I had knee surgery on Dec. 5 to fix my ACL and meniscus. The surgery went well. It was really easy for me since all I had to do was go to sleep. I woke up to some pain, but after some morphine and pain killers, I was handling the pain like a champ.

I appreciate everyone's support on Facebook and Twitter. It means a lot to me that so many people are praying and hoping that I feel better. I have to say that my knee feels better than I thought it would for being a week out of surgery. I didn't know what to expect, as every surgery is different. I am limping around, but at least I am able to walk without crutches. I just hope I don't get in trouble with the surgeon when I go see him on Thursday.

As I have mentioned in previous messages, working out is a big part of my life. I fell in love with physical fitness early on in my life, and I credit my fitness level and God's grace to keeping me healthy for the majority of my career. In 12 years of riding, I have only had four surgeries. I know that isn't very many, because when I tell people how many bones I've broken, they don't seem very impressed. Taking care of your body by working out and eating right is important for all of us.

Obviously surgery is a good excuse for not me to not work out as usual, but I can't let it stop me entirely from working out. I didn't do anything physically demanding last week except limp to the kitchen for some food, but this week I am pushing myself to do some upper body workouts at least a couple times. As my leg heals, I will start doing my regular Cowboy Fit workouts to gain my strength and stamina back (you know I have to plug my workout video). I always have good excuses why I can't work out, but I feel so much better when I push myself to do it.

How about you? What's your excuse? You know you need to do something different. What's holding you back? I want to encourage you to commit to at least 30 minutes of exercise, three times a week. It doesn't have to be an intense workout, but something is better than nothing. Get the momentum going and you will start to crave the feeling of physical fitness. Life is too short to not be physically active and happy. Work hard and stop making excuses!

Sincerely,
Wiley Petersen
wileypetersen.com
facebook.com/wileypetersen

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding." Proverbs 3:5