Girl on Fire: Determination to reach long-term fitness goals
[As seen in Creston News Advertiser, November 21, 2013]
Thanks to coworker Brooke McIntosh and newsroom discussion, there is a health and fitness competition in the newsroom.
I’m glad we have this competition. Already, having an in-house competition has helped me get on track before Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts roll around. My goal for Thanksgiving is to just eat the healthy food, and the occasional chocolate treat or slice of pie. I’ve discovered everything in moderation is a good way to stay on track, and starting early will get my mind and body into a “don’t overeat” mode.
Recently, I signed up for the Warrior Dash in August 2014 as another goal. The Warrior Dash is a 3.1-mile run with obstacles constructed over the course. It will take place in Earlham, and I’m participating with my sister Breezy and Russel Finehout.
I love signing up for this type of run. It challenges your physical strength as well as mentality to finish. This will be my third dash, and I plan to be more prepared for it than the past two.
A long-term goal of mine, after the April half-marathon in Olathe, Kan., I’m running with my family, is to finish a Tough Mudder. A Tough Mudder is similar to a Warrior Dash, but between 10 and 12 miles, and with more, difficult, obstacles. I give credit to Adam Leith, Creston volunteer firefighter and Tough Mudder finisher, for inspiring me to create that goal.
With all these goals, I understand just how much weight I need to lose, and how much muscle I need to gain. I am surrounded by people at work and home who have similar health goals as I do, which is great inspiration.
I have also discovered MyFitnessPal, a website and phone app that tracks weight and inch loss by calculating the amount of food eaten and exercise done per day. I’ve used it for about two weeks now, and I love it. It’s easy, and since I have it on my phone, I can use it anywhere.
I’d love to hear from anyone who may have similar goals as me. Working together to meet goals, in pairs or larger groups, has been proven to be more effective, and I agree with that. I love having support from other people going through the same thing, and I love helping and supporting others who may be having difficulty with a similar obstacle.
I hope I hear about many success stories in the future from anyone who reaches their goals, whether they are small or large. Keep it up!