If someone had told me ten years ago I would be writing a blog about my fitness experiences, my 23-year-old self would have laughed out loud (had to spell it out… no such thing as “LOL” back then) and helped myself to another helping of potato chips…or pop…or ice cream…or all of the above. I wasn’t totally inactive – I had done a little jogging and elliptical machining (I think I just made up that verb) here and there in college – but at that point in life, exercise was not high on my priority list. I was a newlywed with a super supportive husband who loved me regardless of size (and I was around 225 pounds at that time), and I was also a new teacher who tended to eat to deal with the stress that came with the job.
Fast forward ten years, and here I am, blogging for my favorite local gym (and I’m not just saying that because this content is for SWAT members to read; I have been a member of four other local fitness facilities, none of which have been so supportive of me). Between now and then, I’ve lost fifty pounds (well, I’ve lost waaaaaaaay more than that, but that is the overall net loss from the yo-yoing), had three baby boys (the first 6 years ago, the second almost 4 years ago, the last 9 months ago), gotten into distance running, discovered that I enjoy LOVE group fitness, and, at long last, in what is perhaps the crowning achievement of my life, learned to do pushups on my toes.
When I was approached about doing this blog, I was told I should just share my experiences as I work toward my fitness goals – my ups, downs, goals, workouts, recipes, habits, thoughts, daily experiences, and GI problems (okay, okay, no oversharing…not too much, anyway). Sounds simple, right? In actuality, I’m a little (extremely) nervous (terrified) to share publicly my steps towards a higher level of fitness (and, let’s be honest, a smaller pant size). What if I set goals and fail and everyone knows about it? However, one thing I have always loved about SWAT is the sense of community and achievement in the group fitness classes – I’ll dub it “SWATtitude.” Hopefully, this blog will be another way for our little community to connect and help everyone meet their own fitness goals - a way for us to "keep the change" in our lives!
So, stay tuned for more. I’ll see you at the gym!
