Well Hello There...Have We Met?

Well blow me over with a cotton ball.  Seriously.  Can I just tell y'all how excited I am that you have joined me over here on this little 'ol blog of mine?!  I am not even kidding when I say that I feel like a kid in a candy store on Christmas Morning! (Not that that scenario could ever be possible, but wouldn't that be like every kid's dream?)

I say this because I have had soooo many wonderful new people start to follow me and what I've got goin' over here at Jenna Rae Everyday!  Yes, I know that about 99% of you found me through the AMAZING giveaway from this post here, that I teamed up with some truly awesome bloggers to give you all some cold hard cash, but hey, I want to welcome you with open arms!  It honestly means the world to me that you are here.  So welcome...I hope you like what you see read!

Since so many of you are new to my blog, I thought I would do a little rundown on the main reason I started this blog about two months ago...I wanted to write about a lot of things: my family, my little boy, and life as a Midwest Nebraska girl.  But, my main focus was the story I wanted to share.  A journey that I have taken over the past three years.  How I went from being the "chubby" girl, to the girl who's life now revolves around a healthy, fitness related lifestyle.

You see, I wasn't always what you would call "fit."  I always struggled with my weight.  I used to drive through Taco Bell and McDonald's after I got off of work at 10:30 at night, order a couple chalupas and a couple double cheeseburgers, stuff my face with them in my car in the parking lot, then dispose of the wrappers before I got home.  All so the hubs didn't know of my dirty little secret.

I would then proceed to cry myself to sleep at night because I was miserable.  I hated my retail job.  None of my clothes fit right.  I couldn't wear my wedding ring because my fingers had transformed into sausages.  I had just given up on myself and I didn't like what I saw in the mirror.

Then, after not stepping foot onto a scale in over two years, I did it.  That's when it turned real ugly.  Because the last time I had done that I weighed around 140 lbs.  But when those three little red numbers popped up, my stomach sank:  180.  I had gained 40 lbs (and was at 35% body fat) in the first two years of marriage...

Although this picture doesn't do it justice, it's the last picture I have of me "before."

That's when I decided to do something about it.  I conquered my fears and joined a gym to kick my ass into shape!  I did things the old fashioned way:  I ate only lean meats and proteins, veggies and fruits.  And I worked out 6 days a week for an hour a day (early in the morning before my body had a chance to talk me out of it!)

There were days I wanted to give up.  There were days that I cried through my whole workout and on the way home because it felt like I was never going to reach my goal.  I would have great weeks of losing 5 lbs at a time, but then I would hit major plateaus that I couldn't surpass for months.  It was a roller coaster of emotions.

It took me a little over 9 months to reach my goal of my "before weight" of 140 lbs.  And I couldn't have been happier!

The before and after:  three years ago, 180 lbs on the left and 9 months later, 140 lbs on the right.

Then I got pregnant...

Fortunately, I was still in such a healthy, fitness mindset that I continued my same regimen throughout my entire pregnancy, and after it was all said and done, I had only gained 9 lbs in 9 months.  Call it a fluke, but my baby boy came out screaming at a healthy 7 lbs 3 oz!

I was able to jump back into working out shortly after, and I haven't stopped since.  In fact, I not only lost the baby weight, but I lost an extra 10 lbs, which is where I am at today: 130lbs.  For a grand total, after starting this journey, of 50 lbs lost.

The final "after" after:  two years ago, 140 lbs on the left and today, 130 lbs on the right.

Working out and eating healthy (80% of the time) is my way of life now.  Sure, not every day is perfect.  I have slip ups just like everyone else.  There are days where a double cheeseburger sounds better than a piece of grilled chicken.  But this is who I am now.  And I couldn't be happier with how far I have come!

I hope this gives you a better understanding of who I am and where I came from.  This is definitely the abbreviated version of my story, but all of the highlights up until this point.  So stick around, as I tell of what works for me, and what doesn't.  Workouts I love to hate and meal plans to help you reach your goals.  Along with a little everyday life mixed in!

Until next time...