Introducing Kristen’s Blog!

Some of my first memories are of being active and sporty—playing Pee Wee basketball, getting ready for dance class, throwing a softball around with my dad. I’ve also always loved to write, so writing about fitness is as natural a fit as peanut butter and bananas. Mmmm …

I met FBG Jenn in Fall 2009 on a health and fitness writers trip in Chicago—I had been writing for AOL’s That’s Fit (now AOL Healthy Living – Fitness) for a year or two and we were familiar with one another’s work, so when we got together in person, it didn’t surprise either of us that we clicked. About a year later, I began contributing to Fit Bottomed Girls and have since made it my online fitness home. I just love what we’ve done with the place.

Since I’ll be blogging in my little corner of FBG once a week, I thought I’d tell you a little more about me and give you an idea of what to expect.

I’m originally from Michigan, but now live in Gainesville, Fla., (go Gators!) with my husband (Jared), two rescue dogs (Rudi and Hollie), and our very old, very sweet cat (Meeko). The first three inspire me to stay active and healthy (even if they do run much faster than I do), while the geriatric feline is great about providing reminders that sometimes, a bit of rest is really the ticket. It’s pretty likely you’ll see all these names and more pop up—I’ve got a great network of fitness friends, and I rely on them in a major way.

My workouts are a bit, umm, eclectic. As I mentioned above, I grew up playing team sports (mainly basketball and volleyball), and, until I started high school, I was pretty serious about dance. I still love all of it, and have expanded my interests to various types of races. Nobody was more surprised than I was when I realized that I loved—LOVED—triathlon, but it’s safe to say it’s now become an important part of my life.

I really, really love food. Especially Mexican food—what I do to fajitas is probably illegal in some countries. Fortunately, I’m not a bad cook and actually enjoy playing around with recipes to try to find a way to recreate delicious dishes without using quite as much oil or cheese as my favorite restaurants. I’ll share some of my successes with you here and also ask you guys for help when I get stumped. I mean, you can only cut out so much cheese, you know?

I’m a pescatarian, which means I eat fish, but otherwise, no meat. I’ve eaten this way since 2004, and have a number of reasons for it (which I’m sure I’ll get into one of these days), but the main reason is that it feels right. I make a point to get plenty of protein and other nutrients through my diet, and, while I could stand to eat a little less than I do, overall, it works for me. Interestingly enough, my husband is very much an omnivore—he loves a good steak and, by all accounts, makes a killer burger. Still, we have loads of meals that we both eat, sometimes with a slight modification. I’ll be sure to share some of our secrets.

I firmly believe in the Fit Bottomed Girls message, but I still have a hard time following it. One of my biggest goals in life is to embrace moderation—I want so badly to find a way to exercise in a way that works with my schedule, go out to eat or have a few drinks with friends, and still be happy with the way I look and feel. This has always been a massive struggle for me. Even at my leanest, I have a very athletic shape —I don’t remember a time when my thighs didn’t touch. Most of the time, I’m totally fine with that. Sometimes, I’m very much not, but that’s why I’m so grateful for supportive friends and the FBG community, because I know I’ve always got people there who will lift me back up, whether I fit into a certain size or not.

I’m so excited to share more with you guys, and, if you ever have questions or would like to hear about something in particular, shoot me an email at kristen@fitbottomedgirls.com. You can also find me on Twitter, and, when I’m not baring my soul here, I’m generally talking about pets over at Vetstreet, working some social media magic with Clever Girls Collective, writing up articles for sites like TODAY.com, or spilling out whatever is left buzzing in my brain at the end of the day at my personal blog Jeez-o-petes. —Kristen