For those, if any, who have missed my long rambling blogs... ;)

Today was a good day. As usual, food certainly wasn't perfect and I haven't tracked it yet, but it was an active day outside with my son so that counts for something right?

The weather was, as expected, extremely hot. For us anyway in northern Illinois. High temps in the 90's with the heat index being well into the 100's. So at 10 am ( and 85 degrees and humid already) we were ready for the local waterpark to open for the day. I hadn't been there in well over 15 years, but we won 2 season pass vouchers for the season at a food bank fundraiser dinner last fall and decided today was the day to stop in. It was awesome!

My almost 6 year old, who is not comfortable at all with floating or treading water even, and whom I have seen almost drown twice (once right in front of two instructors at a swim class...) so I have to stay close, we found enough to do to have a blast and stay there for over 5 hours! He had so much fun, nothing crazy happened, and it was paid for - awesome!

On the plus side, lots of sunshine, lots of walking, I packed a healthy light lunch since I assumed we'd only be there about 2 hours (ha!), lots of sunshine...no sitting on my butt...

On the negatives, extra food purchased as we got hungry, extra drinks as we got thirsty...Things not on the plan?: pizza, smoothie (though they had nutrition info and it was 160calories, no fat and we shared...) gatorade and dippin dots, all shared at least. It definitely could have been worse, I suppose. Now I know though to pack lots of snacks and bottles of water, etc. I could bring fruit, healthy popcorn...so many options.


So where am I at right now regarding my plan? I don't have much of one. I'm just starting again and right now I'm trying to make smarter choices with food and be more active, slowly increasing my vigilance of both.

I think the timing of my renewed motivation to be getting fit and healthier is partially due to Amanda Bingson. Google her. She is on one of the covers for I think it is ESPN's body issue magazine. She is an awesome athlete that is over 200 lbs and has uber body confidence. She is amazing and inspiring. I follow her on facebook now. Then today as an added bonus I saw that a magazine called Women's Running put a runner on the cover that leaned more into the plus-size range. They stated that running is definitely not just a skinny person's sport, and if you need any evidence of that look at the finish line of a 5k or even up through a marathon and you will see all types of bodies encompassing the amazing runners.

I like this approach. There is so much negativity about bodies, for instance in an attempt to be proud of bigger sizes, we now have skinny shaming, the whole "real women have curves" and "who wants to snuggle with a stick" labels I've seen in memes. All women are real. Some are naturally very straight slim bodies, others are curvy, short, tall, whatever. I understand why it started, as being proud of your curves and knowing lots of people like that in a significant other. That's all great, seriously!! :) but it's the left unsaid insinuation that if you don't have curves, if you were born with straight hips and small boobs you are somehow less real?

Then there is the backlash towards people who are big and share pics in bikinis or whatever and are proud and sexy feeling, the comments of "but you are still obese, you are still not healthy no matter how confident you are" It just seems like a constant fight, constant bickering, as with any issue on social media I suppose, no matter the approach of people who are just trying to find a way to love themselves proudly.

So what I find SO appealing for me personally following and supporting, seeing these larger athletes is that first they are undeniably doing things for their health. They are aware of their size, they are solid, they have muscles, they have endurance, they are confident, they are vibrant and happy. It's also bringing to the surface, into the public's consciousness, the fact that there are many states in between overweight and skinny. That you don't go from your first frustrating attempt at jogging to being a trim marathoner overnight (and that skinny runner doesn't have to be your end goal!) There's so much pride to be had at all of the stages wherever you are. I remember feeling so fit and athletic and proud of myself when I was really active on here before, running, zumba, kickboxing, biggest loser dvds, yoga, etc. That's what I want to feel again.

We are all doing things to be proud of. Are you working your muscles? That's something to be proud of. Are you improving? there you go. Most of us may not be aiming for the olympics or a marathon even, but we can be athletes. We are training. We are competing, even if only against ourselves and our last best time. We are dancers, runners, weight lifters, swimmers, kickboxers, yogis, etc etc. I like the focus on being fit. on being strong no matter what your current body shape is. and that beauty and fitness don't always look the same and fit into a perfect box. It's okay for us to have different plans and different goals. My goal weight, body type, workout goals, etc will be very different from yours. But we are all here to be a healthier version of ourselves. So let's all keep on supporting each other no matter what. Support the person with 200 lbs to lose and the one that's at goal weight but has some new goal (like a running PB). And here I know I'll get that. I know there are lots of awesome people here that feel that way, and I can't wait to continue this oft interrupted journey with you :)

Next up for me is figuring out a more solid plan. Working on tracking more and scheduling workouts. Also sometime soon I'm getting an elliptical that we've been saving for forever, and in the fall my son's entering Kindergarten so that will be nice to have a set schedule to work with, but I'll do my best until then! Hopefully my next blog won't be so all over the place ramble-y ;)

Oh, also the opportunity came up where I *might* be able to go to some free workout classes in the area and review them! If that possibility progresses, I'll keep you posted!