Self Righteousness Fitness Buff

Self-righteousness is easy - also cheap. - Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.

Is there anything in the world more annoying than self-righteousness? Probably a few things - but admittedly, it's right up there. As the quote above states - It's easy and it's cheap. Easy is - well, easy, and cheap fits my budget perfectly so I'm letting it fly!

Each time I have a new found passion, I feel it puts me squarely in the position to convert those who are arriving at it even later than myself. For instance, when I gave up smoking three packs of cigarettes a day I was completely insufferable in my evangelizing the benefits of shirking the "stinking" habit and vehement in my need for the rest of the world to shirk it as well. Who doesn't love being around a newly reformed know-it-all? (Me! I hate it - unless it's me - then I'm much more tolerant.)

Well, this time it's all about the virtues of being active and the vice of inactivity. (Pretend that  just a few days shy of a month ago I wasn't a sloth. This will work so much better that way!)

Now that I'm able to hit my Fitbit goal of 10,000 steps a day with increasing regularity I'm the self appointed poster child of "Get Off Your Seat And On Your Feet."  Yes, it's a thankless job (really thankless) but someone has to do it.

Besides taunting my niece who will soon make me regret it, I've even taken to taunting fellow Fitbit users on Twitter:

Tweetee: Consulting the Magic 8 Ball to see if my Fitbit step goal is gonna get met today.
"shake shake" 8 Ball says "signs point to NO."

Me: Keep shaking and they might.

Tweetee: hahahah Nice.

Me: Got mine in. Na na na na naaa na.

Tweetee: Go ahead. Make fun of me.

Me: Lets call it a challenge. I'm almost at 4000 steps today already (at 11:A.M.) That's more steps in all of 2014!

The truth is, while I'm still a long way from reaching my fitness goals, I'm also a lot further down that road than I was a month ago. I won't bore you with how many steps down that road, (102,892 steps) but I will share what's happened so far.

My clothes are fitting better. I'm not out shopping for a smaller size yet, but I'm no longer greasing myself to fit into my jeans either.

I'm sleeping like a champ. This alone is worth it! (I won't pretend I'm going to bed at a decent hour and getting as much sleep as I should (baby steps) but at least the sleep I do get is deep and restful.

My eating has improved immensely. Is it perfect? Heck no, but at 10,000 steps a day I no longer beat myself mercilessly for each transgression (especially since they've become more the exception than the rule).

My self respect has increased. There is nothing as demoralizing as feeling constantly dissatisfied with something you can change. The voices in my head live for opportunities to beat me with the "loser" stick and, sadly for them, they have less material to work with at the moment.

I'm hopeful. I have to say that hopeful is something I haven't been for quite awhile. When I don't feel good, have no energy, and consider the prospects that I may live another 30 years feeling like that - or worse, what's to be hopeful about? 

I have more energy. Things that only a month ago completely exhausted me are now easy to do. Admittedly, working out with free weights has added to that but just having more stamina makes things I use to dread no big deal. 

And last but not least:

I get to be a self-righteous evangelist to anyone and everyone who will listen (or pretend to be listening).

So...how about you?