Blog Archives
Laura Loves Fitness Turns 10!
I realize many of my posts kick off with a commentary on the passage of time. While it’s hard to believe we’ve crossed the halfway mark for 2021, I’m having a harder time processing another moment in my personal history. This week marks an entire decade since my very first blog post appeared here on LauraLovesFitness.
It’s a bit overwhelming to think about how this blog – and ultimately, its creator – has changed during these past 10 years. The site started as a place to share exercise and nutrition tips a few times a week. However, a gamut of life experiences reminded me health and well-being are affected by so much more than a specific workout or meal choice. Death, illness, divorce, job loss and tragedies faced by loved ones all take a toll on one’s body and spirit, affecting everything from the motivation to exercise to sleep patterns. While exercise has remained a constant source of solace through the challenging times, writing seems to become an even bigger part of my mental health care routine with each year that passes.
Of course, this past year changed life in a way most never could have imagined. Neither exercise nor writing offered the solace I’d relied on in previous years to bring me back to my center, and the number of blog posts simply dropped off. I’m honestly not sure how much I’ll share here as we make our way through the second half of 2021. Yet, I find comfort knowing I have a space I can share my thoughts when I’m ready. And that is thanks to you, my wonderful readers.
Many of you have been here since day one – July 13, 2011 – and others joined the journey somewhere along the way. I am grateful to each and every one of you for taking the time to stop by and offer your own words of support and motivation. Whether you shared your sympathy after a loss, or congratulated me on one of my Avon39 walks, my first fitness competition or for finally finding my happily ever after, the support has meant more than words can say. While I am uncertain of how LauraLovesFitness may change moving forward, I know the site couldn’t have reached double-digits without you.
I close with a final heartfelt thank you to each of you for keeping me moving on this 10-year journey. Here’s to the adventures that lie ahead of us and all the opportunities to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
Happy 7th Birthday, LLF!
It never ceases to amaze me how a date punctuates the passage of time. Especially as the number of years I’ve spent on this planet continues to climb. Now here we are on this particular Motivation Monday which kicks off a week commemorating the seventh “birthday” of this blog. I’m not sure how LauraLovesFitness.com keeps getting older, but I realize the years continue to pass thanks to all you wonderful readers who constantly inspire me to continue these weekly installments.
It was July 13, 2011 when I published my very first post. It would be impossible to discuss everything that’s happened in this world since then. When it comes to my own little world, through the end of relationships and jobs the beginning of new ones; the painful and sometimes sudden loss of family and friends; and the overall scary situations I think this country is dealing with on a nearly daily basis, my determination to stick with and even amp up my health lifestyle goals has helped me maintain some level of sanity when everything seems to be spinning out of control. A good sweat, some hard punches and kicks to the heavy bag or heart-pounding Tabatas at the gym (or the beach when I’m lucky enough to be on vacation) always seem to set my body straight.
It’s hard to believe seven years ago, I had never heard the word Tabata before, nor did I have any idea how good a kick-butt muay thai kickboxing session could make me feel. I also never knew starting the day with an Isagenix shake would become a solid way to start my day off on the right foot nutritionally no matter where work took me at any given hour of the day or night. While the ingredients may have changed a bit over the years, having a few go-to items in your daily routine when life is anything but can make all the difference when trying to keep this unpredictable thing called life from going off the rails.
So, as my “baby” blog enters a new year, her’s a look back at a few of my favorite posts from the past year:
My Project Runway Experience (A once-in-a-lifetime experience made possible thanks to my involvement with Avon 39. Sadly, the 39.3-mile walk in the fight against breast cancer no longer exists in 2018. However, I do look forward to continuing the battle with my four-year walking partner, Sue, this fall. Stay tuned…)
Bring on March….Please! (A very candid look at my difficult struggle with the “winter blues” as we kicked off 2018.)
Another Milestone (A total break from the norm as I reflect on how my Dad’s retirement after 51-years as an internist impacted my life – and so many others.)
I close with a heartfelt thank you to all my LauraLovesFitness “fans.” If you aren’t already following me on social media, I hope you’ll consider doing so as we move into year number seven. You can find me on Twitter and Instagram with the handle @FitnessLaura, and I also maintain a LauraLovesFitness page on Facebook. I hope to start posting more videos on my LauraDLovesFitness YouTube channel. If there’s anything you’d like to see more of or less of in the year ahead, please let me know. There’s nothing like the power of teamwork to keep us all on track with our plans to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
LauraLovesFitness Turns Four!
This happens to be an extra special Motivation Monday. Today, my “baby” blog turns four.
Just like when my own special day rolls around, my blog’s birthday always triggers thoughts about how life can change in the blink of an eye – let alone in the days since my very first post on July 13th, 2011.
Let’s face it – change can be tough. However, I wouldn’t go back and re-write any of the pages of my life’s history so far. I know it’s a combination of the good, the bad and the ugly that have made me as strong as I am today, both physically and mentally. Along with my faith and the unwavering support from an amazing group of people I’m lucky to call family and friends, there’s one other constant that has always helped me work through life’s challenges: my love for exercise. While I admit a second cupcake or glass of Prosecco made getting through some of the tough days more bearable, it’s the endorphin rush from a good workout that never fails to boost my mood. Physical activity also keeps my immune system strong and my mind focused on the light at the end of even the longest tunnels.
Writing my weekly blog posts has also been more cathartic than I could have imagined. Getting things out “on paper” has helped me see sticky situations a bit more clearly, and that dose of reality has often provided a powerful kick in the you-know-what to get moving on something. To that end, this was a monumental year for me physically as I’m finally back to my own “goal weight” and feel healthier than ever. Who would have thought a nutritional cleanse would help me feel more energized than ever at the age of 41?
To re-cap my journey back to my “goal weight” and some other favorite posts from the past year, here are links for quick reference:
Finding Strength in Letting Go
Using Fitness to Make a Difference
I close with a thank you to all of you of you who have inspired me to keep the writing going since 2011. Whether you subscribed to LauraLovesFitness on day one or just recently, your “likes,” comments, questions and shares have motivated me to keep plugging away on some of my own down days. In the year ahead, I plan to continue writing this blog, and hope to share my writing with an even bigger audience. As always, I’d love to hear suggestions for writing topics or ways I can help you with your own health and fitness goals. You can always leave private comments at LauraLovesFitness@gmail.com
So, here’s to the next steps as my blog marches toward its fifth birthday and all the steps on our shared journey to have fun, be fit and feel fabulous!
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