This is something I've wanted to post about for years, but never had the courage to on social media. Social media is a funny place- it's a place where we share all the highlights of our lives, but tend to try to hide the not so glamorous times. Social media is also a place that glorifies fit bodies and shames people who don't look "perfect".

Today, I want to share my transformation story or weight gain story.

If you take a look at the picture on your left you will see a super fit girl. What you won't see is how crazy my life was for months all to just look this way for about 1 week. Yes, I only looked like this for about a week (cutting water, taking water pills & minimizing salt intake can work magic for pictures). I was like 22 years old & I was on the craziest workout program training about 3 hours a day for 3 months, counted every single calorie, I weighed all my food, didn't even take a sip of alcohol and couldn't deviate from my "program" not even on a holiday or birthday. I was the most motivated person you'd ever met- and I met my goal. Most people to this day think that that picture is "goals". 

What you don't see is at the end of this fitness competition- I came to a scary realization. All that hard work and I didn't learn much about living a normal balanced life. There was no way moving forward I wanted to or could prep every single meal, workout for 3 hours a day, never enjoy a meal out with friends, never able to travel or date.

Living a healthy life is living a BALANCED life. Yes, you should workout and eat mostly healthy food. At the same time allow yourself to have weekends where you may or may not kill a large pizza & drink 1 too many glasses of wine. Sometimes you need a weekend when the workout you wanted to do didn't get done, or a week where you didn't want to drink but you got asked out on a date & couldn't decline a date with that cute guy.

Now, I'm healthier and happier then ever. I still workout 5-6 times a week (for about an hour to an hour and a half, not 3). I eat healthy, but treat myself whenever I want (not binge). I travel, am able to eat out with friends and not let my "program" get in the way of me living my life.

You see- there is no one size fits all to diets & fitness. We all just want there to be a plan to make us feel great and be happy, but let me tell you... feeling great and being happy doesn't come with a diet or workout plan. It comes with finding a lifestyle you love and you feel empowered by. That's the hard part- balance is something you will find on your own.

So please ladies- you shouldn't feel bad or guilty after eating junk food, you shouldn't feel bad for missing a workout. Why? Because at the end of the day happiness doesn't come from being a certain weight. Happiness comes from loving your life, every damn minute of it!