She says it best in her first post:

Anyone who’s been overweight knows what I’m going through right now.  You see an event in the future that you’d really like to look slimmer for and you set crazy goals to be thinner by then.  Maybe you even start out well by getting back to the gym and starting a restrictive diet.  But most of you know that this doesn’t last long.  The date of the event gets closer and closer and you just keep starting over, each time with more frustration.

Which inspires me to pick a future goal and start a daily countdown as well. Nothing like an event to provide real motivation, and even if you don’t make it all the way to your goal, you’re better off than when you started. I’m adding Olga’s blog to my blogroll and I encourage you to follow it and see her progress. Great work so far lady and I’m excited to see where this challenge takes you in the future!

Blogging will resume Monday, along with measurements, re-dedication to running and eating well, and plenty of stories to tell. Have a great weekend and happy birthday to me (and Molly Ringwald, sup grrrl?).

I had to wear womens sized clothing in middle school, and I remember the desks with the built-in chairs being very uncomfortable, so this article article from CNN really hit home.

I realize now that it is my responsibility to get my health under control–all aspects of health, including my weight. But, for kids as young as grade and middle schoolers, parents need to make healthy meals a priority and stress the importance of exercise and physical activity.

I know most people that read my blog are not parents, so I expect that this article will really only be meaningful to people like myself that braved childhood not fitting in very well (both socially and in physical spaces), but if you were a fat kid like me you should check it out.

I’ve posted before about the dangers of sitting all day, and this post from The Huffington Post says sitting is the new smoking. They provide six things you can do if you’re employed at a job which requires you to sit all day. One of these is sitting on a fitness ball, which is something I already do. If you’re stuck at a desk in your office you should definitely check it out.

The point of this post is not to tell you how cool I am, though. Instead I want to call attention (yet again) to size discrepancies in clothing.

I bought this shirt in a size XXL. I’m not ashamed of the size listed on the tag, but I am really annoyed by the wide differences I see between different retailers and brands. In a similar shirt I wear a size medium at Old Navy, and a large at American Eagle.

I guess the moral of this story is that you should be open to trying on 2 or 3 sizes and buying whichever one fits best regardless of what it says on the tag–don’t let sizing discourage you. When I started this blog I was wearing XXL jersey knit dresses from Target and about 100lbs later I am still wearing a XXL from the same effing store. Despite how ridiculous that is I both look and feel way better and health is the most important part of this journey.

Not gonna lie: I like Bon Iver. I listen to them at work when it’s raining. I drink tea. It’s relaxing. I also really enjoy exercising not-in-a-gym. Read this blog, you’ll see. But, really? REALLY?!

Watch the video, just, you just have to:

On the Road with Jeff Rogers trailer from Rogcity Fitness on Vimeo.

Did you watch it? Are you ROFLing? Hey… at least you just burned a bunch of calories, right?

However, it can be nice to have some companionship and there’s nothing like a greeting card holiday to remind you that you’re alone. So, what do you do if you’re feeling lonely on this seemingly “meaningful” day? I’m planning to dress up as a Zombie and roam the local bars with other Zombie-fied individuals. If this isn’t a thing that’s done where you live, why not make plans with your other single friends, or set up a platonic date with someone you just enjoy spending time with?

I realize that the meaning of V-Day is convoluted or non-existent, but that doesn’t make the feelings of loneliness any less real. Avoid sitting at home crying into your popcorn and make plans with someone you love–even if they’re just a friend.