Running is one of the best solutions to a clear mind. – Sasha Azevedo

As a kid, I was pretty active. Ok, that is an understatement! I was downright hyper active to the point I could annoy any adult within miles. I literally bounced off the walls 24/7. Meeting my bestie May at age 8, only made things worse. Together we were a unit of boundless energy. I have always been a busy body as well! I went to school, acted, tapped danced, did gymnastics and played volleyball! Whew! I am exhausted just writing that.

Once I entered college, I became pretty sedentary. I was a smoker and got up to about ¾ of a pack a day. I sat around watching TV and hanging out with friends. I wanted to be fit, I wanted to be one of those girls who can run miles and has toned arms and flat abs. But, I just never did it. I had so many excuses. Finally, I had an ah-huh moment that changed my life and I kicked the smoking habit and kicked my fitness into high gear.  You can read more about my story in the Meet Ali section of my blog.

Now I love running. It is my “me” time which I don’t get too much of. There nothing I love more than hitting the pavement on a beautiful sunny day. Running is something that I consider to be a spiritual experience, as cheesy as that sounds. I really love distance running, and am about to run my third half marathon. I also Crossfit , which combines so many aspects of physical fitness- to learn more about what exactly Crossfit is, check out my FAQ’s page. I love how strong it has made me and how sleek and toned my muscles look from it. Yoga is another one of my favorites. In my opinion, yoga is the exact complement to running. After a long run, I love to do yoga the next day to stretch me all out. It feels amazing!

I look at fitness as not just a means to lose or maintain my weight, but also as a way to increase and maintain my sanity. It is key to helping my balance my hectic and busy life.

Ali’s Fitness Tips:

• Find something you love to do! I am a runner, I love running. For me, sometimes I would even say running is a metaphysical  experience. Not to say I don’t have hard/bad/ downright miserable runs either. Try different things until you find your niche. Loving what you do makes it that much easier to get out there and do it.
• Don’t knock it until your try it! Try new things! Imagine is I said “no” to Tina when she asked me to meet her at Body Pump because I let my nerves about trying something new get in the way?!
• Loose the excuses! I could come up with a million excuses everyday about why I can’t workout (most having to do with having no time). Loose the excuses and make it a priority. You wouldn’t go a day without showering or brushing your teeth right?! Besides, how many other times in the day do you do something that is solely for your own benefit and about you?!

Please enjoy my blog and my fitness stories. I really look forward to questions and comments regarding my journey and how I can help you. I also, look forward to learning from all of you.