! I just had to get out in it and play! While my family fished on the bank of the lake I paddled my kayak all around the lake. With my new way of eating I felt a need to exercise and have fun so we went kayaking every night for a week.

It was so beautiful and blessed to spend time in nature. The early evening sun was shining bright orange on the oak trees that lined the water. The still water reflected the blue sky and trees clearly like a mirror. The gentle breeze cooled my face. What a treat for my senses!

Kayaking brought me so close to nature. I saw a beaver swimming to her dam, splash a warning to me with her tail, and then dive down to get into her home. After all the motorized boats left the lake for the night I saw a family of loon birds swimming and calling to each other. Everything was so peaceful and beautiful!

As I have gotten healthier (meaning shedding pounds and gaining muscle by eating more vegetables and fat, not eating sugar/carbs) I have ramped up my physical activity this summer. I progressed from starting out walking about a mile each night, then soon increasing my walk to two miles a night. Now I am able to leisurely kayak for hours, bike around my farm, and play soccer games with my kids.

It has been an organic progression of doing more and exercising harder. I have the energy to keep going and going. It feels great and natural. I push myself for fun to feel my muscles burn and work. This is in contrast to the past when I was driven to exercise because of guilt or shame for the body that I don’t have. Now it is different. It is a desire from within to just go and do.