Bandwagon Fans

Lately, with all the Bowl games, and the NFL playoffs, my social media feeds have been blowing up with people accusing one side or the other of being "Bandwagon Fans" or "Fairweather Fans." ...does that need a hyphen? I don't care... Anyway, this usually follows a loss by the poster's favorite team (any Chief's fan in my "Friends" list) or a win by a team the poster evidently dislikes (Jeff? Saints? WHO DAT??)

My question is, what is a bandwagon fan, or a fairweather fan? Now, being from Nebraska, I understand fairweather fans well enough. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, come look at my Facebook news feed after a Husker win vs. a Husker loss...) And I tend to share most posters' disdain for fairweather fans. You can't cheer for your team one weekend and bash them the next.

However, I agree with a certain amount of fairweathering/bandwagoning. For instance, if you've got a local hockey team, that perennially sucks, you probably don't go to a lot of games if you're the average joe, or my friend Hogan, right? But, say they all of a sudden put together a 20 game winning streak and make the playoffs. You're probably going to buy a ticket and a couple 9 dollar beers and watch some hockey with the mullets and the flannel.

Does this make you a fairweather fan? Or a bandwagon fan? Or just a good old fashioned sports fan and local supporter? I'm in Florida right now, so do I have to cheer for Florida State in the National Championship, or on the contrary would that make me a bandwagon fan?

Personally, I think it doesn't matter. We should cheer for teams that do well (Unless they're the Dallas Cowboys or CU football... but that'll probably never happen anyway) and we certainly don't have to cheer for teams that do badly (unless its the Huskers and you're a Nebraskan.)

Besides, we're all a bit of a bandwagon/fairweather fan for some sports... That's right, I'm talkin' about the Olympics. Oh, you're cheering for USA downhill skiing now? When was the last time you supported them? Oh, 4 years ago... FAIRWEATHER! Cheering for Estonian biathlon, just because its cool to watch skinny dudes shoot guns and ski, and they happen to be doing well? BANDWAGON!

My point here, (if I actually do have one) is that all this accusing is pointless and it really doesn't matter. If you get that worked up about it, you probably need to find a hobby. Try playing sports instead of watching them. And, above all else, JUMP ON THE PACERABBIT BANDWAGON!!! But not just for fairweather...

#FBF: New Year's Resolutions

What's up guys?? It's been way too long, the holidays were a bit crazy. To be honest, I don't really want to talk about food today since its been so long. I feel like I need to update everybody! However, because its Friday, I will talk about food a little bit.

To begin, I am currently in Key West, Florida for my winter training camp. I have had a great system of support to get me here, and I am very grateful. I want to set this next season off right, and this is the place to do it. I've got some big plans for the year and I know what I need to work on... I'd share all my resolutions with you, but why give away my secrets??

New Year's Resolutions are a tricky thing. How many of you can honestly say you kept all of yours from last year? Or any of yours, ever, for that matter? Well, a lot of them concern fitness/food/diet, so there is my tie-in and here is your Food Blog Friday!

...See what I did there? That's how I write what I want to write!

Given that I am a foodie, and a triathlete and a personal trainer, I have some legit expertise with this topic. As such, here are a few guidelines to help you with your New Year's Resolutions.

1. Set Process-Oriented Goals: Rather than saying, "I want to lose X number of pounds," you should say, "I want to exercise and eat better." That way, the only way you can "fail" is if you quit exercising and eating right. Its better to focus on the process rather than the outcome, because outcomes can change. 
2. Goals Should be Measurable and Specific: Don't make vague goals (much like the ones I posted above!) but rather make goals that you will know for a fact whether or not you are meeting. Rather than saying "I will exercise more," say "I will exercise X number of times a week for X number of minutes." 
3. Change Your Scorecard: This is a big one for me. Sometimes we get so caught up in the general idea of things that we miss the main point. Rather than looking to exercise for 20 minutes, why not set certain exercises that you want to get done no matter what. If it only takes 15 minutes, then that is a win! 15 good minutes is astronomically better than 20 minutes of milling around aimlessly.
4. Be Gritty: I've said it before. Someday, there will come a day that you do not want to do whatever it is that you have to do. THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY TO DO IT!!! Once you've done it on the shitty days, you've set a great precedent for yourself. You'll know how easy it is once you start. 
5. Be Lenient... Especially with food!: Food and diets are particularly tricky. It is important to have a good relationship with your food, and not make things too taboo. You ever seen Dodgeball? Remember the part when Ben Stiller's character shocks his own nipples while eating a donut? That's not what we want. If you want to quit eating meat, but your best friend is having a bacon cookoff, first of all invite me and second of all have a slice... just don't let your occasional become regular. 
6. FOLLOW THE PACE RABBIT!!!: 'Nuff said.