All throughout my life I have been athletic. I grew up playing soccer, did gymnastics for 11 years, danced for 7 years, and even embarrassingly played basketball for 2 years.
I never was skinny but I always knew I was thicker. Which of course I didn’t mind. Once I got to college, I played intramural soccer and volleyball but it was never as serious as high school. I knew this was not going to be something I pursued. I stayed active for the most part and went to the gym a couple times a week but the freshmen 15 hit me HARD.
Then once I found myself with a group of girls I was happy with, I noticed myself going out more and drinking rather than watching my intake. I was totally carefree. I feel like in the dorms is a lot harder to manage a healthy lifestyle. Once I got my apartment, I was able to grocery shop and go to the gym more. I still drank way too much. I gained I think, about 10 more pounds and in that moment I was the heaviest I had ever been. my boyfriend and I made and still make a lot of meals and we never and still do not go out to eat a lot which is good, but in college we both drank….A LOT. Of course he is this track and soccer star so he is skinny fit. All he did was run. I could never keep up. Once we graduated, he started going to the gym every day. I noticed huge differences each time I saw him. I knew if he could do it, so could I.
So here we are in 2018 and I am fresh out of college and now have my very own gym membership. WHAT do I do??? HOW do I work out?? I was someone who used the elliptical and did some squats and crunches and that worked for me, of course when I was younger. I started off slow and would go a couple times a week. Not bad right? Right. I can do this. So I bump it up to 5 days a week and now I form a little habit. I was so happy!
Them BAM, I get a waitressing job, and I eat and eat MORE at the restaurant. Why? It was easy and 50% off. The pounds are packing on at this point and all my results are out the window. While my boyfriend was making his gains, I was over here gaining weight. I hated myself, not because I wanted to look good for my BF, but because I was not healthy at all. I knew something had to change. Thankfully I had gotten a new job and this was my M-F 8-5 job. I did it! Finally. I ended up going to a new gym in March 2019, and started going 6 days with one rest day. I had a lot of help from my boyfriend as he was doing his research and making tons of progress. He helped me figure out what was best for me and then helped me find workouts. once I got comfortable with everything that I was doing, I started doing my own research and now I have perfected my gym routine. I FINALLY LOVE THE GYM. It is my hobby. Slight progress here and there and I knew this was my time to get healthier. I couldn’t stop! I go to the gym 7 days a week with a couple rest days here and there but I feel like this is my favorite thing to do now. I feel SO much better about my body and my health. November of 2019, I ran a 5K. I never have been able to even run a mile. I would say 2013-2017, I “maintained” myself and then by 2019 it was time. I have lost 27 pounds in the last year which is a lot for me. I am not done, i am only getting started.
2018 weight- 183lbs
2020 weight- 156lbs
