I’ve never been a “big” girl or an unhealthy one (generally). Fortunately, I have never struggled with an eating disorder or had a medical issue that effected my weight. I fluctuated somewhere between 120 and 135 lbs, and that was okay. On every doctor’s scale, I was “normal”. I didn’t binge eat; I didn’t overindulge. I just lived the only way I knew how. Room service cheeseburger and fries? Never thought twice about it. A Cinnabon before hopping on a flight? Delicious. Sugary cocktails with colleagues after a big meeting? Don’t mind if I do!
Then, I turned 25, and all of those indulgences compounded into a slightly overindulgent lifestyle. I weighed in at 149 at 5’3″ and realized something had to change.
So, I did what I thought you were *supposed* to do. I started going to the gym 2-3 days a week where I would run a few miles, burn out 45 minutes on an elliptical, or take a fast-paced Zumba class. For YEARS. And I lost a few pounds. I still dream of my competitive cheerleading days in high school where I had visible muscles and didn’t shy away from a trip to the beach. So, I started lifting weights too. I saw some muscles form, but not like I expected. I still didn’t have my eating under control. Those “indulgences” were great, but at what cost?
At 28, I made the best decision I think I’ve ever made. I asked for help. I hired Ashley Leahy, a nurse practitioner, professor, and Bikini Pro who developed a personal, macros-based nutrition plan for me. Weekly, we check-in and she adjusts my macros based on my goals. She also changed up my workouts, swapping long steady-state cardio sessions for long lifting sessions, and my short lifting sessions for HIIT cardio sessions. Like that, the weight came off.
I started to dream bigger. Wouldn’t it be amazing to be in the best shape of my life at 30? Wouldn’t it be amazing to stay that way? So here I am, trying to turn some healthy habits into a lifestyle. Do I still indulge? Yes, but I’m smarter about it now. This blog is all about me and my journey.