Hello!

I firmly believe getting fit doesn't have to take months or years, and it doesn't have to alter your lifestyle drastically (assuming you don't have any health issues and you are of a healthy weight or slightly overweight).  I'm not a medical professional, dietary expert, or fitness guru.  I'm only a woman, whose weight has fluctuated, whose body has brought three young girls into being, and whose business involves baking cookies practically every day of my life.  I don't claim to know it all.  I do claim to know what my body needs, how it responds to food and exercise, and the fact that you don't have to be rich to be my girl get in shape.

I'm a runner.  My mom was a runner.  I love it.  I need it.  The time that I spend on the road refreshes me, awakens me, and revitalizes me.  It's my me time.  Even if I'm pushing a baby in a stroller, it's still my me time.  My profile picture was taken during my first half marathon last September.  I didn't finish in the time that I wanted to, but I did finish.  I can blame it on moving around the world a couple months prior, but the reality was I just didn't make it a priority.

I'm ready now.  I love running, it will always be my first choice for exercise, and it will always be what completes me.  But, I'm challenging myself this month.  Going out of my comfort zone.  I run, I do yoga (very sporadically), I plank, and I lift light weights to help keep my arms toned (also very sporadically).  I've never done a dvd workout program.  I've never been to a workout class.  I was a competitive swimmer starting at age 7, but I haven't done that since dinosaurs roamed the earth high school.

This month, starting tomorrow, I'm going to do a 30-day challenge using Shaun T's Focus T25 program in addition to the other things I currently do regularly.  Unfortunately, Beachbody wasn't informed of my projected start date, so the dvds won't be here until Tuesday.  Ha.  Tomorrow will be a running day.

5 days a week of T25.  3-5 days a week of running.  However many days I'm able to fit in weights, yoga, and planks.  Never more than 1 hour of working out a day.  No gym membership.  No expensive trainer or equipment.  My running shoes (and Garmin.  and iPhone.  and SPIbelt.  Ok, some expensive equipment, but none that's necessary) and the dvds.

I'm also not changing how I eat.  I like food.  I like junk food.  Don't get me wrong, I like healthy food and we eat healthy meals, but I started running years ago so I could eat what I wanted.  And I do.  And I will continue to.  I own a cookie shop.  If I want a cookie, I'm going to eat one.  I don't drink soda, but I do drink coffee (4ish cups a day) and that will never change.  I don't take supplements.  The closest I come is a Gu on a long run.  I don't take medicine (unless I have a caffeine-deprivation headache, in which case I'll take a few more ibuprofen than I should).  I will never join a crazy diet or try to live on shakes or pills.  God provided food and I'm going to eat it.

I don't believe you have to give up things that you love to be healthy, strong, or fit.  I don't believe it has to consume your life either.  Workout under 1 hour a day.  Eat everything I want (in moderation, obviously).  See the changes.

Tomorrow, I'll post a "before" picture of myself, along with my weight and measurements.  They're not bad, but they're only going to get better.  I'll probably show you some of the junk that I eat.  Maybe I'll show you what my workouts are like.  I'll share some info I find as I spend time during these 30 days researching methods to healthier living, new challenges, and fitness insight.

I hope you read and comment, offer advice when you have some, learn something when able, and enjoy your life.  I will never utter those obnoxious four words (or the one word it's been made into), but the truth is you do only get to do your life one time.  Let's make the most of it by being healthy, having fun, and challenging ourselves to do things we never imagined we would.