Growing up, I was involved in a lot of activities and sports. My favorite was dance. I belonged to a very special modern dance company located in my hometown of Lunenburg, Massachusetts. I loved the feeling of learning something new, physically and mentally. I credit my experience with dance with giving me a lot of confidence and pride that have touched all areas of my life.

But, as time went on, like a lot of people, I made less time for those activities that were keeping me healthy and fit. I moved to Lincoln, Nebraska out of college for my first job as a TV News Producer. Then work took me (and my now-husband) to Hartford, CT, Portland, OR , the San Francisco Bay Area and now back to Massachusetts. Along the way I got married, had a baby, gained weight, lost weight, and enjoyed the finer things in life.

When we moved to the Bay Area, I got to become a stay-at-home mom. Eventually, a few friends convinced me to join our local YMCA so we could exercise (but sometimes really just gossip while strolling on a treadmill) while our kids enjoyed 2 free hours at the Y’s Childwatch. For the first time in a long time, I’d found an exercise routine I was keeping. About a year later, our YMCA became the first in California to offer CrossFit. I would have never tried it, had it not been at my cozy, familiar Y. In hindsight, I realize that I had a lot of misconceptions about CrossFit. Truly ANYONE can do it. Within about a week, I was hooked. Even though there is plenty of elements that are still very challenging (hello pull ups!) there were a few things I could do decently right away too. It felt so good to feel that sense of pride in what I could accomplish physically again! I didn’t realize how much I’d missed that. And since there are so many facets involved in CrossFit workouts, there is still a lot to accomplish.

When I started this blog, I’d been working out consistently for about 18 months. I had definitely gotten stronger over that time, but I knew that I needed to change the way I was eating to see the results that I really wanted. I researched for a long time before finally feeling ready, really ready, to commit. The Whole30 drew me in because it’s an elimination diet. I felt understanding how certain foods affect me would give me the best tools to make a lasting change. And yes, most people lose weight on it too. Bonus!

So here we are! I’m looking forward to where this road leads, I started this blog to document the twists and turns, and share a realistic point-of-view. I promise no selfies of me in my sports bra. At least not for a while. I’m grateful my husband is tackling the Whole30 with me too, we tend to make a great team. Thank you for taking the time to follow along.

Melissa