Never forget you will go as far as you believe you can so make your goals big! – Brandi

Brandi understands the challenge of overcoming bad habits and finding balance. A few years ago Brandi decided to make a healthy lifestyle change and is now a personal trainer training people out of her home.  She lives in Colorado with her husband and two kids, border collie (her running buddy!), and two scaredy cat kitties. She enjoys spending time with family and they have started spending more time traveling. They are looking forward to seeing more of the country. You can find her on Facebook at Iron Logic Fitness.

Read on to find out about how lifting weights changed Brandi’s life and set her on the course to become who she is today!

1. Was there an event that sparked your lifestyle change?

As a kid growing up I was not athletic at all! I was drinking sodas all day long I didn’t play sports. After high school and a very short lived college experience, I went to work in jobs which were very active and my weight took care of itself. I was able to get away with eating fast food lunches and hamburger helper dinners. While I wasn’t skinny or heavy and I was pretty comfortable with my body. I was a smoker and was definitely not the picture of health.

2. Tell us a little about the process?

In my early 20s I went to work in a very sedentary job as a 911 dispatcher. Between stress and ordering in food and not working in a physical setting I put on 15 pounds my first year. At 25 I had my first kiddo and luckily the weight came off fairly quickly. I was not so lucky with the second child at age 28. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes during my pregnancy and after my daughter was born the weight did not come off nearly as quickly. I went back to work at the end of my maternity leave at 185 pounds which is far too much for my 5’5 1/2″ inch frame. After trying weight watchers I realized I was not getting the results I wanted. I started exercising and began lifting weights along with utilizing the Body For Life Program which I learned about from a coworker. My love of weight lifting was born and the weight started falling off at a rapid rate with the changes in my nutrition and workouts.

3. When did you decide you wanted to pursue a career in fitness? Are you glad you made that decision?

After doing 4 figure competitions my drive to learn grew and I read everything I could get my hands on to learn about nutrition and fitness. I had learned if I really wanted my body to change it couldn’t happen with a gimmick or a get skinny quick temporary diet. I learned how hard I had to push and what good nutrition meant. I went from believing I couldn’t change where I was to KNOWING I could change and I wanted to share that knowledge with others. There were a lot of steps in between my first certification and where I am today in fitness and my fitness drive and beliefs. I am always glad I have had the experience of getting to help others to not make the same mistakes I have made and there is nothing better than watching someone push through a stall to succeed.

4. What’s the most rewarding part of your job?

Many people come to me to lose weight. I want to ensure everyone can see their progress in more than just the scale. It is easy to see the scale get stuck and to become demotivated. I constantly track and evaluate workouts to ensure my personal training clients and measurements in my nutrition clients to ensure we are getting forward progress. We complete testing routinely to ensure the workouts we do are creating the results in strength and endurance that each personal training client wants. I love to see someone killing a skill they once couldn’t do and I love to see bodies changing before my eyes when someone is nailing their diet.

5. How do you find balance with family/work, nourishing/splurging, etc? Is that hard for you?

I am working on finding balance and it can definitely be hard. Let’s face it.. working and raising a family can be a great challenge. I work 40 hours a week in my 911 dispatcher job and another 20-30 personal training and creating nutrition plans for clients. I also teach group fitness classes 1-2 hours a week at a local recreation center in addition to the full time job of being a wife and parent. I am guilty of taking on “just one more client” when I should say no which then puts the needs of my client’s schedules ahead of my own. I love it so much it is hard to hold back when I feel like I can help someone to get where they want to go. As far as nourishing/splurging I am constantly checking myself and most of the time I eat very well. I definitely have my moments where old habits want to sneak back in and I eat more than I should or I have a sweet treat when I shouldn’t. Old habits die hard and I am far from perfect. I think that is also one of the things that makes me approachable to my clients. I truly get it when they “go off the rails”. I have lived it and may live it again. The difference between the me of 10 years ago and the current version of me is I know have a really clear understanding of nutrition and what it means to eat well and how truly important it is for your long term health to surround yourself with nourishing foods. You are unquestionably a product of your dietary habits.

6. You competed in figure completions? What was that experience like? Did you enjoy it? Regrets?

I completed 4 competitions and while I didn’t win I certainly learned a lot about myself. I learned I am no happier at 125 pounds than 140 and I am a heck of a lot stronger and more resilient at 140. Competing can be a rush and it can be a huge blow to your self esteem. It is hard to see yourself as lean enough after you have pushed to your body to levels it hasn’t seen before. I am happy to have a more balanced and healthy focused approach now in my fitness instead of being focused on a look or a number on a scale.

7. Any goals you are working towards now?

I am running a 200 mile team relay race in August and I am working on sharpening my skills in Olympic Lifts. Personally I am trying to create more work and life balance so I can spend some quality time chasing around my tween and teen as they are growing.

8. Any advice for people just beginning their fitness/health journey?

Surround yourself with people who believe in you and lean on them when you feel weak. I have had a lot of great support friends over the years in helping me to reach new goals. Never forget you will go as far as you believe you can so make your goals big!

Don’t do things that suck! If you don’t like to run, find another way to work out. Don’t be afraid of trying new things until you find your niche.

Finally, please let your focus be on eating well and moving more and creating long term health. In 30 years will you care that you were the skinniest or the fastest? Will you be in your own home because you practiced balance or in a nursing home with multiple health issues and injuries because you refused to change your bad habits today. The only person who can protect your future is you.

Thank you Brandi for sharing your story, you are a Girl Hero!

If you want to find Brandi check out her page Iron Logic Fitness.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Check out our family’s adventures at Newschool Nomads as we travel in our RV through the United States!

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Mary is a newlywed and a personal trainer who, through hard work, transformed her body. She has kept the weight off for over 6 years and has developed quite the physique!  Mary loves, “REALLY! I LOVE IT!” , lifting weights and training for life and competition in figure shows. Mary lives in the city of Minneapolis right by miles of city lakes, so she love to run those also.

In addition,  Mary also enjoys knitting and reading and COOKING! She has been with her husband about 16 months, married about 8 of those months, and has an adorable 6 year old stepson with whom she enjoys reading and drawing mazes. “He is fantastically creative!!” she exclaims! Last but not least, she has 2 cats who never pitch in and help with the dishes.

Mary writes a faith and fitness blog, Fit this, girl! and is a co-leader of the womens ministry at her church, The Exchange Church Minneapolis!  

Girl Hero Mary

Ma

You lost 40 pounds! How does your lifestyle now compare to then?  In other words how is your before weight loss story different than your after story?

I was really in the throws of depression and quite simply low self esteem and it was a spiral that took my weight and health down. I was up and down, very uneven. My lifestyle changed with my emotions and there was no consistency at all! Sticking to a healthy lifestyle took a bit to adapt to and to create habits around, but I simply kept doing the same things over and over, but this time, they were HEALTHY things. I joined a gym and made sure that I used it three days a week a the least, I had joined weight watchers and counted points day in and day out, I took advantage of those lakes and ran those when I could. But, even when I over ate or missed the gym, I STILL got back up and did it over and over again. I saw change because I didn’t give up and was consistent in what I did! 

 I used food before, to an extent we all do, but I used it and let it control me! I would eat when sad, when lonely, to celebrate. I found solace in sugar, in the foods that got me high and opted for more to stay that way when I crashed! I ate way more than I should have at every sitting and ate whatever junk I wanted to. Now, I don’t let food control me, sure I mess up, but it doesn’t dictate what I do, how I feel or to keep me happy. I use food for fuel and to keep my body running as well as I can. I would never have eaten salads or healthy foods, now I eat clean most of the time. I have the occasional treat, but I plan it and plan to enjoy it.

You say the biggest obstacle you faced was yourself. Can you expand on that?

I didn’t want to succeed. I wanted to stay at my pity party, population me.  It was scary to think that I could lose weight. If I lost weight then I was succeeding and that meant that I would have to step up and LIVE up to that. I became my biggest obstacle because I was afraid of the responsibility of success, It was easier to stay a failure than to try and succeed and then be accountable to that new level. Then I would have to examine the reasons WHY I overate and over drank, I would have to examine the reasons why I had low self esteem and fear. I would have to have an accountability, even to self that I hadn’t had before.  That is not within my comfort zone.

Do you find losing or maintaining harder?

I think losing and maintaining have many of the same elements. There is a level of sacrifice, there always is. You have to workout and eat right to lose weight. Developing new habits is essential to success. Those often take sacrifice. It’s not easy, but once you reach your goal, it feels amazing. Many times when we reach the goal, we think that the journey is over. But this road is one that once we start down, we are always on. Nike says there is no finish line, I believe that, we are not through. If you are not moving forward you are moving backwards. John Wayne says that you can be on the right track, but if all you do is sit there, you will get run over. Not that we have to keep losing, but we always strive to move forward to NEW things. Getting better and better, faster, cleaner, stronger and move on to helping others. We don’t want to stop and stay where we are and  we certainly don’t want our weight or our suceses to go backwards. To Maintain doesn’t use the same tactics, but its the same mentality in that we are not “done”, there is always more to do.

What does a typical day of food look like for you when you are off season?

You know, this is only my second season of competing in figure and prior to that I was marathon running. I don’t really want to have an “off” season, I want this to be a lifestyle of eating healthy and working out. Here is what this past 18 months did look like for me. I started eating clean, because as a trainer, I wouldn’t want my clients eating the junk processed stuff I was. I actually had a co-worker trainer call me out on eating free junk food from the kitchen at the gym (go figure, right!). A close friend had told me about Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet and I looked into it. I started eating clean and lifting using a split routine and my physique changed!! I ate greek yogurt with fruit for snacks, spinach salads with chicken, quinoa, fish tacos, eggs, veggies and ALL kinds of goodness. When I met my husband and we were married, I was just 2 months out from my second show and didn’t know how to jump back into normalcy of clean eating. Contest prep diets eliminate much of the healthy fruit sugars and carbohydrates that a regular clean eating diet has in it. After the wedding and honeymoon, I slipped on even regular clean eating. Add a new step son in the mix and I was licking the tuna helper off my fingers more than once a week. What it took was willpower and God power to bring back my natural gifting for discipline. I picked another show and am now working towards being on stage in June for the third time. Some trainers and competitors will gain a lot on an “off” season and then lean out for show time. I lost my 40 pounds once and I don’t aim to do it again! I don’t see anything wrong with eating full fat, healthy fats in moderation and that is usually what I do when I am not in prep mode. 

You’re a personal trainer and you also teach group fitness classes? Can you tell us a little bit about all that!!!!

In the past I have really enjoyed teaching bootcamps, kettlebells and TRX classes, currently I teach Spin!! I enjoy small group or one on one training best, because I can focus my attention on the needs or one client making sure their form and technique is proper, it makes ALL the difference to see results and gains in strength! I have worked as a personal trainer for 3 years now and it is a dream I saw come to be after a long hard road to my own health and wellbeing. 

Has getting physically stronger impacted you mentally or spiritually?

A spiritual leader in my life once told me that I had an anointing for discipline. I believe I do. Body building and weight lifting is my gifting so it helps that I excel at this. I haven’t had anything that I have felt I did as well as this or enjoyed as much. In gaining physical strength I had to dig into my will and my spirit. As a Christian and someone who walks by faith, my emotions don’t really get to play a part in this, which is a 180 from my days of emotional eating and drinking. I bring my thoughts and emotions before God and give them over to him in all their weakness and imperfection and He replaces them, He becomes my strength. I believe also that in order to train the way I want, I rely on God for strength to get through, he provides the gifting and the strength to bring me all the way.   I have gotten stronger by going to Him in my weakness and time of need: When I don’t want to go to the gym (it happens, sometimes), when I am eeking out those last few reps and sets, I do it because He has called me and equipped me. 

How do you stay motivated?

I try new exercises and even work with trainers, this way I stay excited about my plan and my muscles enjoy a new program periodically too. Same with eating, new recipes are always popping up on my pinterest and on the table. Seeing results is a big motivator and I chose performance based results often: can I lift heavier, can I run faster. When you see strength and growth that way, it really propels you forward. As a trainer I am inspired by my clients everyday and they motivate me. They work incredibly hard and I would be foolish to think that they are the only ones benefiting from the relationship, I learn so much from them and am challenged to be better.

What does a typical week of workouts look like for you?

I lift split body routines which is back/biceps, chest/triceps, shoulders and legs. Mostly because they are primary and secondary muscle splits and they will get full rest if you do it this way. So 4-5 days of lifting and 4-5 days of cardio as well. I do change it up sometimes and do push/pull days or all upper body to just spice it up. To fatigue a single muscle group and the secondary muscles with a hard and fast 40-45 min weight routine creates the perfect burn for me.  

What is your favorite exercise?

I could work shoulders ALL day. I love it. Presses, overhead or arnold presses are great and a single arm push press is a  great challenge.

Any advice for people looking to lose weight or just beginning an exercise program?

Start where you are: join a program that is easy to follow, like Weight Watchers. They teach you how to eat differently and make better choices overall. Too many drastic changes at once can leave people open to failure early on and often. Programs like Weight Watchers meets you where you are and moves you forward from there, no guilt. Join a gym and get a buddy and then stick with it! 8-12 weeks will pass before you will see true results in the direction you want, but in 6 months or a year, you can create a new person with new healthy habits and lifestyle! 

 You’re a personal trainer. How do you respond to the question, “How do I get abs?”

Diet! Build them in the gym, grow them when you rest and eat clean so they show up! Having “abs” you can see means you are eating and living lean and mean. Go after it!

Just for fun…if you could have any super power what would it be?

Maybe when I snapped my fingers, I had a Starbucks Coffee in hand? Or the ability to just beam anywhere, here in MN, it’s cold. Flying is out of the question, so beaming up, for sure. 

Thank you Mary for sharing your story with us!!!

You can connect with Mary on Facebook, Twitter, and her blog, Fit this, girl!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Girl Hero Mary appeared first on Girl Heroes.

For as long as she could remember Katie struggled with her weight but in 2009 she made the choice to “get healthy once and for all”.  Almost a year and a half later ,Katie had lost 125 pounds! What I appreciate most about Katie’s story is her honesty and down to earth attitude. She openly shares about everything from her “ever constant battle with binging eating” to worrying about her kids being overweight to buying clothes at thrift stores on her blog Runs for Cookies.

Not only is Katie an inspiration to her blog readers but she is a wife and stay at home mom to two boys and four cats.

Girl Hero Katie

In 2009 you “decided to lose the weight and to get healthy once and for all”. Was there a catalyst for this decision? How long did it take to lose 125 pounds?

My elder son, Noah, wanted to take the training wheels off of his bicycle, and he wanted me to run alongside his bike while he learned to ride the two-wheeler. I barely made it down the street before I was gasping for breath; I physically couldn’t do it! I felt like a terrible mom, and I vowed that when it was my younger son’s turn to learn, I would be ready. I started calorie counting, and eventually, exercising. It took 16 months to lose 125 pounds.

You counted calories right? Do you still count? I hear a lot of people talking about counting calories as if it’s this horrible thing. (I don’t think that.) Do you feel that way?

I switched back and forth from counting calories to counting Weight Watchers’ Points (which is essentially the same thing). I think calorie counting is a great way to lose weight! I didn’t have to eliminate ANY foods from my diet; I could eat anything I wanted, as long as I planned for it and counted it. In the past, I’d tried all the fad diets, but they were impossible to keep up with for the long term. Counting calories/Points is something I can do forever without feeling deprived.

How did you family and friends respond to your decision to change your lifestyle?

At first, I think my family and friends thought it was “just another attempt” that I was making, so nobody took it too seriously. It wasn’t the first time I’d tried to lose weight! Once my results became visible, and they saw that I was sticking to it for the long haul, they were very happy and encouraging for me. My sister called me every week to ask how it was going, and when I reached 100 pounds lost, she treated me to a makeover. When I reached my goal weight, my parents gave me $5 for every pound I’d lost, and I used the money to fly to Minnesota to run a race with my brother. I have a pretty awesome family!

Do you find losing or maintaining weight more challenging?

Honestly, it’s pretty much the same. Losing weight was slightly more challenging because I was eating a little less than I am now, but the only thing that changed from weight loss to maintenance was the amount of calories/Points I was eating. Right after I lost the weight, my weight bounced up and down with about 15 pounds, because I had a very hard time adjusting to maintenance–I kept trying to eat “intuitively”, where I didn’t measure my food or count calories. But that just didn’t work for me. I need more structure than that. Now, I finally feel like I have the hang of it!

Can you tell us a little bit about how you took up running and why you love it?

I never imagined that I would one day call myself a runner. I was making a bucket list near the beginning of my weight loss, and I put a very ambitious goal (at the time) to enter a 5K race and RUN it. I’d never even run a mile before, so a 5K seemed nearly impossible. My friend Renee helped me get started, and she signed up for a race with me. She kept me encouraged to keep going, and somewhere amidst the training, I became hooked on running. I loved the way it made my body feel! I ran a 10K after that, then a half-marathon, and now, I’ve run two full marathons. Every time I get done running, I feel like I did something amazing for my body. And it allows me to eat more!

Getting fit clearly changed you on the outside. Has there been internal changes as well?

I always thought that if I ever got thin, I’d be very fun, loud, and outgoing; in reality, I’m still the same shy, introverted woman that I was before–but setting and reaching goals has made me see a whole new side of myself. I have much more confidence in what I can accomplish now, and I step out of my comfort zone all the time to do things I never would have before. I’ve even been on national television twice (The Dr. Oz Show in 2011 and the Today Show in 2013), which is something I never would have had the courage to do before I lost the weight! I also used to be terrified of flying, and after I’d lost 100 pounds, I faced my fear on a tiny little, two-seater, open-toppped, airplane. I almost threw up before getting on, because I was terrified, but I was SO excited afterward when I did it!

You have struggled with binge eating. I particularly enjoyed this post. Is binging still a struggle for you? Can you share a little bit of your experience in overcoming binge eating?

Binge eating is something I’m probably going to have to deal with forever, unfortunately. I’ve had long stretches of time without a single binge, but I’m always fighting the urge. Binge eating is something that relaxes me when I feel anxious or stressed, so I’ve had to find other ways to deal with that. I’m a much happier person when I’m staying binge-free, so I’m always trying to find ways to replace the binge eating. Right now, I’m six months binge-free, which I’ve written about here!

What motivates to continue of this health journey?

My blog readers! My blog readers continue to inspire me every single day. I recently started a series on my blog called “Motivational Monday“, where my readers share what they’ve done in the previous week that made them feel proud. People have shared everything from walking their first mile to running marathons, to reaching weight loss milestones… and reading all the things they are doing makes me want to set and reach more goals for myself.

Any advice for others who are starting their own journey to improve their health?

My best advice is to only make changes that you’re willing to live with forever. Don’t give up your favorite foods to lose weight, because you know that you can’t do that forever; likewise, don’t vow to work out six days a week for two hours a day–that’s unrealistic to maintain forever. I made changes that were do-able, and I just kept at it every single day! The persistence is the most important thing.

Thank you Katie for your honesty and sharing your story!!!!

You can connect with Katie on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and her blog, Runs for Cookies.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at Newschool Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

The post Girl Hero Katie appeared first on Girl Heroes.

I’ll admit when I first came across Adrian’s blog, Chase Fear, it was her before and after pictures that caught my eye. It didn’t take much reading to see that her blog was about so much more than weight loss. It’s about perseverance and overcoming fears. Adrian knows what it’s like to over eat and under eat. After a long journey she has come to a place of peace with her food and has run two marathons in the process. Find out how Adrian found peace with food, overcomes depression, and why she loves to run!

How is your lifestyle now different to your lifestyle before?

Before: For me, food wasn’t a means of survival. My life became evolved around food. When I think back to my relationship with food, it’s actually quite alarming how common it is amongst today’s society. It’s no surprise to me that I often ate because I had “nothing better to do,” but I believe the root of the issue was much deeper than keeping myself busy for several moments. Recently, I came across a quote by Ann Wigmore; “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.” I read this quote dozens of times because it’s as if Ann knew me herself. You often hear about individuals who are addicted to drugs, alcohol, etc., but you rarely hear about food addictions. Food is cheap, easily accessible, and will always be legal, no matter the age of a person. Why? Well, we need food to survive. What we don’t need is excess. Too much of a good thing can be bad. Unfortunately, these thoughts never crossed my mind every time another morsel of food made its way to my mouth. Food was my drug of choice, and it gave me intense feelings…almost like a high. It helped to fill an empty void. What I didn’t know is that I was slowly killing myself.

After: This question is going to take me into the 2^nd leg of my journey…my 26.2 mile long journey. Upon losing 110 pounds, I was suddenly faced with a huge wall of fear, which was constructed with bricks depicting failure, depression, bullying, and a strong sense of worthlessness. My caloric intake started reaching dangerously low levels in the summer of 2010, and I was confronted by concerned family and friends on more than one occasion. I was in denial, my life near the point of jeopardy…until I met a runner in October of 2010, which I will explain in more detail below. Running has saved my life and allowed me to view food as fuel for my performance. I depend on proper nourishment in order to feed my passion. Since becoming a runner, I’ve stopped daily weigh-ins, I’ve gained 14 pounds of muscle, I consume twice as many calories, and I’ve learned to love healthy, natural foods. Food gives me the energy that I need during my training cycles, and it’s a constant learning process. And, when I do treat myself, it actually feels like a treat. Cake tastes so much better when you don’t eat it often!

You seem to have a lot of discipline! How did you develop your discipline?

When it comes to my running discipline, it’s simple. Running is an amazing sport for many reasons. You just never ever know what’s going to happen, and something about that notion drives me. You have good days, and you have bad days. The bad days allow you to appreciate the good days. I also love being able to catch a glimpse of the world by foot. It’s miraculous how much I’m able to see/take in during a run, many things that I couldn’t possibly experience otherwise. 

I also love what running has done for me. I run to challenge myself. I run to be fearless. I run to clear my my wildly rampant thoughts. I’m a runner, and I love every painstakingly triumphant moment. I sometimes think, “Why do I do this to myself?” But when I reach a new personal best or cross another finish line, that’s when I get my answer. I love the feeling of the ground pounding beneath my feet. I love the wind blowing through my hair and the sweat pouring down my face. An overwhelming sense of pride rushes through me every single time I lace up my shoes. Running doesn’t define me. I define running. I gained so much insight from running. I’ve developed new outlooks, built numerous friendships, and created lasting memories because of running. Running is an adventure, and I’m always up for the challenge. I’m chasing every fear that I’ve ever possessed, and I’m using these fears to drive me forward on a daily basis.

When it comes to leading a healthy life, I like to compare my body to a car, my internal structure the engine, and my stomach the gas tank. You wouldn’t put regular fuel into a diesel engine, would you? That’s how I feel about poisoning my body with unhealthy foods.

You say depression runs in your family and I gather from your blog you have dealt with some depression yourself. (Me too.) What have you found helps keep those dark days at bay?

An overwhelming feeling of hopelessness still strikes me at random moments. Often times, I can’t even explain why I feel sad. However, I can say without any regards, that I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my whole entire life. When depression lands on my plate, I’m MUCH more open about my feelings and the things that are bothering me. In the past, my book was closed and left on a shelf to collect dust. Now, I often open up to my mom, my loving boyfriend Sean, or my close family-like friends. For the most part, they are able to lift my spirit enough to get me through my brief bouts of sadness. When that doesn’t work, I turn to running. A lot of people say that ‘running is cheaper than therapy.’ That’s because it’s true. When I run, it’s my own personal time to reflect upon my life. Sometimes, I even zone out and completely forget about whatever is stressing me out at the moment.

How did you start running? What kept you running?

Running. Just the idea of running made me cringe. In the past, I never viewed running as a sport. I viewed it as a form of torture or punishment. All I had were painful memories from gym class where I could barely run for short bursts without being struck with fatigue and shortness of breath. Running always made me feel completely weak and defeated. I’ve even heard chuckles and rude comments from fellow students. I dreaded every single second of gym class, never hoping to run again. It wasn’t until I met a runner myself that I changed my outlook. He already had ultra-marathons and the Pittsburgh Marathon under his belt and I often thought, why? Why does he run so much? “It’s not fun,” I thought. The more I heard him talk about it and reveal his passion for running, the more intrigued I became. I started reading about running on the internet and came across the term most runners are familiar with, “runner’s high.” I didn’t get it, and for some time, I don’t think I wanted to understand it. Although, reading stories about this notion left me with a sort of empty feeling. I ultimately ended up wanting to experience this feeling for myself, so I could understand why people run, and more importantly, why my friend runs. I did a lot of research on my own through magazines, websites, and asking my friend for a few pointers here and there. I began testing my limits on the treadmill in January of 2011 and once I discovered how quickly I was progressing, I didn’t want to give up. I became my own motivator. Once I showed a genuine interest in running, my friend convinced me to sign up for the Mt. Summit Challenge. The rest is history. I still don’t see running as a sport. I see it as a lifestyle. It’s what I do. This friend I’m referring to is no longer a part of my life, but I’ve learned that people come into your life for a reason. Perhaps I was born a runner, but I just needed that extra push. He was there to open the door and for that, I will always be grateful. 

How do you stay motivated?

I love every “I want to quit” moment because it drives me to push harder and break through my barriers. Even I have days when I don’t want to do anything but sit on my couch and watch television. It’s especially true now that I work 40+ hours per week. When I find myself in a running funk, I just imagine the 230 lb shy, awkward girl. I think about how far I’ve come, and that’s what motivates me to lace up my sneakers and get my butt out the door. That’s definitely the hardest part of any run. I’ve certainly been at this for way too long to give up now. I constantly want to prove to myself that the little voice inside my head is a liar for ever telling me that this is impossible. It’s not. And once I found that motivation to become the best version of myself, I refused to let go of it. It’s astonishing of how much your body and mind tie into one another.

Did your weight loss journey change you on the inside?

Yes. I feel like I was in a coma for the last 20+ years, and I’m finally waking up. I think the best reward of this entire journey is being able to say “I’m happy” and truly mean it 100%. After losing the weight, my silence was still something that needed to be worked on. I had no other choice but to find the volume button and start living. Now that I’ve discovered my identity and found happiness, I can finally speak now and not forever hold my peace. I think losing the weight was my first speak now moment. I trusted my journey. I conquered what seemed like an endless battle, and I’ve gained so much insight as a result. Life is a crazy, beautiful ride, and I want to experience everything that I possibly can since I missed out on so much in the past. I feel like I’ve been given a new lease on life, and I’m not about to waste another given moment.

 Any advice for people beginning their own weight loss journey?

We were all given 24 hours in a day. The gap between success and failure in life is dependent upon how a person chooses to use their time.

Get your mind ready for the battle. Your greatest opponent is yourself. When your mind tells you that losing weight is “impossible,” use that as a dare. Dare yourself to become a better you. Say to yourself, “I’m not going to disappoint anyone except for that little voice inside of my head telling me I can’t.” Next, slow and steady wins the race. Just like a marathon, it’s important not to start out too fast because it will lead to burn out early in the race. They key is to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Document everything in a food journal, and hold yourself accountable (find a support group). You run your body, nobody else, so take good care of it.

Also, weight loss involves behavior modification. Poor habits didn’t develop overnight, so in contrast, they won’t disappear overnight. Trust me when I say this: changing habits isn’t easy, but if you’re aiming for positive changes, I can guarantee the worth. With a triple D effort, dedication, discipline, and determination, you’ll soon find yourself heading in the right direction. The key to permanent success (keeping the weight off FOREVER) is finding the best way for you to stay on the path. Key word: YOU. What works for someone else may not work for you, vise versa. Sure, there will be wrong turns, dead ends, and unknown paths, but as long as you’re willing to find your way back, you’ll keep traveling along the road of success. You have to trust your journey.

Can you share one of your favorite quotes with us?

“Greatness. It’s just something we made up. Somehow we come to believe that greatness is a gift reserved for a chosen few for prodigies, for superstars, and the rest of us can only stand by watching. You can forget that. Greatness is not some rare DNA strand. It’s not some precious thing. Greatness is no more unique to us than breathing. We are all capable of it, all of us.” -NIKE

Adrian, thank you so much for sharing your journey with us! I know you given me a lot to think about! You didn’t send me this picture but I found it on your blog and I think it encapsulates the reason why you are a Girl Hero!

You can find Adrian on her blog Chase Fear, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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Dannii is proof that small changes can have real lasting results. Three years ago Dannii began a journey to lose 98 pounds. Not only did she reach her goal she has maintained for over two years!

Danni lives in the UK with her husband.  She works from home as a freelance writer and an online researcher. Despite her sometimes 10-12 hour work days she finds the time to cook healthy food and workout. Dannii also writes her blog, Hungry Healthy Happy. Like the title suggests her blog is full of tips to reach your goals without losing your mind in the process!

Girl Hero Dannii

How does your lifestyle now compare to your lifestyle then? In other words, how do your before and after weight loss stories compare?

They are drastically different. My lifestyle before my weight loss was mostly sedentary and revolved around junk food. Constantly thinking when my next chocolate bar was going to be or what day we would be having a takeaway. It was a time filled with negative body image and a lot of unhappiness. Fast forward a few years and I am happier than I have ever been. I am active and I still love food and I still eat a lot, but I am eating things that are better for my body and most importantly I have found a balance. A balance between doing the things that I know will help me live longer and doing all the things that I enjoy too, like ocassionally eating cake and drinking wine.

What was the catalyst for your journey to health?

I got the kick I needed when I had a health scare in 2008. I was unable to breathe properly and my heart was skipping a beat often (sometimes 10 times a day) and causing me to have huge panic attacks. After having several heart monitors fitted, I was told that I did have a “normal” mild heart condition that caused my heart to skip sometimes, but my weight was likely making it worse. I knew that I was slowing (or maybe even quickly) killing myself and I knew that I needed to change.

You started with gentle yoga, then swimming, and zumba. What do you do now for fitness?

Now I do a little bit of everything. To be honest, I am not one of those people who always loves working out, but I do always love how I feel after it. I get bored very easily, so if I don’t change it up all the time, I probably wouldn’t work out. So I usually do a different workout 6 days a week. I still do yoga, swimming and zumba, but I have also started running and I love doing kettlebell workouts. I also found a love of kick boxing – it is a great stress relief.

Did you hit more than one plateau on your journey to lose 98 pounds? If so how did you overcome the plateaus?

Yes, I hit several plateaus – some were a few weeks long. There are perfectly natural and I think they are your bodies was of preparing you for maintenance. I got through them by mixing things up. I did a few different workouts, ate some new foods, even upped my calories for a while and it got things moving again. Your body gets used to a routine, and you need to keep it guessing.

You’ve maintained your weight loss for almost 2 years. Many people find maintaining harder than losing. Any advice for maintaining?

I really do feel that for me, maintenance is harder than losing the weight was (not that that was easy at all). My main piece of advice would be to remind yourself that it is an adjustment. Your body has gone from you teaching it to lose weight, to you know trying to keep your weight the same. You might initially gain a little weight, but it will regulate itself again, just be patient. Maintenance is how your life is going to be, so you have some time to get used to it. Also, remember that once you reach your goal, you can’t just go back to making the decisions you made before you started. There is not end point.

What motivates you?

My health is my biggest motivator. Feeling better about the way I look is an added bonus, but being able to do so many things that I couldn’t do, like run up some stairs and feeling myself getting stronger every day makes it so worth it and it motivates me to keep going. I am also motivated to inspire others and show them that they can do it. The people that follow me on Facebook motivate me with their amazing achievements every day.

You discovered you love to cook! Do you have a favorite recipe you could share?

A favourite recipe? That is like asking someone to pick their favourite child haha. I think it would have to be my healthy chicken tortilla soup. I made it recently for the first time and it was a bit of a revelation. I LOVE Mexican food, and soup, so this was a big hit. 

You’ve clearly changed on the outside but I’m curious if your journey affected the inside? In other words, did you change on the inside as well?

Changing on the inside is possibly the biggest change for me and one that not many people notice. People are wowed by the before and after photos, but if only they could see the change to my health and the change mentally, that would be what really wowed them. Apart from my improved health (lower blood pressure and cholesterol), I am just a much happier and positive person. I was the girl who always saw the worst in every situation and I would put myself down all the time and thing that I wasn’t worthy of anything because of my weight. But, the truth is, I was worthy then and I am still worthy now. I am more than my body and my body is capable of more than I ever gave it credit for. It sounds cheesy, but I didn’t change as a person when losing weight, I just discovered the person I really was.

From your blog, “I’m not going to say it will be easy, but it WILL be worth it.”  I love your honesty. In what ways is it worth it?

In what ways isn’t it worth it would be the easier question (the answer to that would be financially, I buy too many clothes now haha). To be able to wake up every day and not get out of breathe by just getting out of bed or putting socks on and to finally have found a balance in my life. For me as well, it made me find direction. Inspiring and helping other people on similar journeys is my direction and I never would have found that is I had not of done it myself. It is hard work and you will be challenged every day and you will have some bad day, but at the end of it when you look at how far you have come, there are no words to describe how incredible that feels. I can wear any outfit I want, not just the one that covers me up the most and my heart and head are much healthier.

Thank you Dannii for sharing your story! You are an inspiration!

You can find Dannii on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and of course her blog, Hungry Healthy Happy!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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Kerri is a wife, homeschooling mother, and fitness fanatic.  She is the writer behind the blog FitViews where she talks about fitness, food, fit fashion, and life.  Not long after turning 30 and having  her third child, Kerri felt like her body wasn’t her own and decided to do something about it. She embarked on a healthy living journey that lead her to running, lifting heavy, and paleo.

Recently, her husband quit his job and they are pursuing their dream of creating a self sustainable farm.  They are facing many challenges but reaping even more rewards. They even have goats!!!!!! Their 4 Acres Farm blog has me thinking about what we might do when (if) we decide to stop traveling in our RV. Check it out!

Meet Girl Hero Kerri!

How does your lifestyle now compare to your lifestyle then? In other words how do your before and after weight loss stories compare?

Wow, how much time do you have?! 

I’m a different person. Completely. My husband will tell you the same. I’m not a different person because I wear a different size jeans. I’m a different person because it took changing who I was to get to the smaller jeans. For me lasting weight loss took a lot of mental and emotional work.

I used to be very negative, always expecting the worst. I hated myself. I was ashamed of myself. There was much more going on than just needing to lose weight. Food was my crutch, my medication, where I turned to numb my feelings. It was my drug, my compulsion. For me, the weight was more of a symptom of deeper problems.

I also never paid attention to myself. To how I felt. How foods affected me and made me feel. To what I needed. Beginning to pay attention was huge.

Today I’m more positive and my entire outlook on life is different. I’m more calm, confident, and peaceful. I like me. Yes, I’m more active, I eat better, I feel better, and my relationship with food is healthy, but it goes so much deeper. I’m happy.

How did you overcome your struggle with binges? Do you ever still get the urge to binge? If so what do you do with those feelings?

The biggest changes happened when I went paleo. Overall the urge just seemed greatly diminished. I think it helped that I was totally committed to eating 100% paleo the first 30 days. It’s not like I binged on meat and vegetables. 

I definitely had certain trigger foods. Eating paleo these foods no longer live in my house. I also noticed that when I was over-tired I would crave carbs and binge. I’m very protective of my sleep now. I seriously get 8 or 9 hours every night. It’s been a long road of learning to take care of me.

Now the urge is rare and much less all-consuming if it does show up. It’s more just dealing with my feelings before it gets that far. My friend Carla, aka, Mizfit, talks a lot about replacement behaviors and self soothing. I have two things I do when I start feeling stressed, sad, angry, or just upset: I make fashion sets on Polyvore or I clean (which normally I despise). Vacuuming is entirely therapeutic. I have no idea why those two things help, but they do. I can sort of just go into myself. 

Also, running keeps me sane and helps me de-stress, sometimes there’s just nothing like a good run to burn the junk out of my head. 

Again, it’s just learning how to take care of me and what I need to stay well.

You found your “I can” through running. Can you elaborate on how running changed your life?

6+ years ago I was entirely negative and down on myself. I did not believe in myself or my abilities. I didn’t view myself as capable. 

Originally I started running as a means to lose weight. Cut and dry, it was a means to an end. But then my sister in law talked me into running a 5k with her. My only goal was to run the whole way. The entire race I didn’t believe I could. The negative self talk kicked in big time. But I did it. I ran the entire thing, and that finish line forever changed me. Changed how I viewed myself. I went on to train for a marathon. Now I pretty much think I can do anything. World domination is going on tomorrow’s to do list.

You also became a fan of lifting heavy!  Yeah yeah!!! How has that affected your body?

Huge changes. Mentally and physically. I have muscle, I feel strong, I feel capable. Darran is entirely sick of my flexing.

You follow a paleo diet. Are you strict paleo? How does that work when you go out or go to dinner at a friend’s home?

I’m actually going back strict paleo for a month or so, just for a little re-set. Generally though, I do a little whey protein, some grass fed butter or half and half. Otherwise, yes, strict paleo.

For me paleo was, again, more about paying attention. I never realized how certain foods were affecting me. Dairy causes me to break out. I struggled with adult acne for years and had no idea it was my diet. Wheat and sugar make me feel like crap. Who knew?! Paleo is what works for me; I have more energy and I overall feel well eating this way.

Eating out I don’t find problematic at all. I can always find something on the menu that works. It might not be perfect, but it’ll be passable. When I go to a friend’s, or a BBQ or something it’s generally not a problem either. There’s usually meat or vegetables or fruit somewhere. I like if I’m bringing a dish, that always helps. I don’t make a big deal about it. I’ll do a bunless burger or lots of salad, whatever, to make it work. I try not to do gluten or soy at all. But if there’s ice cream for dessert, well, wouldn’t want to insult the hostess...

You love fitness fashion. What are some of your favorite brands and why?

I do. I’m sort of obsessed with fitness fashion. I’m pretty smitten with DA Active lately. I love the colors and the fabric. The quality and the fit. Oh yes, and there’s thumb-holes I’m a sucker for thumb-holes.

You and your family have recently taken on a major sustainability experiment on 4 acres, growing your own food, and raising animals. Amazing! I’m so intrigued by this idea. (It’s what I secretly want to do when we decide to go off the road.) Please tell us all about it and how is it going? Are you enjoying it? Is it hard?

My husband and I made a decision in 2011 to quit dreaming of the ever elusive “some day” and live our lives the way we wanted, now. He quit his job at the end of 2011 and we began our little experiment. 

I’m calling 2012 our practice year. We’ve had our share of failures. What can I say? We’ve learned a lot! I killed a lot of expensive heirloom seeds and got blasted by the south end of a northbound chicken…good times. But really, it’s been amazing. Sustainability will take a few years, but we are having the time of our lives on the way. Homeschooling our boys, learning about things like compost and how to feed chickens well without feeding them soy, and spending time (real time) together as a family. It’s more about the lifestyle for us.

I’m enjoying the heck out of it, and yes, it’s hard! Physically (Darran is a tinkerer, his latest thing is a pump we hand pump to water the garden. I’m going to be hugely buff soon) and every once in a while mentally. I was so hoping we’d be able to grow a lot more of our own food this first year. For a bit, I was discouraged. But then, I took a look around at my happy boys, my ornery goats, and my peaceful chickens and realized life is good and we aren’t doing half bad. 

Thank you Kerri for sharing your story with us! You are amazing and I hope you have space for an RV on your farm! I don’t mind getting dirty!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Keep up with my kettlebell workouts, real food recipes, and more in one of three ways! 1. Sign up to have posts emailed to your inbox. 2. Subscribe to the RSS Feed or 3. “like” Girl Heroes on Facebook. Simple dimple!

Journey with our family on the road at New School Nomads as we travel fulltime in RV through the United States!

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Yvette has a passion for fitness and her physical and mental transformation reflects that passion. Her before and after weight loss story is one of perservance. After reaching 263 pounds Yvette embarked on a five year long journey to lose over 100 pounds.

Today she is an American living in Australia, a personal trainer, and has been married to her best friend for 6 years. They both enjoy online gaming. You can read more about Yvette on her blog, Metamorphosis.

Girl Hero Yvette

Did you struggle with your weight your entire life?

Pretty much I remember being 11 and reading diet books and exercising, I wasn’t actually overweight at all. I was super thin in my teens and struggled with anorexia and bulimia. In my twenties, I started to gain weight, and steadily gained till age 35 where I ended up 263 lbs.

Can you give us a brief history of your food and fitness habits? In other words how does your before and after weight stories compare?

I had cycles. I went through a health food kick where I was baking my own bread from grain I ground myself because you know, that is healthy *rolleyes*, slathered with butter and honey. Eating huge plates of pasta because that is “fat free”. Lol. I went through a juicing phase where I bought the Juiceman and started drinking juice everyday, but in between all this I ate lots of fast food and drank super big gulps. Crazy, I know. By the time I was 35 I had all the symptoms of diabetes though I never went to the doctor. For several years, I also had rashes that disappeared when I took sugar out of my diet. In 2004, I started the Body For Life program and that got me started on effective training and eating.

How long did it take you to lose over a hundred pounds?

It took me about 5 years.

What sort of roadblocks did you have to overcome?

I went through a divorce, moved to another country and just basically had to get my head around it all. I had no gym for most of it. I did cardio outside. We did have some basic weights and a bench at home so that was what I used.

How do you feel about lifting heavy weights? What is your favorite lift?

I LOVE lifting heavy weights. Lifting heavy is what creates the body I want. My favorite lift? Hmmmmm, I really enjoy many, I guess shoulder presses because I like to watch my shoulders pop when I do it.

You’ve struggled with emotional eating. How have you learned to respond to your emotions?

I still struggle with this from time to time. The thing I have realized is that no amount of food is going to make it better. I think it is something I will always struggle with but I try to go get a workout in, play some great music, or do something to distract my mind. I am human though and sometimes cookies and ice cream win.

How have your friends and family responded to your accomplishments?

My family back home actually though I sent pics of someone else or they were photoshopped! Now that they have seen me on webcam they are convinced. Lol!

You are currently prepping for a figure competition. How is that going?

It is going good, I am quite nervous. I am training hard! It is a goal I have had since I started to lose weight back in 2004.

I’m curious. What’s it like being an American living in Australia? When can I come and visit? 

It is beautiful here! When I first got here I would watch tv and I could not understand what people were saying. It is a lot like California where I am from originally, but without as much garbage, graffiti, and so many people. The beaches are amazing. Australians are very laid back compared to Americans. I do however miss the huge variety of foods that I can find in America.  You and your family can come and visit whenever you like, Jenn!

Thank you Yvette for sharing your story. You are an inspiration!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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Mo Talbot is a student, stay at home mom and a weight loss ambassador. Take one look at her before and after pictures on her Facebook page and you’ll see why. I “met” Mo when a friend of mine shared one of her motivational wall posts. I liked what I read and clicked through. I’m so happy I did. Mo is kind, bubbly, encouraging and committed to her goals.

Not only does Mo spend time encouraging others with her if-I-can-do-it-you-can-too-atttitude on her very well liked Facebook page, I Got Tired of Being Fat and Got in Shape, she is also a busy mom with two kids ages 12 and 9. Mo also enjoys playing the guitar and dancing. She loves indoor rock climbing, bodybuilding, and weightlifting.

1. What was your lifestyle like before?

My life before I lost the weight was pretty sedentary, I went to school and I was busy but I was not physically active, I ate whatever I wanted and I was pretty unhappy with the way I felt inside and how I looked outside.

2. How did you lose weight? The basics of your plan.

I ate myself lean! I did a total change of my eating habits and exercises habits. I did it with real food, no shakes, pills, shots, or surgeries. I stopped eating refined sugar ( or any sugar for that matter honey, raw sugar, brown sugar etc) and refined flours, I limited my starches (potatoes and corn) and I ate a lean protein and a fruit or vegetable every 2 to 3 hours. I stopped eating fried foods, sweets, and mayonnaise! It is my weakness!!! 

3. How has your attitude toward food changed?

I used to eat to help me feel better, it was my comfort. I ate when I was happy, sad, depressed, bored, I ate to celebrate whatever came my way, I ate out of anger. My emotions were always represented in my foods. I don’t do that anymore. I eat for my body to look the way I want it to look, i do allow myself a treat once a week. But My attitude towards food is completely different . I am stronger than food!

4. Any current fitness goals?

I am currently training to do a bodybuilding competition in the bikini category. I want to prove to myself that I have the determination to get up on stage, even though I am completely scared of it.

5. What gave you the idea to start your inspirational Facebook page?

 I started a page because so many of my friends were asking me how I did it, so instead of writing everyone a personal email ( which I did for the longest time) I decided to write a note on my page where I could point people to it. I also would post quotes and stuff to keep ME motivated, and people started liking it and that is how I am here today.

6. What inspires/motivates you to eat healthy and workout?

Me! I keep myself motivated from within. Nobody else can do this for me. I have truly found that motivation comes from our deepest desires and when we really want something we will go after it no matter what or who gets in the way. I am my own motivator. That may sound selfish but honestly it all comes from within. I keep doing this day in an day out because I never want to feel the way I used to feel. It is so much more than just being thin, it is truly a mental thing my change has truly been more mental than physical. 

7. Any advice for people who are struggling to lose weight?

Look deep within at the reasons why you want to lose weight and make sure that it is because YOU want to, not because people around you want you to. Once you find the reasons why YOU want to lose weight then remember them DAILY and you will be your own motivator. Give yourself NO room for failure. NO EXCUSES.

8. And for fun, if you could have any superpower what would it be and why?

Oh my gosh.. hahhaha a superpower?? lets see… the power of persuasion. So people would do what I want them to do !!! HAHAHHAHA

Thank you Mo for sharing your journey with us. Your commitment to health is encouraging! Be sure to like Mo’s Facebook page for more inspiration!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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I ran across Roni’s blog, Roni’s Weigh, a few years ago when I started my own weight loss journey. Last year, I met her for the first time during Fitbloggin’ and got to spend time with her again at BlogHer. She is every bit as warm, friendly, and helpful in real life as she is on her blogs. She’s the real deal. Roni is a wife, mother of two,  full time blogger, and all around awesome girl who chose to change her lifestyle for the better.

How does your lifestyle “now” compare to your lifestyle “before”? (You can see all of Roni’s progress pictures here.)

Oh boy is it ever different! I used to do nothing, and I’m not exaggerating. I’d work, watch tv or go to movies, and eat. That was about it. Now I try my best to be active and DO things. I take walks, go on hikes, read more, run in events, play board games and do puzzles with the family. Even though I’m still pretty food obsessed I’ve channeled that “hobby” by cooking light and finding new fun healthy foods. I more active now then I have ever been in my life and in better shape because of it.

Okay so I have to ask you something. You write 4 blogs GreenLiteBites, Roni’s Weigh, Roni Noone, and Poop Butterflies. You also organize Fitbloggin’ and manage a weightloss communities called Blog to Lose with over 5000 members! How do you do it and stay sane? Any time management tips? I know I need them!!

Sane? Who said I was sane?

In all seriousness, I do what I can when I can. I know it sounds kind of simple but it’s the truth. I have conference calls while baby is napping. I write blog posts while watching TV at night. I wake up early and work out when I can. It’s a lot of juggling but I’ve always been the type of person who’d rather be busy than bored.

What does your exercise routine look like now? Is it hard to find the motivation or time with so much going on in your life?

It has been hard but I’ve learned that I am much happier and have more energy when I’m working out. I even tend to handle stress better. Right now I wake up at 5:30 AM twice a week for a BodyPump class and I take a BodyCombat class in the evening one day a week. I also joined a gym that’s just over a mile away from the house so I run there and back. It’s been hard finding a schedule that works but I try to be flexible and not let more than 1 day go by without doing something active, even if it’s just a short run.

You love Weight Watchers and it helped you to lose a significant amount of weight. In a nutshell, what did WW teach you and do you still use it to maintain?

Weight Watchers gave me a quick and easy way to judge a portion and balance my diet. It also taught me to food journal, something I still go back to when feeling a little out of control. Right now I’m counting points to lose the last 10 lbs I gained from pregnancy.

I read your 3 Steps to a Healthier You series. My favorite part of that series is when you talk about turning off the tv and dancing with your son and husband. Do you still do that? Was it hard at first to start dancing? In other words, did you feel self conscious at first?

We still do it! All the time and now I have a new little once to dance with!

I’ve always been a music lover. My mom used to crank up the volume  when cleaning, my Dad was a musician, it’s just in my blood!

I noticed that the TV was ALWAYS on in my house and I hated it. So one day I simply shut it off and blasted the radio. It’s hard to be self-conscious when you are alone and dancing with a 1 year old. You’re just in the moment BUT that being said, I am self conscious dancing at weddings or parties because what I do at home is not really “dancing” it’s moving around like an idiot singing off key at the top of my lungs.

What about internet? How do you keep moving when your job requires computer hours? I know I could use some motivation in this area!

I think this is why getting those workouts in is so important for me. Most of the time I’m at my desk or on the couch with a computer on my lap. It is what it is. I’ve learned, however, to walk away. When I’m not at the computer I’m not at the computer, if that makes sense. I don’t tweet from my phone or check Facebook. I don’t walk around the mall checking email. I disconnect completely especially when I go to the gym. I never, ever, bring my phone when I go the gym. That’s my time and I don’t want to be interrupted.

How has blogging played a part in your weight loss and enriched your life? Any advice to new bloggers?

Blogging played a huge part in my weight loss. For me it was having an outlet to face feeling I never faced before. So many people (myself included) feel alone when it comes to how they feel about their bodies or how they relate to food. Once I put myself out there I realized I wasn’t alone. I also find motivation in motivating others. I love sharing tips and ideas and doing so helps me stay inspired.

What is something quirky that you do that makes you you? (Besides being the Queen of Zucchini?)

Hmmmm I’m not sure. I am little quirky, I guess, but isn’t everybody? Things people may be surprised to learn about me: (if they don’t already know because I’m pretty transparent on the blog) I’m a big fan of horror movies, I like all music except country (did I just lose a few fans?) and I have an unhealthy obsession with McDonald’s ice cream cones.

Thank you Roni for sharing your story. You are amazing and a Girl Hero in so many ways!

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

Check out our family’s adventures at New School Nomads as we take a year long RV road trip through the United States!

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The post Girl Hero Roni appeared first on Girl Heroes.

It’s an honor to feature Jen from Making Messes as the first Girl Hero of the new year.

Jen is a committed wife, mother, friend and, as she puts it, has lost one Backstreet Boy in weight.  More than once I might add.  She has also run races and left her life in the city to experience life in the mountains.  Jen is as honest as she is inspirational.  Oh and she’s funny. Her blog is truly a gift to read.

Meet Girl Hero Jen

How long have you and Ed been married.

Ed and I have been married for 10 years. We met when we were 18, got hitched at 22. So, by all accounts, we should be growing apart and resenting each other. It’s been the opposite. For that, I’m so very grateful!

You’re a SAHM right?

I dabble in doula work from time to time, but I’m 99% SAHM. I was a latch key kid, raised by working parents. So being a SAHM was a shift in my view of home life and the average day to day. It’s far more challenging than I expected, but I wouldn’t trade these moments for the world. I told Ed we need to keep a “Therapy Jar” around and every time we screw up, throw some cash in there for when the kids are older. These days, therapy is more important than college, no?

Hobbies?

I enjoy knitting, but only make gloves and hats, as my attention span can wane and my 2 year old has a passion for unraveling my pieces when I accidentally leave them hanging around. I read a lot. Much more than I did in college. I’m all over the place as far as topic. Self help, spiritual, fitness, fiction, young adult fiction, fitness, whatever. I enjoy learning new things. Many life times ago I was a painter in art school. As I’ve grown, I’ve transferred my creative energy into all the things I love. Sounds cliche, but living your life as a work of art is much easier than living it perfectly.

How does your “before” lifestyle compare to your “after” lifestyle?

My “before” lifestyle involved a lot of anger towards inward. I was not at peace with myself or really trusted myself to take care of me. I was through and through an emotional overeater. I believed food brought me comfort, freedom and love. But all I ended up feeling was emptiness and self hatred. In 2006, I was 9 months pregnant with my second child and reached 230 lbs. I felt trapped in my body. In my mind, pregnancy felt safe to binge over and over again. It was then that I stumbled upon my first weight loss blog which was Roni’s Weigh blog (at the time called WeightWatchen). She inspired me to start a blog after my daughter was born to document and help keep me accountable for weight loss.

What was your basic food and fitness routine like when you were losing weight?

I joined Weight Watchers at 6 weeks post partum. I followed their nursing mother’s plan to the T. And I ate everyone of my Flex points every single week! Every Monday evening I went to the meetings. Even if I had a bad week, I promised myself I’d still show up for every single meeting. It really helped me focus. My leader was very inspirational and motivating, which was really key for me. The weight came off at roughly 3 lbs a week. In less than a year, I reached my goal weight was 139 lbs. Ironically, I didn’t integrate fitness into my daily routine until I reached my goal. I wanted to get more points!! So I became motivated to earn Activity Points. I started the Couch25k program and registered for a race to keep me accountable. Over time, I eventually began going to classes at my YMCA. That’s when I fell in love with Bootcamp style classes. Fitness brought a new sense of purpose for me. Gave me a confidence that losing weight alone couldn’t. When I felt strong, I felt more at peace with my body- no matter what shape it was.

You were/are a doula and you birthed three children so I think your are a good person to ask for advice about being kind to yourself and your body after birthing babies. So any advice? Or how were you kind to yourself?

I was a doula before I had children. For years, I encouraged and guided women through the pregnancy and childbirthing process. I became pregnant in 2003 with my first child. On October 25, 2003 (my birthday), I found myself with the flu, going through a very complicated, long, painful foceps delivery after planning a gentle home birth.

In addition, the next 4 months were filled with breastfeeding issues and multiple bouts of mastitis that almost landed me in the hospital. I loved my son so much, but I was suffering from PPD and really needed help. My first act of kindness toward myself was admitting I needed help. I saw a psychiatrist and found the right medication that helped me get my head above water and enjoy my sweet son. That experience left a bruise on my heart. So much of my hopes of birth and motherhood were lost. After my son was old enough, I started attending births again. Every time I witnessed a gentle birth, I’d almost wince. As happy and proud I was of my client, it was painful for me to witness. I was mad that my body seemed to abandon me. So, when I gave birth to my second child in 2006, I went the opposite extreme. I wanted to be numb. I was induced and asked for every drug in the book. My fear of repeating my last experience was too painful to bear. And I had a very comfortable, satisfying birth with my daughter. And for that moment, it was the right thing, so I suppose it was an act of kindness. By the time I was pregnant with my third child in 2008, I had been doing a lot of emotional work and took a wonderful Birthing Again class with my husband that really focused on fears and the emotional side of birth and motherhood. Our mind-body connection is so powerful!

On Dec 5, 2008 I had an empowering, beautiful, gentle waterbirth. It was the birth that redeemed me from my past. It gave me a gift that I so desperately needed. Looking back on all my births, I’m grateful for each experience. It showed me what I could go through and come out of. It also made me a better doula. It taught me how to love myself and how vital it is that our inner dialogue reflect kindness towards ourselves. It appears to me to be one of life’s most valuable tools. But then again, I’m only 32. I have a lot to learn.

You got a tummy tuck in 2009. What was that like? Painful? Were you scared? Would you do it again?

Painful? Yes. But I’d do it again in a heart beat. My body’s idea of pregnancy is excessive amniotic fluid and large babies. From 6 month pregnant and on, it’s not unusual for me to be asked if I’m carrying twins at least once a day. I gain roughly 65 lbs with each one. And my tummy juts out like a shelf where I can barely fit my own arms around my stomach. Needless to say, when I lost all the weight I was left with deflated skin that hung over on top of itself. It made me really uncomfortable and was always on my mind. For me, it was reconstructive surgery, not plastic. I had a fantastic surgeon and care team in place. The first few days were rough, but as long as I took my medicine, I was great. By 2 weeks I felt back to normal, other than feeling like I had done 1000 crunches. I had muscle restoration with my tummy tuck, so I gained a lot of core strength which was an unexpected bonus. I had been so focused on the excess skin that I hadn’t thought about my nagging back pain and strong, but separated abs. I wore a bikini for the first time in 15 years this past summer. That was the best!  (You can see Jen’s post and pictures on her blog here.)

How do you define balance?

Balance is all about forgiveness for me. If you can forgive yourself, you can strike a balance. A person that practices forgiveness and kindness will automatically have balance in their life. Balance is that moment in your day when things are piling up on your shoulders and you take that deep breath and tell yourself it’s going to be okay. No matter if you do it once or 100 times in one day, at least you’re doing. And it counts.

You say you exercise to keep your sanity. Can you elaborate on that? What does life look like when you don’t exercise?

Well, as I’ve shared, I’ve struggled with depression and anxiety for most of my adult life. I’m convinced daily exercise is one of the key ways I’ve been able to successfully manage a healthy balance in my brain. If I miss it, I can tell. My husband can tell. He used to hand me a glass of wine during the witching hour with the kids. Now he tells me to go for a run. For a person that struggles with anxiety, giving your brain all those fabulous endorphins is so important. Losing that extra hour of sleep in the morning to prioritize my workouts is an easy price to pay for some state of the art chemical balance!

You’ve done some races. What were those like? Do you plan to do any more?

I registered for a race before I ever started running. That’s how I roll. Jump, then think. I could not run a 1⁄4 mile when I started. I used the Couch to 5k program to get myself to 3 miles. Then it came easier. I’m an incredibly slow runner. Some people can walk faster. I won’t share my mile time because you will seriously laugh at me. But, I’m not about speed. I’m about finishing. I’ve done 5 k’s, 10 k’s and trained for a marathon that I never got to run because I injured my toe right before. Nothing like spending 6 months training and working up to that mileage, only to not run the race. But, as all marathoners know, the training is an accomplishment in and of itself. I really want to run a marathon at least once for my bucket list. These days I stick to easy runs in the 2-4 mile range. Anything beyond that is just unneeded torture, unless I’m training for something. I’m more of a “get in and get out” girl with workouts these days.

Back in Atlanta you started a bootcamp for women in your neighborhood. What motivated you to do that and did you enjoy the experience?

Oh just thinking about it makes me smile! I miss those girls so much!! The average bootcamp in Atlanta is roughly $350/month. I saw an interest and need and figured I’d start it for free. That way I’d get my workout in and others would too and we’d all save some cash. One positive side of my sometimes stubborn personality is that I often find myself saying: “Oh I can do that!” And so that’s exactly what happened. I had been taking bootcamp classes for years and just started planning the routines. We met every weekday morning at 6am sharp in the tennis courts in our neighborhood. And even though I was torturing them, we all had a lot of fun. Those ladies made getting up at the crack of dawn easy for me. I’d encourage anyone to get some friends together and do it.

In November you left Atlanta and move up to a remote mountain town (without a Starbucks!). How has that moved affected your fitness routine?

Well, I was a slug for a week or two! After just a few days of being here, I joined a gym and attended a few classes. Then we got snow dumped on us, which turned our 1⁄2 mile driveway into an Olympic bob sled slope. And my beloved gym I just joined was closed on and off for weeks. I accidentally left my weights in Atlanta in my garage when we moved, so I had none on hand. But I knew I had to take action or else I would go into hibernation along with the bears. And would more than likely come out looking like a bear in the Spring. So on one of the better days, I braved the driveway and made it to Wal-Mart where I loaded up on some 5,8, and 10-lb dumbbells and a 35 lbs kettlebell. I started out working out with the kids around or even participating. But, I don’t know what it is, but workouts are sort of sacred moments for me. It’s my recharge time. And I just prefer and enjoy them more alone or in a class setting. And preferably not little monkies clinging to me and asking for a snack. So I started setting my alarm again for 6am. And that’s my weekday workout time. When you live in a town with harsh winters, you start wishing for Spring in November. In the mean time though, you gotta make it work!

Speaking of that move how is it going? What is it like to pack up leaving the city and head to the mountains?

It’s been a culture shock. I knew it would be, but the reality sinks in and you have to adjust your lens a little bit. In a way it’s been a great exercise for me staying present. In a big city, you can easily distract yourself at any given time of the day. In the mountains, you are embedded in nature and once the “retreat” feel of it wears away, you have to learn a new way of seeing things and being. I’m an extrovert, so I miss my friends dearly. For me, that’s the most challenging part of all this. But I really believe there’s a plan for me and this was all part of the plan. And when you feel peace about a big decision, it makes all the adjustments easier to swallow. My kids are really enjoying discovering the outdoors, even in the snow! They often leave the back door looking like Ralphie and his brother from the Christmas Story, but they will play in the snow for hours. We’re all growing and learning our new way of life. And I dearly miss Starbucks and my old local coffee shop Octane. There are no drive through coffee houses here. That alone, took some major adjustment!! You moms with small, multiple kids get what I mean. And snow? Forget about it! I need Starbucks delivery.

If you were to write a book what would it be about?

It would be about how to write a book when you can’t think of what it should be about.

If you were to decided to go on a roadtrip right now where would you go and why? And what is a song you would play?

New York City! I have some dear friends there that I miss and would love to see. That and I just love walking, crowds, food, laughter and late nights. All of which comes in high doses there. And, ironically, I’d probably play The Suburbs by Arcade Fire.

Thank you Jen for sharing a glimpse of your struggles and successes.  Your perseverance, willingness to breath in the moment, and strength to speak what is on your heart is inspirational.  You are a Girl Hero.

Don’t forget to check out Jen’s blog, Making Messes and be sure to read one of my favorites posts of hers ever titled Is Your Diet Your Religion? So funny.  So true.

Hugs and High Fives,
Jenn

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