I originally started working out my freshman year of high school so I could play sports. Like a lot of young athletes I followed the trends of the teenage girls I was working out with, which included skipping meals, over working my muscles and not resting properly. I did this for three years and had decent results, going from a size 16 to a size 8. Of course, as anyone can guess my body finally gave out on me and I shredded my right shoulder while executing an advanced self-defensive maneuver. Life went downhill from there, with knee troubles and weight gain. I also stopped taking my ADHD medication, which resulted in more weight gain. During the two years I spent recuperating from my shoulder injury I started reading about nutrition and fitness. Slowly I started to practice the techniques I was learning, but classes were starting to beat me down which didn't help my workout ethic. I hit rock bottom when I stepped on the scale and it read 220, and my professors started getting grouchy about my lack of attention in class. In December 2009 I met with my doctor who prescribed a new ADHD medication in a much lower dose then I was on as a teenager. With my brain functioning properly, my body healed, and new motivation I started jogging and weight training 4 days a week, cycling two days a week and resting on Sundays. I'm back :)

I love how working out makes me feel good physically and emotionally. There are few feelings in the world better than stretching after a long workout and knowing that you just accomplished something!