Life's Too Short

It has been a really weird and emotional week.  Sudden deaths of former co-workers (yes, more than one), freak accidents and illnesses, strokes (yes that's right, more than one young person I know has had a stroke lately), friends dealing with family tragedies, and finally, the unexpected death of a friend's (newlywed) husband.  

All of these things have put me in that place that we all get to when things like this happen...we remember that life is too short. And we start to think of all the things we haven't done, and we start to pledge all of the things we will start doing.  Hold your loved ones close. Tell your friends and family you love them.  Put down your phone.  Take a risk.  Take an adventure. Live your life with no regrets. 

As silly as it seems, it has also made me think about my journey to a healthier lifestyle.  My goal for the past year and a half has been to be healthy, and to change my lifestyle.  For the past few months I have not been (consistently) living that lifestyle.  And like everybody else, I have vowed over and over again to "get back on track"....starting tomorrow.  Or Monday. 

But what happens if we don't make it to Monday? I would really hate it if my regret in life was that I never got to be the best version of myself.  Or if I felt like a failure because I never accomplished this goal. 

So today, on this Monday, I am choosing joy and positivity.  I will make sure my friends and family know how much I love and cherish them.  I will make the most of my time left here on this Earth.  And I will remember that I am an athlete, who only gets one body, and I will love and cherish that body as well, and treat it with the respect and care it deserves. 

I'm Back....and An Athlete!

So I've decided to resurrect my little corner of the Internet.  Some highlights from the past 10 months: 

• I've gained back a few pounds
• I'm now a R.I.P.P.E.D. instructor
• I'm training for a triathlon

These 3 things combined have led me to do a lot of thinking lately.  I still find myself in awe sometimes when I tell someone that I'm a fitness instructor or that I'm training for a triathlon.  It took awhile, but I'm starting to embrace that this is all actually happening, and I'm starting to feel really proud of myself.  I've even started practicing telling myself that I'm an athlete.  But lately I've been trying to add a second part to that sentence.  "I'm an athlete....time to start eating like one."  I've learned a lot about nutrition over the past few years, and I know how I SHOULD be eating.  It just isn't happening.  Which is what led me here. 

I'm hoping this blog will accomplish a few goals: 

• Keep me accountable:

• I have no idea if this will actually work, but it is worth a shot.

• Did I mention I'm training for a triathlon?:

• This is one of the craziest things I've ever done.  Even though its a super teeny tiny baby tri, who knows where it will lead.  I think it will be pretty fun to document my journey along the way. 

• Keep a record of what works (and doesn't):

• I know that I'm not perfect.  I'm still on a journey to better health (and yes, weight loss), and I know that sometimes I will stray from this journey.  So I'm hoping that if I can keep a record of when things go well for me, it will make it easier to figure out how to get back on track. 

As far as triathlon training goes, I'm not doing any sort of "official" training yet.  I'm essentially at a point where I'm learning to swim, bike, and run, and I'm trying to practice those 3 as much as I can.  Two other things I need to improve in my training: 

1. Nutrition
2. Stretching

I know how to fuel my body like an athlete, I just need to put it into practice.  As for stretching, I need to figure out a plan to spend more time with my foam roller.  I also really like the quick yet efficient stretching video from T25.  And of course, I want to try to make it to a BodyFlow class with my favorite instructor once a week.