Liebster Award

Special thanks to my fellow  SPA sister (a.k.a. Sweat Pink Ambassador) for nominating me for a Liebster Award. Still very new to blogging, I had never heard of such of thing, but when Polly of  Polly Defies Gravity mentioned the post about upcoming bloggers with less than 200 followers I was ecstatic.

Liebster Award Rules: 

1. Thank and link the person that nominated you.
2. Display the Liebster Award and rules. (sorry for the crapping jpeg)
3. Answer the 11 questions given to you.
4. Write 11 facts about yourself. 
5. Nominate 11 other bloggers (who have less than 200 followers)
6. Write 11 new questions for your nominees.

My Q&A's from Polly:

1. What would your autobiography be titled? Perfectly Imperfect

2. What 3 words would you use to describe yourself? Selfless, Opinionated, & Organized

3. You're a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why? Hot Tamale because red is my favor color, I'm hot, spicy, and full of a lot of different things.

4. If you had an invisibility cloak, how would you use it? Tough one…..I guess to check out all the eye candy when I watch sports. 

5. If your life had a theme song, what would it be? See question/ answer one.

6. If you had to plan a parade, what would be the theme? Free Your Self!

7. What is the funniest things that has happened to you recently? Last week at work, I had a client tell me he needed to lose weight because his ass jiggles too much when's stroking. 

8. Name one skill you wish you had. At my age, I don't wish i had much but it would be nice to more creative/ artistic. 

9. What super villain would you be? Super Mom, oh wait that's everyday! SuperWoman

10. If you could make or change a law, what would it be? I would like to law enforcement and politicians held up to the same laws us "common" folks must abide. 

11. What is the sexiest name you've ever heard? Sung, my husband.

My 11 Facts:

1. 1'm 5'1 on a good day.
2. I'm a Jersey Girl (born & raised).
3. My favorite color is red. 
4. I have a mild case of OCD.
5. I could live off of seafood. 
6. I'm a mother of two.
7. I have 2 brothers, and a sister. 
8. My middle name Marie is a family tradition. 
9. I can't swim. 
10. I married my college sweetheart in 2010. 
11. I don't have anyone to nominate. 

To be continued…...

My Aha Moment!

As a newly proud Sweat Pink Ambassador (SPA) today I'm sharing my aha moment! Coincidently it's also #testimonytuesday in the social medial world, so the timing couldn't be anymore perfect.

All of my life I've always been petite. On a good day (that usually means with heels) I'm 5'1, and have always held a small frame. I maintained a decent level of physical fitness through at-home workouts, biking, and keeping active with family and friends. Not really having a care in the world about my weight because I was a size 0-2, I pretty much ate what I wanted when I wanted it. Fast forwarding to college, I survived without gaining the freshman 15. Once again I was fairly active; as a Exercise Science I lived in the gym so working out was never an issue. Yet, still I ate as I pleased.

(September 2004 120's)

When my now husband then boyfriend and I started dating in October 2004, the pounds slowly packed on because we did a lot of "wining & dining". I think during our first year together I put on 10-15 lbs, and had moved up to a size 3/4. Still petite by most people's standards, it was also the first time I became conscious of my weight/ size. I made a commitment to drop the weight before my senior graduation, and I did. My girlfriends still tease me about us roaming the aisles of Old Navy in search of the perfect after party outfit, and here I was getting a size 0 pants.

Fast forward to April 2010 when I became a mother & wife. I gained 40 pounds during my first pregnancy. I was a newlywed, mother, and manager of a corporate fitness center. I don't recall my exact weight, but it was somewhere in the low 170's. As a fitness manager, I also taught 3-5 group fitness classes a week, and was a personal trainer so I expected my pregnancy weight to just drop it self. Little did I know, that it would take some work, and I probably would need to change my eating habits.

About eighteen months later (December 2011) we welcomed baby number two into the family. My husband and I had some tough choices to make, and that meant me becoming a stay-at-home mom to two children underage two. During my second pregnancy I gained around 25-30 pounds, and I hate to sound like a broke record, but I still ate whatever I wanted when I wanted. In my mind, I was still that little petite -size 0 wearing, gym going gal I was back in college, and there was no point in me taking nutrition seriously. The pregnancy weight was going to drop itself. Especially since I was nursing, I'd be back to "old" self in a few months!!

(January 2012 about 4 weeks post baby #2)

I remember my six week postpartum check-up and the medical assistant congratulating me on my weight loss. When she called out my number I nearly pooped my pants. I still don't remember the exact number, but it was 180-something. That there was my aha moment! That's is all I remember the entire time I spent waiting to be seen my by doctor. In less than two years, I had put on about 60-65 pounds. 

Here's another aha moment pic of me in my 180's after having my second child in eighteen months. Can't begin to explain the varying emotions I experienced going from a single, petite, size 0 wearing, gym going, personal trainer turned fitness instructor turned gym manger to a married, obese, size 14 wearing, couch sitting, stay-at-home mom! To sum it up: DEPRESSED!

I'm not where I want to be or where I used to be, but I'm continuously striving for progress not perfection! 

Today I'm a happily married wife and mother of two (ages 4 & 2). I returned to the fitness industry and work part-time as a personal trainer. I've developed a newfound love for running & blogging, and of course am very honored to be part of the Sweat Pink Fit Approach community. 

Now off to swap out some laces!!!