Seeds of Change
Working 12 hour shifts, seeing the inside of the hospital and my coworkers more than my apartment and my friends... I realized something had to change. I loved my job - and still do - I was also lucky enough to be able to call quite a few coworkers friends. BUT I was eating out of vending machines or a slice of the free bread in the kitchen, I felt uncomfortable in my own skin (shout out to scrubs!) and I couldn't remember when I'd last done any thing resembling a workout. I knew I was never going to feel comfortable with who I was, if I didn't change something. I wasn't going to wake up one morning and feel magically toned and healthy. I had known that for a long time, I just hadn't known it. Ya know?
So, on April 17, 2016 I got an email - something about a challenge and a meal plan. On impulse, I signed up. It wasn't until I had - and had shelled out $192 - that I realized I no idea what I was doing, let alone what I'd really signed up for. I dove in head first, though. Familiarizing myself with the lingo of this new world - booty calls, PMWOs, LCG, meta-d, m3. I bought protein powder and quinoa. I planned my meals. And I didn't tell a soul.
I wasn't embarrassed. I needed this journey to be for me. I needed to be getting up at 5:30am for myself. And I did. Every early morning workout, every smoothie, every packed meal I brought was for me - although, my coworkers LOVED my goodies. I had previously been known for my container of trail mix that sat by my keyboard with my beloved Swell. People had been munching on that trail mix for months. Now, I had carrots & hummus, a smoothie or a green juice. I had cooked meals to heat up - or wraps to munch on between calls.
I felt incredible - learning to feed myself adequately, enjoying sweating, discovering I was more toned and that my skin was clear - major bonus! This was my start in the Tone It Up world. A year, 1231 Instagram posts, 1262 Instagram followers and three TIU challenges later, I am embarking on this journey with you. We'll talk fitness, health, bullet journaling, travel - this will certainly be peppered with the occasional (okay, maybe not so occasional) Friends or Gilmore Girls reference, too... I'm a work in progress and so is this blog. Come join me, wont'cha?
You jump, I jump, Jack.
