A Hope for Posts

I read the blogs on WordPress. I love knowing what other people are up to and how they decide to approach the topics of health and fitness. But lately, I’ve been a bit disappointed that the fitness posts aren’t rolling in like they use to.

Yes, it’s winter, and yes it’s more difficult to find gym time amidst Christmas shopping excursions, but that’s no need to give up all of the progress made over those warm and carefree summer months.

Which is why I can’ wait for January. Not only will I be looking forward to starting on my own overarching yearly goals, but I’m excited to see a surge of posts revolving around the health of others.

Weight Loss Embarassement

I don’t tell people that I’m trying to lose weight.

I say that my stomach hurts to explain away saying no to cake. I tell people that I’m meeting friends at the gym to ensure that I couldn’t break my plans with the elliptical. And I pay no attention to how my clothes fit so that people don’t know how often I think of my body.

I don’t like drawing attention to the fact that I’m trying to be healthier.

And I know exactly why:

I don’t want the embarrassment that comes with professing to be so devoted to my health, only to renege on my goals and go back to openly professing my love of brownie style cookies.

Because that’s what happens. A lot. I prove exactly how much I’d like to get and stay fit by going to the gym every day, eating exactly the right foods, and beinga model of excellence for all of those with similar goals. And then something happens that makes me slip (that unknowable force that suddenly takes away the happiness you feel when running and leaves your only source of satisfaction as entirely dependent on consuming an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s) and I’m left floundering to explain to those same people that I suddenly don’t have plans with friends at the gym and that my stomach is miraculously feeling better and do you have any extra cheese I can put on this sandwich?

It’s embarrassing.

I know that it would be good to get support from those around me, and I know that so many people would be there to cheer me on if I could only be open and honest with them, but that’s hard when I’ve rightfully come to expect failure from myself.

I Get Knocked Down, but I Reflect Again

As the year is winding down, I find myself reflecting upon everything that I’ve accomplished over the past many months.

I’ve run races, I’ve become pescetarian, I’ve started this blog, I’ve lounged on my butt, I’ve eaten healthier,  I’ve lost weight, I’ve gained weight, I’ve lifted weight, I’ve bought new clothes, I’ve survived major food-based holidays, I’ve ignored the gym, I’ve tried cardioboxing.

Yes, I haven’t been perfect, but I have been happy.

It may seem a little early to be tallying up all that I’ve done this year as we still have a few weeks left in December, but lately I’ve been feeling a bit down.

It’s partly a result of the winter blues, partly the end of my challenge, and partly the fact that I’m in finals mode and want to combust. That’s why I need to remind myself:

I’ve been happy.

Life is constantly in flux, and I’m alright with that. I may be down right now, but it’s only a matter of time before I’m doing better than ever, and with the time to make New Year’s resolutions fast approaching, I’m sensing a renewed enthusiasm for my dedication to health and an upswing in time spent at the gym.

McApple Pie of My Eye

Yikes. Sometimes I need to remind myself why I absolutely positively urgently decidedly need to stay away from fast food. This post was a good reminder.

Eyestrain Productions

If you know me personally at all, chances are you’ve heard about The Pie. Maybe I’ve even taken it out to show you, let you touch it, encouraged you to sniff it. The Pie is legend, and has been for a great many years now. And if you know about The Pie, then you know we’ve just passed a significant milestone on its journey through the ages and into immortality.

The rest of you I’m going to have to bring up to speed.

I mentioned an important anniversary several weeks ago in this blog. Not the one related to the blog itself, nor my comic book work. I’m talking about that other, mysterious anniversary, I was so specifically vague about. The twenty-five year anniversary.

Rather than recap the whole sordid story from the beginning, let us instead begin at the end – or at least the end as it stood…

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We Have a Winner!

Ladies and ladies of the Fall into Fitness 30 Day Challenge – we have a winner.

She has boasted a 5 pound weight loss.

She has blogged steadily, logging 18 posts for the FiF Challenge.

She has redefined what it means to exercise, clocking in 44 hours of exercise in 30 days.

With a total of 67 points, our winner is Veronica from “Girl Meets Road“!

Veronica is first and foremost a runner who knows no better feeling than the high gained from a long run. She is looking to inspire others and wants to do so through her blog and daily decisions. Over the course of this challenge Veronica has loved learning from other bloggers and has enjoyed the feeling of accountability that this challenge has provided. That accountability will be a great asset as she plans on partaking in a workout challenge with her work, and if these results are any indication, she will rock it!

But that’s not all, for our second place contender did just as equally marvelous a job.

She does so much in her daily and blog life that it’s amazing she could commit to this challenge at all, and it is darn inconceivable that she could accumulate 57 points. But that’s just how unbelievably amazing Abbi from “Where the Wild Things Are” is! Recipes, movies, fashion, writing Abbi does it all, and with the great head start that she’s gained from this challenge, she is in quite a good place to round out the year and continue on with her rockin’ lifestyle.

Though Veronica will receive a wonderful and mysterious prize pack from me, and Abbi will be getting Tori’s surprise – as cheesy as it sounds…you’re all winners! An honorable mention goes out to every single person who decided to participate in this challenge, you are a marvel.

While I don’t know if I’ll regulate another challenge in the future, I know that this Fall into Fitness challenge was a definite success and I thank you from the bottom of my heart all for participating.

Fall into Fitness 30 Day Challenge Reflection

Never have 30 days appeared to pass so slowly or move so quickly. But certainly, never have 30 days been so full of happiness and progress.

This Fall into Fitness challenge was designed to get everyone up and moving with a good healthy start heading into the holiday season, and I really believe it’s done just that. I am so grateful for everything that I have gained from participating in this challenge, and the way that I have reexamined how I approach living a fit and healthy lifestyle will continue to spur me on for quite some time to come.

But most importantly, I am appreciative of the Fall into Fitness support system and those core bloggers who have really made an effort to not just improve themselves, but to also share their experiences with others in an attempt to continuously support.

Thank you so much everyone, it truly meant the world to see your participation and outstanding progress.

Please respond to my email regarding point tallies, and two days from now I’ll announce the winner of the grand prize and send an email to Tori about our second place contender.

As for now, I plan on taking a nice break from blogging and use that time to hit up the elliptical.

What’re your plans moving forward?

Countdown to Christmas Workout

Just because our challenge concludes tomorrow does’t mean that you have to stop challenging yourself to be happy and healthy! I love how other people seem to be really getting into the swing of fitness during these winter months