Orlando, watch out! I just got my new bike and I’m hitting the road. Well, I won't exactly be terrorizing the streets because my new ride is a cute purple 21-speed bicycle =) 

I had been scouting Craigslist for a while in hopes of getting a second (or third or fourth) hand bike, but couldn’t find anything good, so I had to get a new one. I can’t wait to trick it out with a big basket so I can start doing my grocery shopping with it. Until now, I’ve been just carrying stuff in a backpack and in my hands… my old body can’t take it anymore! Especially in the hot Florida summer heat! 

I loved riding a bike as a kid and always begged my parents to let me ride to school, but only got to do it a handful of times (overprotective parents!). But I rode around my neighborhood with my little brothers all the time and it helped to keep me healthier and happier. Did you know that the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation estimates that by the year 2015, 75% of Americans will be overweight or obese unless children and adults start getting more exercise on a regular basis?! What a scary statistic!

I’ve been meeting new people that live in my area, and turning them all into workout buddies. I love going out to eat with friends, but it’s even better if you start it right by going for a power walk first! This is something that my mom and I have been doing over the last few months, we will get up a little early and speed walk through the park before going out to my fav brunch spots – and boy do pancakes taste better after a good workout =) Hopefully, I can get my new friends to do the same with me! (Since my mom is in NJ and it would be hard for us to take walks together, except virtually over the phone!) Maybe we'll even walk or bike to our next brunch meetup! ;-)