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June 20, 2005
Fit to Blog?
Where are all the fitness blogs?
Looking around the Blogosphere for inspiration for this site, I was surprised to find so few weblogs devoted to fitness and nutrition. After all, there are over 600 blogs devoted just to knitting and yarn diets. So with getting into shape a national obsession in America, I thought I’d find thousands of sites about working out and eating right.
In particular, I thought I’d find an endless supply of blogs by personal trainers like myself. However, I could only find a handful that are still active. I did find a number of sites by bodybuilders and other gym regulars, but still fewer than I imagined. Here are a few that caught my attention:
CAUSTIC MUSINGS, run by Maggie Wang, seems to be one of the most popular sites. Although Maggie’s a full-time video game level scripter, she writes frequently about working out, posts her weight, fitness routine and menus, and her site boasts an extensive list of fitness resources. At 5’6”, her current goal is to reach 128 pounds with 15% body fat by July 1. You can track her progress (from every angle) at her muscletank.net profile. Notable recent post: The Truth about Morning Cardio.
GET FIT WITH TDKWARRIOR is a fitness/diet blog created by a “martial artist and fitness geek.” Many of his posts are reprints of helpful articles by other fitness experts, although he offers his own opinions, together with recommended exercise routines, on occasion. He’s mentioned his “clients” so I assume he’s a trainer of some sort. Notable recent post: Proper Strength Training.
GETNLEAN is “on a journey to ultimate fitness.” She’s a legal secretary, cosmetologist and mother from Illinois who recently celebrated her first year of solid gym workouts. Check out her before and after comparison photos! Notable recent post: 1 Year Anniversary.
PT TO BE GIRL is the internet home of Jacqui, a sales administrator from Connecticut who is an AAFA certified personal trainer. She posts her routines, writes about life at the gym and keeps a list of her favorite running blogs. Notable recent post: The Evil Ice Cream Stand.
Renee of SKWIGG BLOG looks amazingly good for an 80-year old, unless that 1925 birthdate in her profile is a typo. Among other things, she’s interested in macronutrient ratios and martial arts. Notable recent post: Body for Life for Women (book review).
Congratulations to Kyra of FIGURING IT OUT, who just yesterday passed her exam to become a certified personal trainer. She’s a professional artist and a mom with an “obsession for fitness” who maintains a separate recipe blog as well. Notable recent post: Better Off Tomorrow than Today.
I’ve listed a few other fitness sites of note on my blogroll. Hopefully the list will grow in the months to come, and I'll be added to a few lists myself.
I’ll also be making lists of non-fitness bloggers who write occasionally write about working out or eating right. Although I bet many bloggers have turned into “blobbers” sitting all day in front of their computer screens, I’m sure some find time for the gym. In fact, my vote for the fittest non-fitness blogger goes to one of the biggest: Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit. I don’t have any medical proof, but anyone who regulates his exercise with a heart rate monitor is on the path to good health. Plus, his wife was once a personal trainer, so he’s probably getting all the help he needs.
Posted by Kristen at June 20, 2005 07:34 PM
Comments
I've noticed this too. We need more fitness bloggers! If you'd like, keep me on the list of occasionals -- I am a runner/triathlete, and do talk about local races or marathon training occasionally (and will be gearing up for a marathon this winter as well).
Thanks!
Lori
Posted by: Lori at June 22, 2005 10:59 AM
I'm tickled that you found my entry on yarn diets. Currently I'm using yarn purchasing as a reward for doing all the right things for diet and fitness. Too soon to say if it will make the difference for me, but as you can see by the 600 or so knitting blogs out there, we take our yarn stashing very seriously. How did you come to look up knitting blogs in the first place? Are you a knitter too?
Posted by: Sharon at June 22, 2005 10:49 PM
I just noticed that You have included my blog.. thnx
I used to update with my own set of routines n information on my blogs but recently it has become hard to post regularly so I am also providing articles by others..
I started writing routines for only Martial artists and sportsmen...
I am starting a newsletter services with No Hypes or No Ads... So you can check it out.. www.varunpratap.com
Posted by: TkdWarrior at June 23, 2005 03:22 AM
well Kristen, I just added you in my links section. You have really good blog here. :)
good job
TkdWarrior
Posted by: TkdWarrior at June 23, 2005 03:31 AM
I'd say about 90% of the weight loss blogs I read incorporate a significant fitness component. You may want to look at those also, rather than searching for blogs that identify themselves as solely fitness blogs.
Posted by: Mich at June 23, 2005 04:22 AM
Thanks for the congrats :) I'm adding you to my blogroll this morning also.
~Kyra
Posted by: Kyra at June 23, 2005 12:11 PM
Lori: I've used your blog to kick off my runners' blogroll . . . if you have any running friend who are bloggers, I'll add them too.
Sharon: I ate yarn for a while because I thought it was high in fiber. It wasn't working out, so I did some research and found out from your blog that it wasn't that kind of "diet" or that kind of "fiber." Thanks for the info!
Tdk: Thanks for adding me. Good luck with the newsletter.
Mich: Thanks for the tip . . . I'll try that angle.
Kyra: Great job! (You'll have to learn to say that a lot when you train people).
Posted by: Trainer Pundit at June 23, 2005 12:55 PM
Hi Kristen. I just found your site here today and was immediately taken wih it. As soon as I find the time to update my "Links" section, your name is definitely going down first.
You are right. It's very hard to find good fitness/nutrition related websites, especially ones that are updated regularly. (Um, like mine. I'm the world's worst at updating mine. I guess that comes with keeping an online journal of some sort for seven years, huh?) I'm wishing you much success here because I crave fresh and inspiring weblogs/journals like I crave fresh tomatoes in the summertime. (For the record, that's a whole heck of a lot.)
Posted by: Lee at July 3, 2005 10:29 AM
Thanks, Lee! I've put you on my blogroll.
I've only been blogging for two weeks, but it feels like seven years!
Posted by: Trainer Pundit at July 6, 2005 09:00 AM
You missed my fitness blog. I've been blogging on fitness since 2000! But, to be fair, I've changed my domain name twice since then (which was dumb). Any-hoo, check out my blog at www.JeremyMarkum.com/fitness/
~Be Profoundly Fit,
Jeremy Markum
"The Fitness Sage"
Posted by: Jeremy Markum at July 28, 2005 11:46 AM
I've been keeping a fitness news blog at fitnessnews.org, though I'm not as good at posting as a I should. Still, I manage to post a few items a week . . .
Posted by: KB at July 28, 2005 02:03 PM