Last night, for the first time in what seems like ages, I went running outside.  It was one of those perfect nights for running- not too hot, not too cold, and just a hint of breeze to cool you off.  It’d been so long that I realized just how much I missed being outdoors and how much I hated working out in a gym/house/etc.

As I was running, I felt really alive for the first time in a long time.  Maybe I’ve been cooped up for too long.  Maybe it’s been too long and overcast of a winter.  Maybe I just needed to get my body in motion to reconnect with myself.  Whatever it was, it was like a jump-start to my body and soul.  I’m re-energized and ready to be inspired by others around me- whether it be the blogger who’s fighting the battle against fat like myself or the little kid out riding her bike with a wide smile across her face, just because it’s FUN.  I’m ready to listen to my body to tell me it’s hungry, and not my mind trying to coerce me into having a brownie so I can "feel" better.  I’m ready to quit trying to fill the empty spaces and places with food.  Maybe I’m kidding myself and tomorrow I’ll be pigging out on pizza and ice cream, but in this moment, I have to believe that I can do it, and that it is, in fact, possible.

*Today’s Alternative to Chocolate (a.k.a. my current guilty pleasure): The Real Housewives of Orange County