Lately I’ve been seeing spots.

Little circles, lined up neatly in rows.  I think about them frequently – sometimes daily, in fact.   Perfect. Little. Circles.  How can I get more of them?  I must have more!

No, I don’t need to talk to someone about this, but thanks for asking.  There’s a sane reason behind this crazy obsession with circles.

Like most people, I need to exercise a little more.  (Okay, a lot more.)  My mental and physical health is so much better when exercise is a consistent part of my life.  You’d think recognizing that truth would be enough for me to make exercising a priority, but for some reason, I don’t.

But give me a little calendar with 28 to 31 little circles, and suddenly I’m motivated.

I know those years of scantron tests in school had another purpose, but it slips my mind as to what it was.  It did teach me how to fill in little circles.  I don’t remember many of the answers that coordinated with a,b,c and d  but I do remember the immense pleasure of filling in those circles.  The answers weren’t perfect, but the answer sheet was.

The instructions always said to FILL THE CIRCLE IN COMPLETELY and I certainly do.  With graphite or ink I can create the waxing of the moon on hyper speed.  Some people get a rush off of the exercise; I get it filling in the dots afterwards.  One more episode of exercise, one more circle of the month filled in.  Aaaaah, feel the satisfaction!  Little circles, lined up neatly, like perky bunny tails telling me that yes, I am doing something, I am making progress, I can see it right here where I’ve marked in my little circles.  Look at all the times I’ve exercised!!!

For a long time I couldn’t get back on track with exercise because I had a certain idea of what could be labeled a “workout”.  “Exercise” meant the daily doubles of high school conditioning, or the high intensity step aerobics classes of college years or the day long hikes in upper Bidwell Park of young adulthood.  THAT was “working out”.

So when forty-plus hours of work weeks came along, followed a little later by adorable child number one and number two, exercise came to a screeching halt, because none of my definitions of exercise accommodated being a mother to said adorable children.  I just couldn’t “work out” anymore.   I mean, go hard or go home, right?  (Enter pity party here.  And the pounds, too.)

“Look,” my doctor tells me when I complain that I don’t have time to exercise.  “I don’t care if you are doing aerobic garden weeding!  Run while you mow the lawn!  You just need to be exercising every day!”

His silly examples actually helped a huge shift to occur in my brain.  And as you know, the first step in change is always the mental step.

I had to change my definition of exercise, and had to forgive my body for not being able to accomplish what it used to.  And the best (and fastest!) way to lose weight is to lose the excess baggage of guilt and unreasonable expectations of yourself.  Maybe the days of “women with weights” and kickboxing and “boot camp” are gone for now.  But I can ride my bike to church or walk while I wait for soccer practice to end or attend zumba class with a friend.   And it’s exercise!  I can fill in the circle.

Nothing could be better.

No, wait.  Something could make it better.  What if I could fill in the little circle and be helping someone else at the same time?  Someone who truly, desperately needs help, not with something as silly as my calendar polka dots but with the sober necessities, the things I take for granted.  Food.  Shelter.  Safety.  Support.

What if I even took time to exercise on a day that is usually borderline gluttonous?

What if I got involved in something bigger than my little circles?

Believe it or not, I found a way to do all those things.  It’s called the Run for Food, a local 5K run/walk held each year on Thanksgiving morning.  It benefits The Jesus Center and the Sabbath House, two Chico organizations that help the homeless in our communities.  This is the fourth year for the Chico Run for Food, and its proceeds have helped The Jesus Center to keep on doing the great work they do.

I like knowing that as my family and I are out walking on Thanksgiving morning, we’re not walking just for us but for the men, women and children that will come to the Jesus Center with their very real needs.  On this one day I’m not doing it just to fill up my circle, but to fill up someone’s hungry belly.  I get to mark a day off on my exercise calendar to help someone mark another day of exercising their sobriety.   The Run for Food is truly a win/win/win event: you win, they win, and our community wins.

C’mon, now, be a winner!

Which of these things is part of the 4^th Annual Run for Food?

Change your Thanksgiving traditions to actually include the “giving” part.  Connect with your family, friends and community.  Burn off some calories.  Support the Jesus Center which supports people in need.  Make a difference.

You know what the answer is. Option E: All of the above.  Oh yeah, fill that circle in.

- Tina Hoover

For more information go to www.jesuscenter.org or www.runforfood.com or read Run for Food…a Chico Thanksgiving Day Tradition

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