Well, today’s morning post certainly made for some interesting discussion. Thank you for sharing all your thoughts in a quality manner. Overall, I view the healthy living blog community as such a positive environment that can help many. It is part of why I continue to involve myself in this little blogosphere. In the end, we each must do what works for us and remember that blogs do not show everything. Keep things realistic to be the best you possible. Find inspiration from others and keep it real in the process. Onto lighter things…

Sometimes technology can give me such a headache. I admit that I could not live without it. Heck, it serves as a great source of creativity (and adult interaction) for me every day. Today, made me want to toss my little netbook across the room. Do you know how hard it is to rotate a video image from your digital camera? It’s not only hard, it’s downright evil. Which is why the video below is in fact still sideways.

Getting my fitness on rocks my world. Plain and simple. Without some sort of activity almost daily in my life, I feel at a loss. I love movement. I love improving my strength and cardio abilities. I love feeling strong and seeing changes in my body. My workout time also stands in as my “me” time. I can get in the zone and really delve down deep into my thoughts. Exercise is fun, challenging, exciting, invigorating, reflective, and downright fabulous. It makes me giddy like a school girl when her crush asks her to the homecoming dance.

I wanted to share the above super low quality clip of me doing exactly what I love. Well, one of the many things I love. Because TurboJamming, spinning, weight lifting, ellipticaling, plyo jumping, running…I love it all. Upon seeing that video clip, I could think about how I can’t do the intensity I love or dwell on the fact my body is a lot softer and my butt a lot bigger. I don’t though. I choose to sit in awe that my body can still move that way at over 6 months pregnant. I choose to look at how happy I am…because I know I’m smiling on the inside. I choose to remember that I do these things to honor my body. I choose confidence.

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• Do you love working out? What is your favorite form of exercise?
• What does exercise do for you?

Atlanta Blogger Meet-Up!!! I’m helping organize a blogger meet up in the Atlanta area. If you are interested in more details and haven’t received any already please email me at [email protected]!

Howdy blog pals! I figured I would throw that in there since I’m a southern gal and all. Even though I never say it in real life. Or even “y’all” for that matter. Enough greetings talk. I need to mention that I had no clue Eat, Pray, Love evoked many strong feelings of like or dislike for the book and what it shares. I’m only about 30 or so pages in and enjoy it so far. Nothing life altering and nothing “come onnnnn” about it yet for me. I will certainly open my perspective up for your viewing pleasure as I work my way through. I’m interested to see what I will think of it myself after all the comments from today’s earlier post!

Today officially began the weeks of busy. Like most of you mentioned, many of the items I have coming up on the calendar are fun. Today would be one of those. I headed to the largest children’s consignment sale in the state today. Over 1000 sellers, hundreds of thousands of items to peruse, and way too many moms looking for bargains. I’ll give you a sneak peek to what it looked like.

I spent 1.5 hours loading up on items…then 1.5 hours in line to pay. It made for a busy morning, but I can’t complain. I left around $200 poorer BUT with so much loot! 8 pairs of shoes, over 20 outfits, and numerous books and toys for M. Some winter/fall maternity clothes at a deep discount but still like new for me. And her birthday present! A little kitchen set just her size with lots of play food included.

I almost decided to count running around like a mad woman and hauling a heavy clothing filled laundry bag there as my workout. Then I figured I might as well take advantage of my at home DVDs and tossed in some Turbo Jam for a good sweat. I could lie and say that afterwards I felt amazing. I did, but that would omit a bit of the truth as well. I couldn’t help feeling a bit exasperated at the thought that I still have awhile to wait for my typical training intensity.

I simply love training. And hard. The classes I currently attend satisfy me and give me a great workout, but they don’t fulfill me quite like my normal time spent in the squat rack or doing plyo drills. Most of you probably have no idea what my normal training looks like since I’ve had to cut back since the start of the blog. Some like Lisa, Julie, Jess, and Mellissa know that side of me though, as they were around back in my competition prep and O2 journaling days.

The planning of workouts and deciding whether to do supersets, how to set up circuits, and which weight training split I want to use leave me like a kid in a candy store. Incorporating HIIT drills and being capable of busting out a stepmill workout for over 30 minutes left me higher than Bob Marley. Rocking out pushups with a 25 lb plate on my back, squatting more than my bodyweight, doing set after set of pullups, and seeing the muscle definition gave me such inner strength in reflection of the outer. I loved that feeling! Not because it made my body leaner or fitter. I liked pushing myself and seeing what I could do. I didn’t need those workouts to feel strong or love myself, but I enjoyed them and they gave me a stronger sense of self. There I said it. I. Miss. It…Dearly.

I know it will all be worth it and soon enough I will find myself in the gym working back up to those goals with a zeal like you have never seen before. Then you can witness first hand my passion for weights and intense cardio. And changes like these…6 weeks post baby M to 9 months later – pre competition prep.

Please don’t be afraid of me then. 😉 I do plan on getting in new challenges in the form of running post-pregnancy as well. I just love physical challenge. It will never cease as a defining part of me. I can miss it, but I can also thrive where I’m at right now. Which is why I always make an effort do what I can and have fun. Then, in another 5-6 months…let the games begin! 😀

• Have you ever had to cut back on something you love? What made it hard for you?
• What makes you feel strong?
• Be sure to check out the 30 Days of Self-Love challenge coming to my site in September! And don’t forget to let me know if you added my button or shared the challenge on your blog. Thank you to these great ladies for their support today - Shayna – Zucchini Bikini Martini, Monique – Finding the Courage to Change, and Michelle – Chasing Ambulances.