I gradually started going for walks.
Right after I got married, I signed up for a gym membership. I took advantage of the gym around five times per week. I looked forward to devoting several hours to my workout. Access to such a diverse range of equipment was helpful. I alternated between the treadmill, elliptical, rowing machine, stationary bike and stairmaster. I often lifted weights and spent a lot of time on the many weight training machines. After my children were born, going to the gym was no longer possible. I didn’t have twenty extra minutes for the commute. I wasn’t willing to hire a babysitter. By the time my husband arrived home from work, I was already cooking dinner. I gave up my gym membership. I switched to running in the evenings. I realized that I could increase stamina very quickly. I steadily improved my pace and lengthened distance. I got where I was running for several hours every evening, often covering over ten miles. Unfortunately, I didn’t spend the money on good shoes. My sneakers weren’t designed for running. The lack of support caused problems for feet. I developed plantar fasciitis. Each step felt as if the sole of my foot was ripping open. I had no choice but to quit running entirely. I could hardly walk. I did a great deal of research and learned that I should rest my feet, ice the painful areas and take ibuprofen to help with the pain. I finally bought myself a decent pair of running shoes with arch support. I gradually started going for walks. I’ve now built myself back up to running again. However, I make certain to go only a couple of times per week. I trade running with riding my bike, yoga and jumping on the trampoline with my little ones.