Remember my good friend Stephanie, Editor of The Fête Blog and professional runner? Well, she’s starting a new series on her blog called “You Should Get to Know” and I feel so lucky, because she relaunched it with an interview of me this weekend!
Stephanie’s questions really made me think about why I started this blog and what I hope to accomplish with it in the future; I reposted part of the interview below. To see the full thing, visit The Fête Blog!
Thanks for the feature, Steph!
What originally sparked your interest in blogging your fitness journey? How did your fitness journey start and where are you now?
I blogged every detail of my wedding planning journey as Ms. Brooch on Weddingbee, which opened me up to a really engaging and friendly community of women online. I fell in love with the camaraderie I found there and many of those women are still close friends today. After my wedding I knew I wasn’t ready to give up blogging and fitness was the new path I was on.
My fitness journey started in those months leading up to the wedding. I grew up overweight but I tried playing all sorts of sports as a child. I never made the team – I was always too slow or not skilled enough, but when I got older and joined a gym I realized there was fitness outside of organized sports. I started with running, which was great for me because if I could just push myself to keep going, I could do it; I could run! I really harnessed that mental willpower and found so much joy in making it further and further each time. I started with 5ks and 10ks, ran two 10 milers and eventually, six months after my wedding, I ran a full marathon. You can read FAQs: My Weight Loss Story for more about this.
What’s been your greatest challenge when it comes to fitness? What’s helped you work through it?
Hm, this is a tough question! I would have to say not focusing on the scale. I grew up overweight so I’m programmed to think “weight loss” constantly. CrossFit has helped change that perception a lot (thank God!) to where I’m focusing more on getting stronger or overcoming the fear of trying a cartwheel (or things of that nature). CrossFit has really helped me realize fitness isn’t about how much you weigh.
The other tough challenge (they’re coming to me now!) has been consistency. Everyone says moderation is key and I believe that, but I also think consistency is key. I tend to do really well for a few weeks (eating-wise) and then have an off week where I find myself back to old habits: going through a drive-through, indulging in ice cream, or eating a calorie-dense, nutrition-less meal at a restaurant. It happens to all of us, I know. It’s human nature, but consistency is a challenge I continue to try to work on.
With that, I think having friends and family involved helps a ton. My husband recently started logging his food and trying to change his diet and now that he’s doing it, I’m finding it a lot easier to stay consistent! I recently hosted a weight loss challenge with friends and now we all try to make better choices when we meet for dinner. Changing habits and getting consistent is easier when your friends and family are supportive.
The name of your site is “Fit for a Bride”— tell us how the wedding industry comes into your life and blogging! What do you love most about the wedding world? How do you plan on expanding your relationship with the industry?
When I started Fit for a Bride I wanted to share weight loss stories from brides but it the site has evolved into so much more since then. Since I started CrossFit, I’ve been exposed to a whole new community of CrossFit couples (and I happen to be one — my husband CrossFits) and I absolutely love it.
CrossFit couples are sharing their love each other and the sport in their wedding details, whether by having a CrossFit-themed engagement shoot or a wedding workout and I am so honored to be a portal for sharing these couples stories. It’s obviously not what we’re all used to seeing in the wedding world, but I think that’s what makes it pretty awesome!
Image by Our Two Hearts
What is your dream creative project AND your dream fitness achievement?
My dream creative project actually has more to do with blogging than fitness or weddings! I’d love to host a seminar! I’ve always wanted to develop a self-confidence seminar or, a seminar to help blogging entrepreneurs. This WILL happen one day. I’m speaking it into existence! (Hold me to it, Stephanie!)
My dream fitness achievement would be to be able to do a walking handstand. I hate being inverted and just getting a handstand was frightening! I’d love to overcome that and have a lot more control over my body weight. (I’d be equally as happy to get a strict pull-up, a muscle-up, or handstand push-up.)
To read the rest of my interview with Stephanie, visit The Fête Blog!
