Becoming Fitfluential

I don’t have a very dramatic fitness journey story.  I didn’t lose 200 pounds, nor do I struggle with an illness or other challenging life circumstances.  I’m just an ordinary person, trying to stay healthy in a world that sometimes seems hell-bent on convincing me to eat more sugar, watch more TV, and order fries with that.  So what sets my story apart?  Nothing.  I like the fact that I’m just like a lot of people out there, living their lives and fighting the fit fight, day after day.

I write about fitness and nutrition a lot, and while I definitely don’t have it all figured out, I know that I’m lucky that I started out in life with great role models.  My parents lead a very healthy lifestyle, and growing up in a house where we didn’t eat chips or soda was just the tip of the fit iceberg.  Sure, it made me the odd man out at lunchtime food swap sessions, but it served me very well when I left the nest, went off to college, and did not gain the freshman 15.  It also worked to my advantage when I moved into my first apartment and began grocery shopping and cooking for myself.  

I know that while big, flashy goals are really inspiring and influential, sometimes it’s overwhelming to read about Olympians who have a dedicated team of trainers and nutritionists behind the scenes when all you have is a half hour to get the grocery shopping done before you rush home to throw on gym clothes and head back out the door.  I also know that most of us won’t ever make it to the Olympics, but that we can be happy, healthy members of society, one that needs superheroes and weekend fitness warriors alike.  I like to think that I fall into the latter category, or at least I aspire to.  My first love is running, and I hit the road 3-5 times a week, but I’m also constantly looking for new things to try in my quest to stay fit.  I’m not great at pushing myself--people would probably describe me as cautious, methodical, and unlikely to take risks--but fitness goals are one way that I am able to step outside my comfort zone and try something new.  Even if I’m not good at spinning, swimming, or whatever else I’m attempting this season, the fear of failure is softened by the knowledge that I pushed myself and became more fit in the process, which in my book makes it a win-win situation.  After all, what is getting fit but the intersection of flashy, inspiring goals and the methodical, bit-by-bit progress that’s necessary to achieve them?

I was very excited to learn that I'm going to be a Fitfluential Ambassador.  What's Fitfluential?  It's normal, real people, working to get and stay fit and sharing their stories along the way.  I'm pumped that I get to count myself among their ranks.