My name is Kelly and I'm a 20-something single gal living outside Washington DC. I grew up in the area, then went to Penn State for college, and moved back here for my job as a structural engineer. My family all lives near by (parents, brother & sister-in-law), and I am super close with all of them. I also have the best friends in the world, and we love to run races together, play social sports, and go out on the town!
Growing up, I was never thin, but I stayed active playing sports every season - softball, basketball, soccer. I was no super star, but I enjoyed all of them, so I played from kindergarten through eighth grade. Then I started high school. I wasn't "great" at any of the sports, even though I liked playing, and I was too self conscious to risk trying out for the school's teams. Instead, I got an after school job and all of a sudden my active lifestyle went out the window. By sophomore year of high school, I was sick of being chubby, and joined the gym. I started running, went to the gym regularly, and got (borderline obsessive) about eating healthy. I lost some weight between sophomore and junior year, then lost quite a bit more senior year. I was the smallest I had ever been, wore a size 4, and thought I looked great. I did - but it wasn't really a maintainable size, especially as I got older.
I went to college, and enjoyed the all day drink-fests, late night pizza stops, and unlimited food options at the dining hall (including warm chocolate chip cookies and soft serve vanilla ice cream - yum!). I put on a few pounds from that "all time low" weight I got to during senior year, but still worked out regularly and even trained to become a fitness instructor at Penn State. My weight stayed pretty much the same through college, fluctuating at most 5 pounds up or down, until I graduated. Then I took a desk job as an engineer, and I no longer walked miles and miles through campus every day. I don't like to weigh myself, but I know I've gained a bit in the past few years since college.
I don't want this blog to focus on weight loss. So why did I share all of that? Because through it all, through the ups and the downs (literally), exercise was my rock. I'm human. I gain weight, I lose weight, I have good days and I have bad days. I like to treat myself, and I splurge too often. I am not a personal trainer. I'm not a dietitian and I'm not a fitness model. Like many women, I'd love to lose a few pounds, and I look far from perfect in a bikini. That being said, I've settled into a (fairly) comfortable state of mind with my weight, and I have fitness to thank for that. I amaze myself all the time with what my body can do. I do a bootcamp twice a week, hit the gym, lift weights, mix in the occasional spinning class and run races. I've completed multiple 10 milers and 3 half marathons. Exercise makes me strong, and exercise keeps me sane.
My name is Kelly, and I enjoy pizza and beer a little too much. But then I eat a salad. I sometimes don't like the number I see on the scale. But then I go for a run. So all of it is ok... because you only live once, and that one life should be (FITtingly) fun!!
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