Welcome! A bit about what led me here...

Welcome to my blog, and thank you for joining me on this journey!

My goal is to inspire you to be fit, healthy and happy! I hope doing so will also keep me motivated and moving forward with my own health and fitness goals. Follow along for healthy eating tips, progress photos - (my own and others'), healthy and easy recipes, workouts, and more!

While this is a health and fitness blog, I want to take this time to introduce myself, and tell you a bit about what led me to this point.

I am 28 years old, a full-time mama to one sweet 16 month old little man, and a wife to my very best friend.

Becoming a mother has inspired me to be the best me I can be, in more ways than one! I strive to be more patient and compassionate...stronger and more self-sufficient...cry less, smile more!

As a new mom, I was extremely overwhelmed, as most new mothers are.  We expect to have this "instict" that...well...just doesn't come as naturally as the world has always said it would. We read books, and blogs, and "what to expect when you're expecting to expect...and we expect to know it all when our babies arrive. But the truth is, nothing and no one can prepare us!

I coped with some anxiety for sure! I never cared so much for anything or anyone in my life, and I had no idea what I was doing... I knew for sure something terrible would happen to him, and it would be entirely my fault for just that reason. Who am I to be this baby's mother? What a tremendous responsibility!

Over time, those particular stresses faded a bit...and while it most certainly hits me now and then how incredibly important I am to be responsible for this precious little man, the overwhelming aspect has lessened a bit.

As a stay-at-home mom, the next phase of emotion I struggled with was my "loss of identity". We take care of everything and everyone, and at the risk of making us sound like martyrs, there's not much time or energy to do anything for ourselves.  I missed peeing on my time, washing my face when I first woke up, cutting and painting my toenails when I noticed they were wretched...

There were times I took it out on my husband...I was jealous of his freedom. Sounds so ridiculous...Jealous of the man who works long hours and constant overtime to support his family... who comes home and plays with his son, makes time to appreciate his wife, has finished his degree and moved onto his masters since our son was born...the man who does the laundry! (yes, I am a lucky woman!)
But something about the fact that he drove in his car to and from work everyday, all alone...and whether he took advantage of it or not, he had the opportinity to stop at wawa!, or run into the store on his way home from work...or go to the gym! Silly, I know...not his fault!

So whose fault was it?

The more I thought, and the more we talked, I realized it was me, and only me, that could make time for myself.
For so long I was looking to find time, when in reality, I had to make it.
I knew my life was incredible, but I also knew I wasn't fully appreciating it.  There were points when I would become so filled with anxiety over the guilt I felt for not being in a state of bliss 100% of the time. 

*Ultimately, it was my decision to be happy...and I made it.*

I couldn't think of a better way to spend "me time" than on improving "me".  Exercise! Of course it started out as a mission to "get my body back" after having my son... but I quickly realized how incredible I felt on the days I worked out.  I was patient, funny, grateful, loving...I felt like my silly self with my husband again.
So this was it...I could be the best me, the best mom, and the best wife I could be, just by taking care of myself.
As simple as that sounds, most people don't take care of themselves, or don't know how to. Now that I have experienced the life-changing benefits of being fit and healthy, I am extremely passionate about spreading that joy to others! No matter who you are, what you do for a living, your marital status, etc... eating healthy and making your body strong and healthy can certainly do you no harm. And I assure you, it will bring out your "happy"!

I love and appreciate my life, and have made a commitment to value it and treat it right! Join me!