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Introduction Text Summer 2013: I believe in living the life for which my body is intended -- full of joyful movement, moderation, mindful nutrition, and new experiences! Right now, I'm in the final third of my most exciting experience yet: being pregnant with my first child! Baby Josephine is due in late September, and I just can't wait to meet her. In the meantime I'm eating right, staying active, and doing the best I can to be the woman I want my daughter to know! March 2012: I'm currently training for my second Half Marathon and committed to a low carb / primal dietary mindset (with some adaptations for endurance exercise). I firmly believe that humans are meant to eat only real, whole, evolutionarily beneficial foods... with the occasional cocktail for fun. Humans, like all animals, have three main functions -- explore, eat, and get sexy. Sounds good to me! June 2011: I'm gearing up for a healthy summer. My goals have totally shifted. I am NOT worrying about my weight or my pants size. Instead, I want to focus on taking in good fuel, working hard, playing harder, and loving myself. It's time for me to put energy into my top priorities: a strong body, a mindful lifestyle, and keeping myself in top condition before I start training in August for my Half Marathon. October 2010: So it turns out that stress takes its toll, and I'm not feeling as fit or trim as I want to be. Two years ago, I would have said, "Oh well, can't change it -- pass the Ben and Jerry's." NOT THIS TIME! I've come too far and accomplished too much to ever go back. So I'm re-evaluating and getting myself back into gear. With discipline, determination, support, and self-care, I WILL do it. And in the meantime, I can get sexier, sculpted muscles and hopefully work my way from running a 5K to a 10K! JULY 2010, One Year After Joining Spark: Being fit at healthy feels SO GOOD! I'm amazed and so incredibly grateful for all the changes that have come out of the past year on Spark and my 2 year journey to lose all the weight and be healthy. Back in 2007, I was in a scary place -- 207 lbs, eating tons of pasta, french fries, processed food, and lots of desserts. I didn't exercise even close to regularly. I was somewhere between a size 16 and 18, although the 16's were a bit of a joke. I didn't treat my body with the respect it deserved. I weighed 180-something when I joined SP in July 2009. Now, I'm at 157, with a healthy BMI of 23.9. I cook my meals from scratch from wholesome ingredients: fresh produce, local dairy products, healthy fats, and lean proteins. I still get my desserts, don't get me wrong, but now they're around 100-200 calories instead of 500! I exercise 6 or 7 days a week and I LOVE to be active. I'm a Half Marathoner, so running is my mainstay, but I really enjoy all kinds of exercise. Bicycling, hiking, Forza, dancing, walking, swimming, snowshoeing... I love it all!!! Outside of the world of health and fitness, I'm the head of an after school program for at-risk girls. I'm also certified as an English teacher, but pickins are slim! I'm hoping to go to grad school soon to get my M.Ed in Special Education. I live with my amazing husband Miles and our kitty Oreo in the middle of a great city surrounded by friends, a growing artistic culture, mountains, and the Tennessee River. And since I love hiking, swimming, camping and bonfires, it's the best I could ask for!! I'm always on the lookout for new Spark Friends -- I may have lost over 45lbs, but the Journey is far from over. I want to help others reach their goals, and find folks who can challenge me to achieve even more.

~Maintain a healthy weight (including healthy weight GAIN) during my pregnancy ~Keep up my stamina, strength and flexibility with a variety of exercise ~Eat plenty of protein, calcium-packed dairy, and tons of fruits and veggies ~Have an empowering birth experience

~Cardio 5 days per week ~Pre-natal yoga once a week ~Cooking all my meals, including breakfast, and making the most of my first CSA ~Talking to my friends, sister and husband about my goals and progress ~Patience and perseverance!!!

~I moved to Chattanooga, TN in August of 2011. It's the best thing I've ever done for myself and I am incredibly happy here! ~I'm married to a flipping awesome guy who loves me more than I deserve and who I love more than I can say. ~I work for a non-profit, teaching an in-school STEM curriculum to at-risk middle school girls. ~I love adventures, dancing (esp. in the car and my living room), ridiculous pop culture, books, the outdoors, and coffee ~I am a hard core liberal anarcho-communist in professional clothing.

For a feel-good time, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDSK91m UNLU

Add a Link "If you don't take care of your body, where will you live?" "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard everybody would do it. It's the hard that makes it great."
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