Getting in shape and trying to lose some weight can really be a difficult endeavor to take on but I've been trying to make it more fun by taking the time to explore my neighborhood and see what exactly lies off the beaten path. My feet are a little sore due to the fact that I opted for my wore out Nikes today instead of my normal walking shoes. I do feel accomplished that I made it without having to sit down traveling nearly 6 miles on foot after dropping my wife off at work today.

It's great to walk around the neighborhood with my music pumping loudly but it’s also interesting having short conversations with the people who live and work near my home. You see for the last few years I’ve been pretty much stuck inside my home not doing anything because of my PTSD afraid to go outside or even open my door when I hear a knock. I’m starting to get back in my socializing mode and that with the endorphins the walking is pumping threw my veins is causing me to feel amazing. I can't describe what it's like to no longer be a prisoner of my own mind it's like I've unlocked my inner child and that kid is ready and willing to go out and explore the world while experiencing everything with amazement and wonder like it was my first time all over again.

That's not to say my adventures around my neighborhood have been without issues in fact a couple of my biggest pet peeves seem to keep popping up in bugging me at different points in my walk. The biggest one at least for me are the inconsiderate bicyclists who fly down the sidewalk going against the flow of traffic and always seem to find a way to bump into me from behind or shout obscenities at me. I mean the roads I'm walking down actually have bike lanes so why are these people riding their bikes so carelessly down the sidewalk? My second pet peeve is lying panhandlers. Don't get me wrong I have no problem helping a person in need with whatever change I may have but for the last two weeks the same exact guy has come up to me claiming he just ran out of gas down the road and is from out of town. He then tries to get me to give him some gas money. The very first time I came across him I actually offered to go and buy him some gas but when I did that he just walked away. It's funny that he does at least change up the story or remember people from previous days. I guess the thing that bothers me the most about people like this is it may cause a genuine person in need to not receive help because people will think it's just some type of scam.

I plan on trying to walk during the day after dropping my wife off at work for at least an hour but I may add to it depending on how I feel. Eventually I would love to either purchase an elliptical to use at home or start getting my butt back into the gym again. I know I stumbled on my weight loss journey but the human body is an amazing thing is able to put up with some of the abuse assuming at some point you regain your senses and stop mistreating. Obesity is an epidemic and I've been trapped by it for far too long.