My Story

Coming up on 12 years now, I have been practicing a healthy lifestyle and designing workouts that I never dreamed I would do. I love it!

In some ways, I wish I could simply say I exercise 2-3 times a week, eat brownies like it's nobody's business, and nonchalantly shop for jeans in a size 0 like it's no big deal. If it were as simple as that, I wouldn't be blogging this or working as hard as I do. Haha

I absolutely, positively, in all ways and angles, work my ass off to stay the way I am and live the lifestyle of only enjoying REAL, healthy foods, good amount of sleep, and regular exercise. In turn, I am an active model for others, showing that determination and consistency is key to reaching your goals and they CAN be achieved. There are no excuses.

So here's my story.

I am the oldest of five children in my family. Growing up, we were always busy, always running around the neighborhood, playing games, swimming, ice skating... in short, we were all very active. We also grew up on pizza, Poptarts, mac n cheese, doughnuts, and soda pop... which later set the stage for my weight as I was a kid and as I became a young teenager.

When I was about 10-years old, I remember when I really noticed how much bigger I was than my friends and how I didn't look quite as cute as any of the other little girls in their two-piece swimsuits. Kids can be very cruel - I wasn't "cool enough" to be around these girls in their two-piece suits because I was a "cow," "fatty" and a "Sumo-Sized Girl."

Like I said - kids are cruel. I didn't really know how to approach it but to simply think the way I was shaped was just the way I was. I didn't have an obsession with food, but doughnuts were what we had for breakfast.  I was active, but I wasn't energized and fueled to beat the kids at racing games. I looked the way I was, and with how small I was (only about 4' 11''), my weight was too high. I didn't know what to do about it but take the name calling like a pro and be left out. It didn't help that my vision was horrible and I had to wear glasses and get braces around the same time. I was the ultimate goofy-looking nerd and joke target at 12 years old.

At 13, during a Hawaiian party 

Around that summer, I really started reading book after book in the library about health. I read why certain foods like fruits and veggies were good for you, how too much bread can throw off your body's ability to function efficiently, and how much exercise a girl my age needed in a day. I took my mom's exercise VHS tapes and worked out in leggings and an oversized t-shirt. I bought 2lb dumbbells and practiced renegade rows and chest flies. I figured out different ways of doing a classic sit-up to target different abdominal muscles. I was so proud of myself for completing plyometric workouts, being only 12 years old and having no real sports training experience! When I was upset and hurt from the bullying from the neighborhood kids, I would take out my aggressions on a punching bag. And damn it, I was going to earn my abs. At 13, I reached my first set of goals. I truly developed my confidence by that point and no one could mess with me.

Fast forward seven years... I found out I was pregnant with my first son. Throughout my pregnancy, I researched the correct ways of working out during each trimester and turned to healthy snacks like fresh fruit, veggies, and string cheese. I also enjoyed my share of hot chicken wings, Mexican food, and chili cheese fries (best nine months of my life. Haha!). I even remember taking a two hour walk the day I delivered my son. I stood most of the time, and automatically parked farther away from the store entrance. I blame all this strange behavior on my instincts now rather than "forcing" myself to change my habits. My labor and delivery lasted only 9 hours with no complications and I delivered a healthy 7lb, 5oz little boy. The best day of my life.

6 months post-partum... a LOT of hard work!

After been given the green light by my doctor, I bounced back from pregnancy with regular 30-40 minute cardio routines, Pilates, taking an hour walk every day with my son in the stroller, and eating healthy foods like fruit, grilled chicken salads full of protein and fresh veggies to give me energy to nurse and care for my new baby. I slept as much as I could too, since the late night feedings were rough. In addition, I developed issues with my thyroid where I now need to take a supplement to keep my T3/T4 levels stable, but it hasn't stopped me from reaching my fitness goals.
I made it back to my pre-pregnancy weight PLUS 10 extra pounds lost by the time my son was 6 months old.

Now today, I enjoy designing my own workout routines that usually consist of some cardio drills, yoga, dancing, Pilates, strength training, and interval drills to keep my body challenged and energized. My favorite easy to-go foods include fruits (apples, bananas, oranges, grapefruits especially), chopped veggies, grilled fish or chicken, scrambled or poached eggs, plant-based protein shakes, and my every day treat of a square of dark chocolate.

As you can tell from this post, most of my favorite healthy foods haven't changed. While my dinners and some lunches are cooked at home, I ALWAYS have foods that are easy to pack so I don't have an excuse to get fast-food or get too hungry to munch on chips or a candy bar. I haven't had a soda pop in over 10 years and I have made a huge effort to keep it that way. I stand all the time when I work on the computer and pace while I read magazines, books, and study material because it helps me comprehend the information better. I park farther away from store entrances (even in cold weather) and I take the stairs whenever I can. I have a hard working body and I am privileged to use it every day. I am privileged to nourish it every day with good food. And you should feel that way about your body too! It's a gift to appreciate every day.

Post 2nd baby, 4 months

UPDATE 4/28/14! Next few goals included getting back from my SECOND pregnancy (son born 12/25/13)! Thanks to gf/df healthy eating (no starving! Especially since I needed good food to be able to feed my baby), Buti Yoga workouts 4-5x a week - 30-45min each class, and just being active every day, I've been able to fit in my pre-pregnancy jeans since two months post-baby! No miracles here - just a lot of hard work with a little extra planning!


I absolutely hope this post can be encouraging to you, as everyone has their own journey and it has taken me good time to find my own route that helped me get to where I am today.

Take care, everyone!

More later. ;)

Jen