Hi Nobella Grace readers! Kristi asked me to do a guest blog post for her, so here I am!
A little about me; My name is Amanda. I'm an Oklahoma girl. I love health and fitness. Oh yeah, and I love these guys too. This is my family!
My family is definitely the most fun thing I “do,” but next to that is health and fitness! I haven’t always been a health nut, it just kinda happened over time and one day I realized that I wasn’t exactly normal because of my health and fitness nutty-ness! I grew up dancing, and when I was in high school I added in colorguard. I never struggled with weight as a young adult so that wasn’t my motivation, but now that I am in my mid-thirties I realize how intentional you have to be to maintain your health.
I’ve always exercised, but after my second child was born (5 years ago) I started to notice that I felt increasingly more “blah” than I used to feel. I started running!
I have never been a runner. I’m slow and it’s very hard for me, and I think this is why I started to tackle it! I ran my first race, a 5k, in April 2011.
That's me on the left, and yes I can be such a nerd. I'm totally ok with that. Life is supposed to be fun!
I've been doing races here and there ever since. Mostly 5ks, a 10k, and then last spring I ran my first half marathon. I did the OKC Memorial Half-Marathon and it was a life changing event.
There are a lot of reasons why this race meant so much to me;
•
It was a huge fitness goal
•
I was born and raised in OKC/Moore. I was 15 when the bombing happened, and I remember it clearly
•
The church and reception venue for my wedding is on the marathon route
•
My husband did the half with me, just because I was nervous to run alone
I could go on and on, but here are my recaps;
•
http://amanda-eric-addison.blogspot.com/2013/04/weekend-recap.html
•
http://amanda-eric-addison.blogspot.com/2013/05/lets-talk-about-this-some-more.html
It was a life changing experience and has inspired me to be the best person I can be, and not just in terms of fitness. My outlook on life changed. I wasn't negative before, but I am far more positive than ever before. We have this one life. We have one chance here on earth, and we don't know how long it will last. Don't waste it. Dream big. Go for it.
As far as running goes, here are a few of my "must haves." I've stumbled across these things out of necessity!
•
Brooks running shoes. Love them. Another life changer was the time I went to a running store and was "fitted" for the first time. I went home with my first pair of Brooks and have been brand loyal ever since. Run happy!
•
Yurbuds. I picked these up at the OKCMM expo. Priceless!
•
Spibelt. I picked this up at running store after getting really frustrated with how to carry my keys/phone/ipod/etc with my on my runs.
•
Herbalife24. I've been using Herbalife products for a couple years, and just in the past 6 months or so have started using the Herbalife24 line. It is amazing. Great nutrition products!
•
Adidas Supernova Racer. This is my favorite sports bra I have come across so far.
Running definitely isn't the only thing I do, but it is a constant on my exercise calendar! I also likeZumba, Turbo Fire, P90X (I really want P90X3!), yoga, and bootcamps. But......I'm usually using these other things to get my running better. I guess I'm an addict!
Over the last 5 years as I've been on this road of health and nutrition I have figured out a few key concepts. When you exercise you feel better, and are happier. When you eat good food/nutrition you feel better, and are happier. Pretty basic, right? It really couldn't be more simple. The hard part? Motivation. It's not hard to find the motivation to get started on a healthier lifestyle, but it is difficult to maintain that motivation. That's where the intentional parts comes in. You have to be incredibly intentional about living a healthy lifestyle. This means putting on your gym clothes and exercising when you don't want to! It's a habit thing, and an intentional thing. I compare it to going to church every Sunday morning. If you already go every Sunday, it's not a huge deal, and there's not much question about it. It's just what you do. If you get out of the habit.........getting yourself there is a BIG DEAL. Exercise and nutrition is the same way. It becomes a habit. It becomes what you do. But, you have to be intentional about creating and maintaining that habit!
Before I end this, I have to tell you how much I love NBG! I love it. LOVE IT. I came across NBG when they first opened, and have been in love ever since. The clothes are beautiful and great quality. The customer service is the best around. Kristi and I made a connection pretty quickly because she's amazing we have a mutual Oklahoma connection. How could you not love her? I usually send her my OOTD pictures, and sometimes you will see me on her IG. I'm usually the one with a messy bed behind me and a child/animal in the picture.
Yeah........it's just the way I roll!
You can find me blogging at Life in bloom (http://amanda-eric-addison.blogspot.com). Also, I am anHerbalife distributor and if you have any questions about that feel free to email me; amandah2418@yahoo.com
Thanks for letting me take over your blog for the day Kristi! Have a wonderful day, friends!
