31 Days Of An Ultimate Fitness Challenge: Day 1 "Get Started"

Well, this is awkward. This is the first day of recording my fitness journey for the month and it's REST day. That's right. No fitness today. Believe it or not, rest is an important component of overall fitness. It's the chance to recover, refuel and relax.

Understand this about me: I will be 50 years old this next year and I don't have a sport bone in my body. All my life, fitness has never been on my radar. I'm an academic. I'm a geek and a nerd. So what the heck am I talking about?

A few years ago at 275 pounds, I got bored. And a little sick. I was on blood pressure meds and in my boredom, decided that I would walk 15 minutes each day. No plan, no trainer, just a treadmill at the gym and 15 minutes.

15 minutes became 30 minutes.
30 minutes became 45 minutes.
Then I found I was walking 5k, just over three miles. Regularly

Then this little voice inside my head said, "go faster." So I went faster. And longer.
Walking around my neighborhood became jogging.
Over the course of one year, I lost 30 pounds.

Then I met a guy who introduced me to CrossFit. Pressing on without a trainer or joining a box, I learned that fitness was better than weight loss. Over the next year, I lost another 30 pounds.

I am entering my 5th year of fitness.

I've run two Marine Corp Mud Runs, climbed the highest mountain on the Eastern seaboard--twice--and am starting my second go-around of SEALFit.

This is my journey. You have yours, but this is mine. I won't tell you what to do, but I will encourage you. This month is going to be interesting because I know what lies ahead (mostly). My hope is that this journal will be encouraging with any obstacle you may face.

The point: You are able to do much more than you think. Just get out there and have fun.
Don't "work out." Just play hard instead.

Catch up to you later!