Welcome to my page! So I’ve been spending a lot of time trying to think of the PERFECT post to start off my new blog. While it is very easy for me to know the overall direction that I want this blog to follow, it is really true that the first step is often the hardest. I want this page to be a place where people come to find inspiration, whether that’s through fitness or fashion or both. I’m sure I’ll post some amusing anecdotes from my life here as well. Sometimes it feels like I’m on a hidden camera show or like Ashton Kutcher is waiting to jump out and tell me I’ve been punkd.
Fitness: I treat working out like it’s my job. My training is such a part of my life that I usually know what day it is based on what workout I have. It is this commitment to fitness that has allowed me to become stronger than I ever imagined. I’ve done a 630 pound leg-press and a 9 tier box jump. I am a bad ass when it comes to working out. I always strive to push myself harder whether I’m lifting, running, boxing, or even doing Zumba. I live for the endorphin rush that an AMAZING workout provides and you can’t beat the health benefits. I’ve been posting workout videos on Instagram for a while, and will continue to do that here. So if you need workout ideas: stay tuned. My commitment to my readers is that I will share my fitness journey with you all. This will include not only my successes but any setbacks that I encounter along the way. Fitness is a lifelong commitment. No matter how much time and effort you put into it, you will lose it if you stop working on it. I’ve done the huge weight-loss journey before, but now my focus is to focus on increasing my strength and my overall fitness instead of focusing on my weight.
Fashion: A friend recently reminded me that not even 5 years ago, I was the girl who wore the same 5 pairs of sweatpants and baggy t-shirts week in and week out without fail. I was a new first-time mom and I was just lucky to get dressed most days. Now five years later, I very rarely wear the same outfit twice and I honestly dress up more often than not. Much to my surprise, I’ve had multiple fashion posts on Instagram shared by some of the biggest body positive/plus size Instagram groups. For someone who never used to give their outfit a second thought, this has been such an amazing transformation. I hope to show others how easy it is to feel great about yourself when you’ve got the right outfit on. I will be the first to admit that my body is not perfect, but I’ve learned how to accentuate and focus my best attributes. It’s amazing how good it feels to feel good about yourself every single day. I will share some of the tips I’ve discovered and some of my favorite outfits and the inspiration behind them.
Most importantly, I hope that my page can be a positive refuge for people in a world that often thrives on negativity. Hence the title of my first post “I am a BAD ASS. So many times people will focus on what they’re not and I choose to focus on what I am. Nor was the title of BAD ASS chosen arbitratily. I embrace this characterization. Even though it contains a “potty word” as my 4.5 year old would say, it has an overall good connotation for me. I am bad ass when it comes to fitness: an ex-rugby player, a boxer, a 2-time marathoner, a 12-time half marathoner. I am a bad ass when it comes to my personal life: I’ve survived bullying, depression, sexual assault. And through it all, I’ve didn’t give into despair or hopelessness. While it was tempting, I am like a phoenix rising from the ashes. Thank you for joining me on my journey.