FitFluential Ambassador ’11

Who shall set a limit to the influence of a human being?
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I’ve spoken before about influence; about how your kids are watching the line between what you say and what you do. I’ve talked about the importance of speaking up about what you believe in, and walking the walk. Because you never know whose life you might affect.

You have influence. And thanks to the beauty of the ripple effect, your influence may spread further than you know.

And so I’m walking the walk and saying, I want to be a FitFluential Ambassador. I want to help support and inspire those who, like me, learned how to count calories and measure BMI but not how to listen to our bodies. Those who want to be simply healthy, to honor the gifts that are our bodies and our lives.

Look, I’m no gym rat or fitness guru. But I’ve traveled a long path to find a healthy lifestyle I can live with, and I know I can bring others to this place.

I want to help those who don’t know where to start. Who love the idea of yoga class or kickboxing, but are too intimidated to walk into that first session.

I want to guide those who aren’t sure they are doing their push-ups correctly, or are afraid of making a fool of themselves on the machines at the gym.

I want to try new things and let people know what works for regular folk with families and full-time lives, so they’re not wasting time, effort, and money.

I want to illustrate that eating a healthy diet doesn’t mean self-deprivation.

I want to encourage people to get outside and experience the exhilaration of exertion in a natural setting.

I want to find ways to integrate family time into exercise.

I want to make “Just Do It” everyone’s personal mantra. It’s the single most brilliant piece of marketing, ever. It brooks no argument, no excuses.

I want your goals to be things you set… after you’ve already achieved the old ones.

I want to answer the question, “What are kettlebells?” (‘Cause I don’t know.)

And I want to do it in a way that is inspirational, doable, and fun for everyone.

I want to make a difference in your life. Get you off the couch and outside and a happy, satisfied, sweaty mess. Be your drill sergeant, your personal cheerleader, and your Tiger Mom.

I want you to know that you are working to better yourself and extend your life so that you will realize your full potential. To be a vital role model for your children and anyone else in your sphere of influence.

I want to be proud of you and have you be proud of me.

Regardless of whether I receive this title, I want to do this together. Are you in?

Local peeps: dude, this is Rocky country. And yet Philadelphians are statistically some of the fattest, unhealthiest people in the nation. (I’m all worked up now. Sorry, people.) It’s time to eat lightnin’ and crap thunder.

Get up. Get outside. Take your kids with you. No excuses. Just Do It.

Here’s my motivation:

That ball is not getting past her. Consider that ball OWNED.

It’s important to note that none of these games were won that day. It doesn’t matter. They played their asses off and they improve every week.

I want to be a FitFluential ambassador so my kids will think they got at least some of their physical badassery from me. (Their dad is admittedly pretty badass.)

Cross your fingers for me, willya?

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