Day One...

Hey everyone, this is my first post. I have decided to take control of my health and my weight by eating healthier and taking a "personal fitness" class at my school. This blog will archive links that I find, workouts that I create, and updates on my progress. I'll also attach photos of myself or others who are meeting their goals. I'll post a shot of myself at the end of this post as well, so you all can see what i look like at the beginning of my journey. But first, let me tell you my story and why i decided to work towards a state of "wellness."

I was skinny all my life. High metabolism, good genes, etc. I was athletic (I played softball for 8 years, I ran around outside a lot, rode bikes, etc), and I was always physically active for various reasons. That being said, I ate like crap. During lunch at school I would get an order of french fries and "zebra cakes" and drink pop all the time, snack snack snack, until I started to get a little "pooch" on my belly. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but once I began working (first at taco bell, and then arby's), I ate all the time at work. I gained maybe five pounds from my freshman year of high school until my junior year, which was normal because I was still growing taller...but from junior year to now, I have gained 40 pounds of fat. I am now 23 years old, 160 lbs, and I'm 5'4". My BMI is 27.5, which is in the overweight category. I don't fit into my favorite clothes the way I'd like to, I get out of breath easily, I get tired of walking or running very easily. Last year I hired a personal trainer, and she helped me learn how to work out correctly and it was very beneficial, but since I stopped going to her I've gained it all back by not keeping exercise and diet as a habit. SO, here I am now, overweight, not confident, and just feeling ugly all the time. I am going to make a conscious effort to change my lifestyle, because your metabolism and genes will only take me so far...it's time for me to be back in control. I hope that if anyone ends up following me on here, they gain some tips and inspiration from me :)

My goals:
Lose 40lbs by next summer
Drop down to size 5 (I'm an 11 right now)
Wear a bikini in the summer
Be able to run a 9 minute mile
and more goals to come!

So, wish me luck, and I'll post on here the workout routines I create, great healthy recipes, and tricks i pick up in order to help others!

Thanks for reading, here's my official "before" photo! (I know, horizontal stripes are a no-no for fatties, but it's just such a comfy shirt haha)

That's all for now! Seeya.