I am many things.

Among these things, I am a RUNNER…

a Marathon Runner, who is obsessed with perfecting Bikram yoga.

In the past, I would have never called myself, “a runner.” However, it is funny how people grow and change.  Now after running for six years, completing two full marathons, I have found a true love for the sport. 

And because I get bored easily, my search for something unique is epic. This led me to a running shoe with a low heel to toe drop, that mimics my natural barefoot stride. So I am now running in a minimalist shoe…Who would have thought.

With a focus on proper running form, running is by far one of my greatest passions, and yoga helps compliment all the running I do.  It surprised me at first, but just like yoga, running relieves my stress and brings me peace.

So the reason I started this blog…

There are so many things that inspire me.

I believe beauty is everywhere.

Most times I find inspiration and beauty in the least expected places.

Sometimes, I become so consumed with it, I feel overwhelmed.

This overwhelming feeling, is the exact reason why I created, Sweat Once a Day.

It all happened, one ordinary spring day, while feeling totally overwhelmed by all of the inspiration, I came across. It was then, that something extraordinary happened.

I made a decision…

I  want to inspire others.

I want to share my story.

I want a place to organize my thoughts, to pass along the things I learn, the knowledge I have.

I want a place to record my progress as an athlete, my daily sweat sessions.

I want to set goals, and reach them.

It takes goals to accomplish the unthinkable, and as an athlete I always try to push myself to my ultimate limit, mentally and physically. Most people don’t realize how much control they have over their physical capabilities. Trust me, you would be surprised what your body can do.

So lets put our bodies to the test and sweat.

I love to SWEAT.

I sweat once a day, and you should too…

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As usual I spent Sunday 17 February engaged in my second favourite activity: running. The first, before you imagine something salacious, is actually eating cake, and leads quite appropriately to me having to undertake the second.

I took part in the Bramley 20/10. Organised by the Reading Roadrunners, it’s a favourite with those preparing to run the London Marathon in April and when given the choice of one lap (10 miles) or two laps (20 miles) I obviously plumped for the longer one. Why? Who knows? Frankly it’s a slippery slope I am on and I think I need help.

After a frosty and then foggy start to the morning, the race itself was glorious, about nine degrees and sunny, with lovely blue sky and hardly a cloud in sight; perhaps I should even have popped on some sunscreen to protect my delicate, fair skin. It was a nice run, a good run, and although the temptation was strong to stop after a mere 10, I plodded onwards, even managing to up the pace to 15. The final stretch was a little hilly, and the final mile a little grumpy, but I finished in a really very satisfying 2.50.

What it did give me time to think about was why I choose to do certain races. At the moment my decisions are largely inspired by a small group of friends who compete in races regularly, not because they are massively competitive, but because they enjoy running and live in an area that has a strong club running tradition and like to support that whilst enjoying a variety of routes and terrains.

When I lived in New Zealand my decision-making was different; I mostly ran alone and took part in far fewer races. Everywhere was just so far away from Hanmer Springs and there didn’t seem to be as many running events to choose from; the Kiwis are pretty fond of their multi-sport events (and at that time I wasn’t). Added to that, races were often held on Saturdays and I used to work weekends. All in all, not the greatest combination of elements for creating a full racing calendar. So when I chose a race it had to be special and my all-time favourite event resulted from those circumstances.

The Abel Tasman Coastal Classic

At the top of the South Island of New Zealand is one of the country’s most beautiful regions, the Abel Tasman National Park, home to the Abel Tasman Coast Track. Listed as one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, the track runs for 54.4 km along some of the most scenic coastline I have ever had the fortune to enjoy. And I’ve enjoyed it walking, kayaking and running. Usually visitors spend between three and five days hiking along its undulating route, but in September every year the Department of Conservation opens it up for one day to 300 hardy runners. Competitors aren’t challenged to run the whole track, I think that would be seriously hard work and I consider myself to be reasonably fit. The race starts at Arawoa in the north and finishes in Marahau, a charming little community 36 km (22 and a half miles) away at the southern end. It’s definitely not a walk in the park.

Entries open in March, and fearing it would fill up fast I entered immediately, anxious to attain my place. If I remember rightly, it also isn’t cheap. But considering it’s a hiking trail along the coast and both competitors and support staff need to be taken in by boat I don’t think you can complain too much about the entry fee. On race weekend I drove the four hours from Hanmer Springs on lovely empty New Zealand roads up past Nelson to Marahau. I was staying at the Barn Backpackers and had treated myself to a double cabin. I didn’t want to have to suffer sharing with a stranger before and after the race, particularly if they weren’t taking part.

Early September is still the low season and only the very beginning of spring. Marahau was pretty quiet. Having also been there at the height of summer I can definitely recommend the spring alternative, probably less of a party atmosphere and less predictable weather, but it can get extremely busy come campervan season and it’s difficult to escape the multitude of tourists.

It’s a long race day. You have to be ready at race HQ at 7.30 at the very latest to catch the bus to the water taxis. However, I challenge you to find a more scenic journey to the start of a race than being taxied along the Abel Tasman, passing the occasional pod of dolphins (admittedly we might have just been incredibly lucky). They have quite strict requirements as to what you must carry with you along the track (waterproof, hat, gloves, whistle, safety blanket, and a full camelback) and carry out spot checks to make sure you abide by the rules. Best to be safety conscious when you have 300 people running over 20 miles along a track with mostly only water access. The organisers also insist that you can complete a half marathon in less than 2.10 before you even think about signing up because there’s a couple of parts of the route that run across the sand and if you take too long to get there you’ll get a bit more than wet feet.

We were incredibly lucky with the weather, possibly a little too lucky as it was actually pretty warm. I had walked some of the track with my sister on a previous visit but had forgotten how undulating it actually was. I remembered it being flat-ish. I had trained on some of the hills around Hanmer Springs and also along various walking tracks around Canterbury but nothing prepared me for the constant up and down. It was actually going reasonably well until about 20km, but then the undulations finally took their toll and my upper thighs and hips gradually started to complain. The final kilometres were definitely more hard than enjoyable, there’s only so much that beautiful scenery can do to take your mind off your complaining limbs. Towards the end I couldn’t even vaguely run down the most gradual of slopes and the final hundred meters on the causeway across the estuary were agonising when they should have been a pleasure. But the experience was amazing; the overall winner even stood at the end and cheered everyone over the finish line. Not many races inspire that level of encouragement.

We were given lunch at the finish tent, a Subway sandwich and one of their gooey cookies, and then had time to shower and nap before prize-giving in the evening. Prize-giving followed dinner (fully provided, plus a free beer) and by then I had even acquired some friends. All the racers staying at the Barn gathered together, connected now by our achievement and our shared accommodation. To be honest, prize-givings are not usually worth sticking around for but this was part of the whole experience and the small number of competitors gave it a close-knit feel. It helped that they gave away a lot of spot prizes too, obviously not to me, that goes without saying, I never win anything. Fortunately though everyone at the Barn except me and one other bloke came away with a lovely alcoholic prize.

Prize-giving over we migrated back to the Barn and having gathered some firewood hung out in their outdoor seating area with a warming fire and plenty of booze. It was our very own after party, full of exhausted but happy runners.

Unfortunately sitting down at picnic tables for too long eventually took its toll on overworked and understretched muscles and when the party ended and bedtime arrived I could actually no longer walk without excruciating pain and had to be helped to my cabin. Not as dodgy as it sounds, I promise, but a couple of charming runners actually carried me over to my cabin and then departed like the true gentlemen they were.

A fantastic race weekend that I would recommend to anyone with a love of New Zealand and a desire to do something a little bit different than the regular tourist options.

Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch can also be found on Facebook.

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I never thought I would be the kind of person who would enjoy pushing my heart rate so high that it would make me sick. Who does that? I was the guy who would look at weekend runners in the park and think, “I sorta get it, but who wants be out of breath for hours on end?” Somewhere, somehow, I made the transition. I don’t question it too much because not only am I happier now than I’ve ever been, but the change has made my life exponentially better.

Seven years ago as a 36-year-old overweight guy with high cholesterol and a pack-and-a-half-a-day smoking habit, I decided that I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. At that time, not only did I change almost all of my bad habits, but I decided to get into shape. As a cycling enthusiast my entire life, I was able to start riding my bike the way I had always wanted to (and by that, I mostly mean consistently).

After being on the bike for a while, dropping a significant amount of weight and getting into shape, running seemed like the next challenge to tackle. And I loved it. In fact, it turns out I loved it more than the bike (which I never thought would happen). After training for my first marathon (who is this person I’ve become?!?), triathlons seemed like the next logical step. But since I have an irrational fear of open water, I settled into life as a runner and cyclist (although I still do about two tri’s every year).

I’ve learned a ton in my short time as an endurance sports enthusiast and have recently started sharing that knowledge as a blogger. Check it out when you get a chance along with my Facebook page and Twitter feed. I discuss everything running, cycling and (sometimes) swimming. From the technology we use to music and nutrition; from finding the perfect shoe to finding the right group of people to work out with every week – nothing is off limits. I also review races and marathons I do (and some I’ve already done).

Nothing makes me happier than to look in my closet and see sneakers that are so old and dirty, I just can’t put any more miles on them – the perfect excuse to go out and buy more exercise gear (also where I came up with the blog name)! My daytime job is in PR and marketing, so I like to think I can see through most of the hype when doing a product review, but at the end of the day, I’m still just another consumer.

I hope I can become a resource for motivation or just a place where you can come and laugh at some of the (hopefully) same things you’re going through in your training – validating our obsessive nature and crazy way of looking at the world.

Thanks!

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I talk a lot about the “fitness journey” on my blog and how this journey will last your whole life.  You can’t just take care of your body ‘sometimes’ and expect it to lead to good health and fitness.  Even if you reach a goal, you won’t stay there unless you keep moving forward to another goal beyond that.  In the fitness journey, the point is to move forward to either GET fit, BE fit, or STAY fit.

Going forward isn’t as easy as we’d like to think it is.  We can get sidetracked all the time by everyday things like work, family commitments, sickness, injury, etc.  Life takes us in all different directions.  What we want to avoid at all costs is stumbling backwards.  I once saw this great sign that said, “Don’t Stumble Over Something Behind You.”  I think this means stop making the same mistakes over and over or even forgive yourself for those mistakes and move past them.  Stumbling backwards will get you nowhere good and will most certainly move you further away from your goals.

I have many personal training clients that are constantly looking backward.  They comment on how they “used to” be able to do something and can’t believe that they can’t do that particular something currently.  They are ashamed and embarrassed and they beat themselves up over it.  When I catch them doing that to themselves, I tell them to stop looking back and start looking forward at what they want NOW and going forward.  I coach them to look straight ahead at what they are working toward.  Don’t want your former self, want your current or future self- it may even be better!!

The only good that can come out of your past stumbling blocks is what you’ve learned from them.  Have you learned what works and doesn’t work?  What will you do differently?  For example, did you reach your fitness goal when you took aerobics five days per week?  (I doubt it!) If not, then try a different route, like strength training.  Should you run 3 miles on the first day of exercise after being an inactive person?  No! Were you successful in completely overhauling your nutrition plan in the first week of a new program?  (I doubt that too!)  Take it slower and change one habit at a time so it’s not so overwhelming.  Learn from your mistakes, try not to repeat them, and find what works for you.

We’re human.  Give yourself a break and remember that you have your whole life to work on your fitness and health journey.  Move forward, look forward, and if you stumble, get up and try again.

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I live a busy life. I work full time, go to graduate school full time, was in the midst of planning a wedding (we were married on May 4!), oh and I’m always training for another race. Finding time to get those workouts in is tough, and it’s even tougher to find time for long runs on the weekends (my two days of freedom!) Throughout being a crazy busy person, I’ve learned some tips on how to make it all work. It is possible to be busy (even as a parent!) and still find time to get workouts in.

My last tip is don’t get discouraged. I can’t tell you how many times I had to stray away from my training plans because I just don’t have time. It happens. I try to not get discouraged. Being over-committed can be frustrating!  And I just keep thinking of when I won’t school to worry about, and that makes me want to work even harder to get good workouts in now! Life is busy, people are busy, the gym is always there waiting for you.

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“How did you do it?” I hear this question all the time. How did I go from this to this? I tell people that it’s really quite simple: CLEAN EATING and exercise.

I put extra emphasis on clean eating because I truly believe that weight management is 80% diet and 20% physical activity. My journey towards a healthier lifestyle began over a year ago when I looked in the mirror one day and was TIRED of seeing what I saw. I knew I HAD to make permanent changes because I could not accept my ballooning weight and constant crash dieting any longer. I know a lot of you reading this can relate to the frustration and unhappiness. I wasn’t sure where to start, so I took baby steps and slowly cleaned up my diet and made exercise a non-negotiable in my life. You can read my whole story here. As a former poster child for 100-calorie packs and Lean Cuisine meals, I can tell you that there are no secret pills or special diets that will give you real, healthy, and permanent results like simple clean eating and daily physical activity.

At Dani’s Dish, I share my love for cooking simple, easy, and clean meals that anyone can make (yes, even you!). From clean chocolate chip cookies (one of my favorites) to green smoothies and shakes, Dani’s Dish serves up fresh meal ideas for any day of the week. I am a big believer in enjoying your life, so my recipes are never bland or boring. I can show you how to ENJOY clean-versions of your favorite foods without feeling deprived! At Dani’s Dish you can also find fitness-related posts and information on the toxins currently in your home and beauty products. In addition to informing you about the foods you put IN your body, I inform you about the products you’re putting ON your body, which have an equally important impact on your well-being.

Since my lifestyle change, I am 20 pounds lighter and happier than ever before. I want to share my story with everyone so they, too, can reap the wonderful benefits of a healthy lifestyle! I share my story to inspire and inform anyone with an interest in health, wellness, and weight management. I am not a nutritionist or health professional; I am a regular girl on a mission to live the healthiest and happiest life possible and I want the same for you! Join me on this journey and let’s learn, grow, and eat together.

Follow Dani’s Dish on Twitter and Pinterest!

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Hi! My name is Michelle and thanks for taking the time to read. I am a software engineer by trade, but fitness and writing are two of my passions. I have stayed consistently active for over 20 years. I have toed well over a hundred starting lines, teach exercise classes, and am leaner than I was in high school. Getting the eating habits figured out was a much bigger challenge!

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It’s a story that many of us are unfortunately all too familiar with. I used to be overweight. Actually, if you want to be politically correct, I was obese. I felt miserable within my own skin. I had a love/hate relationship with food. I got winded walking from my office to the train. I’m one of those unique individuals who actually gained weight while owning a gym membership. I made excuse after excuse as to why I couldn’t get myself together. But after a while… even I got tired of the excuses.

In the luckiest chance I’ve ever taken- I found a local small business called A Healthy Balance that works with clients on nutrition, fitness and overall wellness. With their guidance- I began to dig myself out of fat I had buried myself in. I was so successful that I was chosen by my trainers to document my weight loss experience for 12 weeks and then I thought… why not keep this going?

And so The Half Ass Bad Ass was created. The Half Ass part of me is where I’ve come from, the chubby girl who cried through a minute of jumping jacks or who couldn’t run a mile. It still shines through from time to time, especially when it comes to new and scary situations. But the Bad Ass part of me is here, evolving, ready to prove herself. She’s strong, she’s healthy, and she’s ready to take on new challenges. She runs 5Ks, is training for a triathlon, and isn’t ruling out the idea of one day running a marathon. She has found confidence, and a true passion for health and fitness. She’s honest, sometimes awkward, and tells it like it is. She won’t tell you that weight loss happens overnight. Interested in reading more of her story? Come on over and catch up on the adventures of the Half Ass Bad Ass!

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I’ve heard it so many times before; Knowledge is Power. It’s applicable in all areas of life including when it comes to your health, fitness, nutrition and well being. If you went to the doctor and (s)he medication to take each day (I hope) you would ask why. Quite often though we follow programs from magazines and Personal Trainers (just like myself) without asking why or understanding how. Why not be empowered with knowledge?

I’m a theorist…I love to learn…and I love to share my knowledge. That’s another  fundamental of Keep it simpElle…sharing. I firmly believe that when you exercise, quality should come before quantity. So do you know how to squat? and why squats are such a good exercise? Wouldn’t a squat be more worthwhile if you knew why and how?! …What about when you have nailed a basic exercise such as Plank…where do you go then? Progress Your Plank, of course! …Be empowered!

With all the empowerment, it’s time to be inspired! Today you don’t fancy a crazy, high intensity cardio workout?! That’s fine! There are a plethora of activities out there that work as good as the next one! I personally am an advocate of Pole Fitness. My Pole Story began quite a few years ago and has contributed to me building upper body strength, core strength, grace and control of my body. You might find inspiration at Keep it simpElle to seek out a Ragga dance class, buy a bicycle or add yoga to your routine.

Lets not get ahead of ourselves though! Before we can be empowered, and before we can be inspired, we need to be motivated. We need good reason to get out of bed and (delete as appropriate) get to the gym / go for a run / hit up that Pilates class. That’s my goal – to motivate you! Motivation is a ‘dry weather’ friend to me…always deserting me when the going gets tough. I want you to know that I’m not invincible…nor is your own Personal Trainer. We all have our strengths and sometimes we need to challenge ourselves and work on our weaknesses for a more rounded fitness experience. I decided to make 2013 the year that I take running seriously. I got a run coach, set a goal and share every kilometer of my journey, both highs and low, with you…to motivate you…

So come meet me and my friends over at Keep it simpElle; read what we have to share from drill packs, recipes to events and share your journey with us!

Be motivated. Be inspired. Be empowered.

Elle ;) x

www.keepitsimpElle.blogspot.co.uk

Elle of Keep it simpElle can also be found on Twitter and Pinterest.

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Hi there! I’m Jen and I’m the blogger behind Twenty Something and Starving: Finding Balance and Bliss One Recipe at a Time. I have to admit that my relationship with food has never been that awful. It certainly wasn’t perfect, but I feel genuinely blessed to have never struggled with eating disorders like so many other women I know. Was I a chubby kid? Absolutely. But… I didn’t exercise and I lived off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, buttered spaghetti, and Cool Ranch Doritos.It made sense at the time.

As a teenager I began to educate myself more about the things I ate. My brother was a wrestler and he was always the lowest weight class. I’d watch my parents, who at the time were both considered obese (who have since lost 300 pounds collectively!), tell my 101 pound brother he couldn’t eat dessert on Thanksgiving so that he would make weight. It was then that I really realized how unhealthy everyone around me was and that I knew had to be different. I couldn’t follow their path. I wouldn’t let myself.

I studied nutrition for two years in college before I changed my major to journalism, knowing that I’d love to write about food. I worked at Starbucks through college and, though I tried to stay healthy, munching on samples of cookies and doughnuts all day in conjunction with loads of booze and minimal sleep caught up with me. I maxed out around 140 pounds.

I started Twenty-Something and Starving as a school project my last year of college, back when I thought blogging was silly. Our assignment was to take something we were passionate about and blog about it a few times a week. My title was Twenty-Something and Starving: An American Girls’ Quest for World Cuisine. I spent the semester fiddling with recipes like Coq Au Vin and trying new things like my first falafel. By the final exam, which was avideo/slideshow project I did on African Food, I was hooked on blogging!

As I’ve continued to grow my blog has gone through many phases. What started as a way to explore world cuisine eventually transitioned to a focus on strictly developing my own recipes, like my favorite Chicken Corn Chowderand Brown Butter Banana Oat Bread, and I even competed in a food blog completion (which I got through the first 4 rounds of)!

Today, my blog has become a reflection of my healthy lifestyle. It’s a place for me to share healthy recipes- like Sweet & Spicy Black Bean Quinoa with Pineapple and Garlic Shrimp and Spaghetti Squash - workouts, and the food that I eat. I love being a party of the “healthy living” blogger community and the support everyone provides each other.  I spend every day living my simple philosophy – balance is everything! It’s this philosophy that’s helped me drop down to a healthy 119 pounds since college! That’s what you’ll find at Twenty-Something and Starving: Finding Balance and Bliss One Recipe at a Time!

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