I don’t know about you, but halfway through my first year of college, I got a little chunky. It was this sudden thing. I was home, Christmas Break, freshly out of the shower, and my naked reflection caught my eye. Wait, what the heck happened!?

It wasn’t this colossal weight gain. Probably a good fifteen or maybe even twenty pounds that you could only really see if you examined my hips and middle. But my hyper-critical eye was zoomed in.
Are those stretch marks? GASP

It probably had a little, okay a lot, to do with the binge-eating of White Cheddar Cheese-Itz at 2 AM or the skipped Saturday morning runs due to a pounding hangover and One Tree Hill on Netflix.  Oops. But my newly-chubby body took me by surprise. I’ve always been an athlete. And I was playing college softball…yet I’d become a statistic: the dreaded freshman fifteen!

Needless to say, my naked-staring-in-the-mirror self decided to make a change. No, it wasn’t any crazy diets or two-a-days at the gym. It was little steps, like cutting out the greasy cafeteria fries, lifting some weights, getting a good mile run in, and adding some fruits and veggies.

As I pushed myself and began to change my body, I noticed changes not only in my physical appearance, but also in my mental state. I was happier. Being healthy felt good. 

I was motivated by the rush I’d get after finishing a run or the satisfaction from cooking my own healthy, homemade meal. I wanted to find a way to share my experiences, my struggles, my triumphs, and my journey…thus this blog! I hope it can not only encourage you to make lifestyle changes, but also serve as a place where you feel welcomed, positive, and loved [no matter your body shape/size/type or where you are in your fitness journey]. Thanks for visiting!

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