By Kari Goodman

Three summers ago, I sat on my couch reading a blog post from an amazing girl who was in Portland, Oregon having an amazing time at this thing called FitBloggin’.

I had just recently begun my own blog and health/wellness journey. Her adventures looked like so much fun. But, the title of the conference had the word fit in it. And I was sitting on my couch at around 450 pounds. Surely I had no place at a fit conference, did I?

So I kept reading and started following other bloggers who had attended and then something magical happened!

I started looking at pictures from the conference and my ideas quickly changed. The men and women in the pictures were not all at a “goal” weight, they were all shapes and all sizes, they were all exercising together, they were all smiling, they were all hugging, and they were all a part of something I had to get in on, too.

The 2015 FitBloggin’ Recaps

I started getting information as quickly as I could about the next summer’s conference in Savannah and I was pumped up. The day tickets went on sale, I bought mine, and booked my flight and hotel.

I admit, I was still a little nervous about being heavier than everyone else before arriving. But let me tell you…

I was accepted into the tribe with open arms.

The love I felt the first night walking into the welcome mixer was the most overwhelming and amazing feeling I have ever experienced. The conference was a success, I crawled out of my turtle shell and embraced myself and my journey.

Fast forward to this past June’s FitBloggin’ in Denver. If it is at all possible, Denver was even better. I was able to grow the relationships that I formed in Savannah and I finally felt a sense of peace that I was fit enough for FitBloggin’.

The word fit does not mean we are all at a goal weight and can run a marathon. The word fit in FitBloggin’ means that we are all working every single day to live the best life possible and admitting that we need a tribe behind us every step of the way.

So if you are sitting on your couch thinking that you are not fit enough for FitBloggin’, I challenge you to step out of your comfort zone and join us next summer in Indianapolis. It will truly change your life!

 

AUTHOR

Kari Goodman blogs at A Winning Loser. | Twitter | Facebook

photo by Carrie D Photography