A friend of Brian and I came into town today for the weekend to be home for his fall break.

Because it is getting close to crunch time, I am really trying to see everyone that I can at least one more time before I head out next Saturday.

We met at a little restaurant called Noodles.  Brian and I actually had our first date there!  It is a very casual restaurant that has pasta dishes in the categories of Mediterranean, American, and Asian.  There are also salad, sandwich, and soup options.  I opted for a small Very Berry Salad and a cup of Thai Curry Soup.  I absolutely love curry at all times, but on a cold rainy day like today it was perfect!

The salad had croutons, strawberries, pecans, red onion, and blue cheese all on top of a giant bed of spinach.  Delish!

Fit vs. Athletic

Yesterday, I went to a couple of doctors just to make sure that everything with my knee was ok.  My knee is fine, I just need to rest it a little.  I explained my current job situation and that I am going to be leaving next Saturday for just under a year to be a fitness director on a cruise line. While I was at the second doctor he said something when I explained the situation that really stuck with me that I had never even considered before. He said “You essentially are a professional athlete.”

Athlete?!?!  Now, I have always loved being active and in high school I was very busy with show choir and cheerleading, I would run occasionally in the summers and do workout videos.  When I started college, I immediately fit the gym into my daily schedule and became addicted to the group fitness, exercise machines, and weights that were offered.  Staying active is just something I do, and it is part of my lifestyle.  Yes, I am very fit and I ran a half marathon this summer….but athletic?

Never in a million years would I ever consider myself athletic or an athlete.  I played soccer and basketball in elementary school, and really only enjoyed it when I was winning due to my competitive nature.  That same competitive nature kicked in when I joined the swim and dive team in middle school and it gave me so much anxiety because I wasn’t the best that I quit (and I’m not much of a quitter!).

This question leaves me baffled.  Is there a difference between fit and athletic?  I know that my job will be working out, teaching others about fitness and nutrition, and leading group exercise, but does that make me a “professional athlete?”

What do YOU think?   Is there a difference between being fit and athletic?  I want to hear some feedback 🙂

• To me, being athletic encompasses specific training, agility, and coordination.  I was totally flattered that this doctor thought of me in the “professional athlete” sense, but I just don’t think that is where I would categorize myself.