Who I always wanted to be

Since I was younger (we're talking like middle school here) I have always wanted to look some thing like this:

I always expected it just to happen. But guess what? It never did.

Hey! My name is Anna. I was recently inspired by a friend to start this blog to motivate others. I want to show what is possible, even in the crazy world of being a mom. I am excited to see where this blog takes me, and not only how it helps me motivate others but also how it helps keep me motivated. But first, let me tell you a bit of my story.

I was never very physically active as a child. I wasn't competitive enough to be good at organized sports, and frankly I could have cared less... The only sport I cared about as a child was snowboarding. I started snowboarding at 7, and absolutely loved it. I have two older sisters who also really enjoyed it, and my mom started as a skier but crossed over after a couple years of us 3 girls snowboarding. Starting at about 8 we were up on the mountain every weekend from late November to the end of March, I even raced for a couple years in middle school. It was like a dream. But once the season ended, so did my regular activity. Luckily for me I was a naturally thin-ish child. Then high school started.

Oh high school... I think I am one of the few people I know that can say I truly enjoyed high school. But the only downfall for me was when high school started I had to make a choice. A choice between performing arts and snowboarding. I chose performing arts. I can tell you, I am very glad I made that choice. It gave my high school career purpose. I basically lived in the performing arts wing of my high school. We're talking 6:30am-6:30pm most days. If there was play practice or a choir performance I was usually here till around 9:00pm. Needless to say my eating habits weren't the best. My diet consisted of mainly, no breakfast, snack machine food and soda, and the surrounding fast food restaurants.

I believe I started high school at a juniors sz7 pants and about 125lbs. I graduated at a juniors sz11 pants and approx 150ish lbs (I can't say exactly because I avoided the scale). I know you may be thinking "Big deal, what's so bad about that?" Just know that I am 5'4 with a petite build, and I was the heaviest in my family at the time.

Once I started college I was determined not to gain anymore weight, and I have to say I some how succeeded in getting down to 145ish my freshman year. Don't ask me how, because I have no idea. After freshman year at my smaller university I decided to move home, yes my boyfriend (who is now my husband) had a lot to do with it, go to community college and get a job. I managed to maintain my weight but was still unhappy with my size. Eventually Chase and I joined a gym. I really enjoyed the gym, it gave me a taste for what is now a full blown addiction. I was slowly loosing weight. I was down to 139 when I found out I was pregnant. I found out a couple weeks later that working out and lifting anything over 20lbs was out of the question for me if we didn't want to risk loosing the baby...

Needless to say I cancelled my gym membership. I know what you are expecting to come next, tat during my pregnancy I blew up like a balloon. Sorry to disappoint, but I think I gained a grand total of like 20lbs... But after I had Chimera it didn't want to come off, and with a husband who was gone at Tech School there was nothing pushing me to loose it. So I didn't even try. Then when he got home we had 2 weeks before we had to moved to our first duty station in California.

A month after arriving in California we got another surprise. I was pregnant again... So I was now pregnant with a 6 month old.You better believe I wasn't "wasting" any time working out. But again, I am made for pregnancy or something, I only gained maybe 15lbs. But add that 15 to the 15ish that I still hadn't lost from the last pregnancy, and you get the 165ish lbs that I was after having Moya. I was miserable. I had a 15month old, a newborn, and felt completely disgusting.

The disgusting feeling didn't go away either. I was beyond self conscious, I didn't even like being naked in front of my hubby, and my sex drive was at 0. I tried to workout, but with all the things that were going on around me it never lasted. I did slowly drop to about 155lbs by early summer of 2011, but I was still beyond out of shape. Then when we were in Portland last August I got the push I needed. Chase's old recruiter, who had now become something of a friend, introduced us to AdvoCare.

In October of 2011 we finally got enough money for us both to do the 24 Day Challenge, I started walking everyday with my huge HEAVY double stroller (no joke the stroller with both my girls in it weight at least 75lbs), and I started using myfitnesspal. These three things seriously changed my life! I was set on a journey, no looking back.

I now happily sit between 120-125lbs (depending on the day, or time of month...), I workout in some way 6 days a week, and I LOVE running. I have recently decided to train for a half marathon and am seriously considering becoming a LesMills Bodypump instructor.

Now for a picture representation of my journey:

May 2011

June 2011

October 2011

Thanksgiving 2011

January 2012

(Jillian Michaels 30 day shred before and after)

End of February 2012

End of March 2012

May 2012

June 2012

July 29 2012

So I may not look exactly like the girl in the picture from the beginning of this post, I may have the extra belly skin that comes with having 2 children 15 months apart, but I am finally who I always wanted to be. Fit and healthy.