I would NEVER!

Why do I feel like I should start off with "bless me, readers, for I have lapsed... it's been over 2 weeks since my last blog..." Oh! The bloggers guilt of leaving people hanging, with nary a hint of the multitude of things going on in my brain.

Ok, truth be told, there hasn't really been a _whole_ lot going on in my brain. As tends to happen, though, there's been an overarching theme of late that's been annoyingly persistent and must be dealt with. ;)

Part of it has been prompted by the fact that (cue fanfare) I'm finishing my personal trainer cert, dammitall! I've got 2.5 questions left and I'm way ahead of my self-imposed deadline of June 13. Once I pass that test (being positive and optimistic ;) it means I will have earned the right to tell people what to do! Whoo hoo!! Watch out world!

The other part came when I discovered a friend from high school had a blog - I know, in an age when /everyone/ and their cat has a blog, it shouldn't be a such a surprise. What was the surprise is the content, or rather my response to it. He has discovered a love for barefoot running and has since run a few half and full marathons ala the primal hobbit - just skin and road.

I know! I thought the same thing! Why on /earth/ would you want to run a marathon?! (ducks and hides from all my awesome marathonin' peeps that I looooove dearly!) I can totally dig on the barefoot part (or at least in the spiffy Vibrams because I'm a tenderfoot clutzy wuss that would step on the only shard of glass in a mile of me) but oy the marathon part... the stress and strain and OMG hours of training! I would /never/ do that!

Hey now!!! Before you unsubscribe or send me off a nasty gram... hear me out.

That of course has prompted me to think about my own journey down the weight loss road and take a look back at where I started and where I am now. I realized there's a lot of times along the way that I've said (or at least thought) "I would _NEVER_ do suchandsuch!" and realized that those are the things that have now nestled themselves into my life for good.

I feel like the times when I say, "I would /NEVER/..." The universe says, "Yesssss! A challenge has been issued!"

/NEVER/ giving up pasta/bread/grainy/starchy goodness!! Yeah, well... I haven't entirely but I can go several days without a second thought or hankering for any of the above.

/NEVER/ running unless I'm being chased by a bear! Helloooo... 2 5K's under my FuelBelt.

/NEVER/ getting married! Whee! Comin' up on 2 years in June. YAY!!!

/NEVER/ lifting really heavy things! Ok, this one never crossed my mind. I've always harbored a secret love of bodybuilding that, now, I can fully embrace. I just never thought that I would actually lift _really_ heavy things with ease... still working on those full body weight pull-ups, but I know that, on my current path I can achieve the look and strength needed to step on stage... but I would /NEVER/ do that! ;)

See what I mean?!

When I look back over the last 3 years, I am AMAZED at what I have accomplished and things that I've switched my attitude on because I finally saw the value in doing so. I didn't set out from the get go to run a 5K, but it eventually became a new and exciting goal to achieve.

Now I'm feeling a bit nervous since I know there's a lot more "I never's" that have been put out there... wondering which one's going to be next!

How about anyone else - is there anything you're doing now that you /never/ thought you'd do?! Or do you still have a long list of "I would /NEVER/ do..."?