Guest Post:  Today’s guest post is from Lyndsay @ The TESTOSTERZONE. Now, Lyndsay and I go away back … we went to High School together and before that played against each other in summer soccer. I love The Testosterzone blog as she write about these beautiful boys in her life. She’s a working mom and an amazing photographer. She’s photographed a few friends weddings, preggo photo’s and babies/toddlers and families.

Thank Lyndsay for being a guest post today.

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I grew up being extremely active.  Between sports and all my extra-curricular activities, it seemed like I was always on the go.  I always had lots of energy and I was in great shape!  I played soccer well into my twenties, worked out at the gym, jogged regularly…the works.

And then I had kids.

Sound familiar?

Somewhere along the line, life changed, fast.  In my twenties, my career was starting and I moved around a lot; never settling in somewhere long enough to get involved in organized sports or meet people to work out with.  Life was busy.  I got married, settled into a career and a life in the suburbs.  Then we had two kids, and there never seemed to be time for anything, let alone exercise!  I used every excuse in the book NOT to exercise after I had kids!  We all know what it feels like after having kids (or being pregnant), and being so tired you feel like you can barely make it through dinner 🙂

For the last 5 years, I’ve struggled with finding the energy or the will to get off my butt and get outside.  I’ve tried a few different things along the way, but have never been able to commit to anything for long periods of time.  My kids are now almost five and eighteen months, and to tell you the truth, I’m finding it harder and harder to blame them for my not being active!  What I needed was something to jump start me, something to re-ignite a passion for physical activity.

And then, about a month ago, Rex came into our lives.

We weren’t planning on getting a dog – ever!  But he was a boy that was looking for a home, and well, we had a home to give.  I’d grown up with dogs, but have never had one of my own.  It was definitely a steep learning curve, but he is a perfect fit for our family.  One of the things I love the most about having a dog, is the fact that they force you to get outside – exactly what I needed!

Rex is an older dog – about 8 years old, but that doesn’t stop him from needing a good walk or run every day.  With a dog like our Rex, who is a husky mix, you just don’t have a choice…they need to be walked every day.  Knowing that he is relying on us to get outside for at least 30 minutes a day is exactly what I needed.  At first, it was a concept that was hard to get used to (Oh yeah, I have a dog now and he needs to go for a walk!)  But now, I look forward to our nightly walks so much, I find myself thinking about it during the day and watching the clock until “walk time” comes around.

We started out slow as we got used to each other.  Both of us were a little out of shape!  But now, we’re in perfect sync. We run a bit and walk a bit.  We stop for water breaks and pee breaks (him, not me!)  We’ve got our little schedule all figured out and we’re both starting to see results.  Both of us are sleeping better and both of us are just a bit more relaxed.  Maybe we’ll even start seeing a few pounds come off, something we could both use a little of 🙂

I believe our special routine has helped Rex transition into his new home.  I also know it is helping me in many ways.  This routine has helped me not only bond with my new friend, it’s helped me commit to exercising.  Rex isn’t going to let me miss an evening walk, and I’m not going to disappoint him by choosing not to go out.  Rain or shine (or snow!), I’ll be out there with my boy, confident in knowing that the exercise is adding to our health and our happiness.  It’s a commitment I’m making to Rex and to myself 🙂

Don’t forget to visit Lyndsay’s blog at The TESTOSTERZONE, Facebook and Twitter.