Category Archives: Fitness

Some Things That Are Awesome

I called this post Things That Are Awesome, but as soon as I started uploading pictures, I realized it’s really more like “some awesome stuff that has arrived in my mailbox lately.” Whatever.

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Let’s start with the prettiest of things that have arrived in my mailbox lately: my new gym bag. It’s an oGorgeous bag from the lovely Cassey of Blogilates, and oh, is it gorgeous, right? Readers with a long memory may remember that I bought a very nice Lululemon bag last year after I finished three half-marathons in a row.

Well, yes, it was very nice, but good lord was it HUGE! I rarely get dressed at the gym in the morning (err, if I actually make it) because I need to come back home and walk Bailey, so I don’t need to lug the world in my gym bag. Well, I could have fit the world in that gym bag. And I’m pretty sure I nearly killed multiple small children on the streets of NYC with that bag, especially when I had a yoga mat in the back of it.

I saw Cassey had sent her bags to a few bloggers, including Julie, and I started lusting after the bag. I decided to list the Lululemon bag on eBay (in a move my mom calls wheeling and dealing) and see what I could get for it. I got exactly what I paid for it (Lululemon stuff has a HUGE secondary market on eBay, which is good to know if you ever want something that’s no longer in stores and aren’t terrified of picking up bedbugs.) and decided to order one of Cassey’s gorgeous bags. She gave me a blogger discount, so it was only a bit more than the Lululemon bag, and is something totally unique…until I go to a blogger conference and a bunch of other blog friends have the same bag.

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Since Cassey herself is a fitness instructor, it’s absolutely designed with people who sweat in mind. This smaller pouch is a good one for your stinky clothes.

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And this is the bigger section. There’s also a little drawstring bag that comes in the bag, which I guess is probably for the sweaty clothes.

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Chia seeds. These were sent by GNC because of my involvement with Fitfluential. Stay tuned for more of a skeptic’s view on chia seeds and a giveaway.

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A year’s worth of Omega-3 vitamins from Dr. Oz. I’ve previously only taken Duane Reade Omega-3s, but hey, I’ll try these.

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My NYC Marathon finisher certificate. This was way cheaper than my college diploma, and nearly as important to me. On my second day of work, in a meeting in someone’s office, I noticed a NYCM finisher certificate on her wall. (And that her time was eight minutes faster than me, damnit.) I vowed as soon as I got mine, it would go in my cube. I haven’t brought it yet because I’m afraid of a massive gust of wind picking it up and whisking it out into the Hudson. But I’m pretty sure as soon as I get up the nerve to bring it to work, I’m going to just stare at it all day the way a newly engaged girl looks at her ring all day.

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Thank you, NYRR, for keeping the excitement up and making my 2012 marathon decision difficult. (I’m currently between NYCM or Marine Corps…or both, if I’m really crazy.)

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That’s me!

And finally…

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I am excited for mini bottles of champagne that I picked up around the holidays just because. Thumb is both for scale and because that’s how I feel about mini bottles of bubbly.

How Hard Will You Push Yourself?

Tonight, as I watched The Biggest Loser on the treadmill while doing a tempo run, I thought about pushing myself.

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[source]

I think all the times I started down this path of healthy living before, I failed because of a self-fulfilling prophecy: I was afraid I would fail.


I was afraid I’d put in all that work and not be able to lose weight.

I was afraid I’d lose that first 10 or so pounds that’s pretty easy to drop when you start and not be able to go any further.

It wasn’t till I decided failure wasn’t an option that I succeeded. I started this blog. I went to a trainer who wouldn’t let me fail (even if pushing through those first few embarrassing workouts when I felt like I couldn’t do anything right felt like a failure.)

Pre-weight loss, I’d run three races, half-assing the training each time, subconsciously giving myself an out if I failed. “It’s okay–I didn’t really train for it.”

But now that I’m not quite as afraid of failure, now that I’ve accepted that taking risks always pays off, whether immediately or down the road as it teaches you something, I still find myself afraid to push myself. Especially in running. ESPECIALLY doing speed work.

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[photo via Tina]

Those old days where I was afraid to push myself for fear of failing come flooding back when I try to push the speed. Even though I know I’ve lost a ton of weight, I still sometimes see myself as the overweight girl I used to be, who couldn’t run. I ran with Tina and Monica at Fitbloggin’, and I was terrified. They are fast! How was I going to keep up with them? Again, i didn’t give myself a chance to fail. I was going to run with them, and I was going to keep up. (And I did.)

It took five half-marathons for me to reach my sub-2:00 goal last year. The first half, I wanted it so badly, but I just wasn’t ready. I missed it by just under two minutes. The next two halfs,

I just couldn’t pull it together and try hard enough to do it. Katie even paced me for the More | Fitness Half, but I was afraid for her to see me try and fail, and I gave up pretty early in, before I could fail.

My point? Take a chance on yourself. You’re worth it, and I’m pretty sure you’ll surprise yourself. (Also, if you’re a runner, do the damn speed work. It helps. Sigh.)

What did you think you couldn’t do and found out you actually could when you just wouldn’t let yourself fail? Do you love to push yourself or does it scare you?

Or…what are you afraid of failing at?