PropelFit 2014 Ambassador

Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by FitFluential on behalf of Propel. I was compensated and all opinions are 100% my own.

Friends (we’re all friends here, right?) – I have a HUGE announcement for you today!

When I started this little site nearly five years ago, my biggest aspirations for it were to help me get a new job (check, and check) and to get a book deal. (Still working on that one.)

I never in my wildest dreams thought that the formerly 189-pound girl would run marathons. That she’d be asked to speak about how she grew her blog and her own social media to help her career. That she’d be profiled in major fitness and lifestyle magazines—and the freaking New York Times.

I never thought I’d be asked to represent a fitness brand as the face of a real person. Who loved fitness and considered fitness as major a part of her social life as dinner and drinks out with friends. Who gets far more excited about fitness studio openings than restaurant openings.

I guess you get the picture by now. I love fitness and living an active life, and it still surprises me sometimes that’s the person I’ve become. (In a good way!)

And somehow I managed to convince a major brand that I lived that lifestyle, but that I still loved to blow off a workout once in a while to catch up with friends over a glass of wine (or a few.)

So…I’m proud to announce that I’ll be a 2014 Propel Brand Ambassador.

propel_ambassadors

…along with Presley, Lee, Jon and Dai. (Props to Lee for her mad PhotoShop skills!)

The word epic is probably overused on blogs, but this is actually epic. They’ll be flying me out to L.A. next month for a photo shoot (NBD), planning fun workout events for us and sending us to races. I can’t freaking wait.

I’ve mentioned this to friends in the past few weeks since I found out, and everyone’s reaction has been the same: “OMG! I drank that in high school! I loved that!” And me, too. My mom bought it for me sometimes, but I remember my friend Sara’s parents ALWAYS had it in their fridge in the garage, and she’d always ask me on my way out if I wanted one. YES!

But we all graduated high school a long time ago, and Propel has gotten a bit of a face lift. (I, however, have not.) It’s still the same tasty post-workout drink and you can also find it in packets, which is convenient for those like me who don’t have a ton of room to store big packs of water.

I can’t wait!

31: Perspective

A few months ago, I signed up for a spring race, and it asked for my age on race day.

I was so tempted to fill in 30, in total denial that I was turning 31. 31 sounds SO much older than 30. As I’ve been joking for the past few weeks, 31 is in your 30s. 30 is basically just an extension of your late 20s, right?

I was supposed to have my whole life figured out by 31. Two kids, husband, dog, house a very short commuting distance from the city, great job where I wear heels to work everyday.

Well, I have a dog, and I have a great job. I am too lazy to wear heels regularly because I like to walk a lot and walking a lot and heels don’t mesh and lord knows I carry enough in my bag everyday.

I had the chance to hear Lauren Book talk last night at Junior League. She was sexually abused as a child, and has made it her mission to prevent abuse through awareness and education through her foundation. Her father, Ron Book, a prominent Florida lobbyist, has worked to lobby Florida lawmakers for stronger laws to prevent sexual abuse, and Lauren will be walking across the state of Florida in March and April to raise money and awareness to end sexual abuse. 

I was certainly moved after hearing their talk. On the subway home, I thought about Lauren, I thought about friends who are dealing with sick loved ones right now and my own father recovering from knee replacement surgery, and I was so grateful for everything I have.

For parents who adopted a little girl 31 years ago, and have gone so above and beyond ever since. For wonderful friends, including one sweet one whose texts from Geneva made me tear up this morning. For my health, which allowed me to HIIT it this morning at Uplift. (Good lord is that class difficult.) For all of you wonderful Internet people who have already showered me with birthday wishes. For the best coworkers in the world, and I job I love. I have a lot more than I don’t, and I’m incredibly lucky for that. 

2014 has already started off far better than 2013, and I have a feeling 31 will be much better than 30 was. 

But I don’t officially turn 31 until 6:15pm, so I’m going to enjoy the last few hours of being 30!