Introduction

          I have been asked several times to create a blog on how I lost weight and created a healthy lifestyle for myself. So finally, I declare your wishes granted! The purpose of this blog is NOT to be one-size-fits-all weight-loss program; there's already enough of that crap going around this country. This blog is to show the simple things that I did to lose weight and keep the weight off. Simplicity is an incredibly underrated value. I hope to show you tips to creating a healthy lifestyle. I will be posting workouts, exercise tips, recipes, and any other things I can think of to help YOU become a healthier you. And I won't post these things unless I try them first and find them beneficial. You may call me your personal health guinea pig. However, don't be discouraged if what worked for me doesn't work for you. Our bodies are all different and it is your job to do what best for YOURS.

But first, I think a little history is needed so you can understand where I'm coming from and why health is so so so so so (and many more so's) important to me: 

      I come from a family where incredibly fast metabolism runs in our genes. Go ahead, hate me for it. The good old days of high school and college were filled with lots of yummy treats, plenty of fast food, hardly any exercise, and not a pound gained on my body. Then I got pregnant. Then I gained 50 pounds. Then I had a baby. Then I waited for my light-speed metabolism to kick in and take off the other 40 pounds. It never happened. I panicked. All of a sudden, I was going to have to work for a healthy weight that used to come naturally. But I am one incredibly determined individual and after weeks of lifestyle change, I was back at pre-pregnancy weight! 

But I can't take all the credit. In fact, I can't even take most of the credit. Because there were several sources of inspiration and they will appear often in this blog. So let me introduce a few of them:

"French Women Don't Get Fat"- an amazing book that changed my perspective on eating for pleasure, yet not gaining weight. I can't recommend this book highly enough. It will change your life.

Robin Edwards and Casi Bludorn- two fantastic sisters-in-law that inspired me to get off my butt and move in more ways than one.

David Eyerly- a pretty wonderful man, who just happens to be my husband. He was and is my biggest supporter during my weight loss journey.

My religion- I can't emphasize enough how much this impacts my life in general, not to mention my healthy lifestyle. In my religion, we are taught that our bodies are temples and need to be treated as such. Temples, not Chick-fil-a's. We also know that we all have the potential to become like our Heavenly Father if we strive to be like him. I can't see our Heavenly Father as someone who doesn't take care of Himself. And I can't see us creating and managing worlds without end, if we can't even manage ourselves!

In case you haven't figured out yet, I am brutally honest in my opinions and beliefs. So please do not get offended when I voice my thoughts (and I have LOTS of them when it comes to being healthy). I am a nursing student and want to be a lifestyle coach. Therefore, I have seen too much what a self-destructive thing an unhealthy lifestyle can be. I would not wish those fates on anyone and so I must be honest with myself and the people that I think may be reading this. 

One last thought: Health is not a goal you set and once you achieve it, you're done. Health is an ongoing process, something you continually work for. There is no "cruise" setting with this. You either continue to make good choices and benefit, or fail to make good choices and fall back. And I'm hoping you choose the former so we can be fit and healthy- like a boss!

PS- credit goes to my hip brother, James, for teaching me the phrase "like a boss"

Me, Dave, and our son, Cage