When I headed to Fitbloggin… even though I had 8 pairs of shoes in my bag, I still had room leftover for giveaways that I’d be receiving at the conference.  I’d read tweets and email warning that there would be quite a bit, but I had NO idea how much it would be.

Let’s take a look…

McCormick was COMPLETELY generous with their goodie bags…

And, I completely love these measuring spoons. I can always use an extra set!

Here’s the motherload… lots of stuff from so many generous sponsors. Unfortunately, I had to leave a few things behind that weren’t really TSA friendly. I also ate all the Popchips before I came home…. shocking, I know

An awesome cookbook from my friends at @beeffordinner

Just call me “Goldietanks” – - I got three new tops… one’s too big, one’s too small, and the other is JUUUUUST right.

The “I <3 Lean Beef” apron was SUPER cute! Also pictured is a sample of maple syrup and a super-absorbent workout towel!

New sneaks from Reebok!

HOLY SWAG, FITBLOGGIN!

Hilary and I also took a trip to the McCormick store in the Inner Harbor.  Our friends at @Spices4Health had given us a coupon for 20% off… so, we had to go check it out and see if there were any additional spices we needed!

With Hilary at McCormick Spice Store in the Inner Harbor

I ended up picking up a spice rub, some Turmeric to make that yummy cauliflower, and this crazy thing…

How about a Red Velvet Cake Chocolate Bar? We bought it for dessert and ended up sharing it with our table at the night’s Ignite event. Quite tasty!

Luckily, I was able to fit all of the goodies in my suitcases (even if they both checked in JUST under 50 lbs.)  Under 50 is under 50… I’ll take it.  Really though, these freebies weren’t the only thing I brought home.

The Intangibles

The men and women I met at Fitbloggin were JUST incredible.  If you blog, some of it might be for yourself… but the overwhelming majority writes from a place of service.  We write looking to inspire and motivate others.  We blog because it’s an expression of who we are…

We write about the true struggles we face along the way.  We gleefully share our successes, and we document our plans to achieve our next goal.

During the sessions I attended at Fitbloggin, there were so many amazing stories that were shared.  And people were HONEST.  They didn’t worry about judgment in this setting… they shared how they FELT.  They shared their challenges, and as Danielle shared in the Self Acceptance session:  They were BRAVE.

In my humble opinion, it take BRAVERY to put yourself in a situation where you don’t know anyone.  It takes BRAVERY to stand up at a microphone and share your story.  It even takes BRAVERY to sit quietly and reflect upon your truth, no matter how scary it is.  Despite what anyone might think… it takes BRAVERY to make the conscious decision that your weight is hurting you and to take steps to change it.  It also takes BRAVERY to be vulnerable.  The folks I encountered (many, many, many beyond who’s pictured here) are some of the BRAVEST I’ve met.

What happens when you’re surrounded by BRAVE people?  You’re inspired to do the same.  You stop being ashamed of the fact that you had 84 lbs to lose to begin with, and you relish in the fact that it’s gone.  You commit yourself to living this ONE LIFE, since it’s the only one you’ll ever have.

You walk tall and proud, and you feel like you can conquer the world.  You take a Zumba class and you don’t worry about who can see you shaking your behind.  You make a conscious decision that your life will be full and rich… And that you completely deserve it.

You also realize that you aren’t alone in this journey.  You recognize that there is strength in numbers and that sharing brings knowledge to others… an incredible gift to both give and receive.

I’ve gotten wildly inspired by this whole experience.  To be a better blogger… but MORESO to be a better person… and to go after every little thing I want in this life.  Fitbloggin, for all of this and so much more, I am grateful.

I can’t wait to see you all in Portland!

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