Background:

Hey there! Thank you so much for visiting my page! Here’s a little background about me:

I was born and raised in the Maryland / DC area, attending an all girls Catholic school for 12 years. My parents divorced when I was 12, but my school provided stability throughout the process. In college at the University of Virginia, I faced new challenges, including adjusting to co-ed classes and dealing with a tumultuous relationship.

Although I ended the relationship that January, I developed intense anxiety that far exceeded anything I had experienced in the past. There were many nights I stayed in my dorm room bawling my eyes out, and calling my mom feeling afraid and alone. I used to hardly ever cry, and would never choose to shut myself off from others, so this was highly unlike me. I found solace in exercise and music.

Exercising 2-3 times a week at the gym turned into 6-7 times a week. My 30 minute elliptical sessions turned into an hour long elliptical session going as fast as I could go. The gym turned into my happy place and the one place I could set aside my depressed thoughts and regain any sort of positivity from post exercise endorphins. This took a toll however, when I was also under eating due to my lack of appetite from the depression. Between December and May of that year, I lost about 20 pounds and was scary skinny.

While I look back on my first two years of college with some regret, I rationalize it as a learning experience which led me to where I am today. Although it took me years to recover mentally and physically, I eventually got back to a healthy weight. Unlike many with eating disorders, I managed to do very slowly and on my own. Unlike many people, I wasn’t sent to an inpatient facility (I’m not advocating for this at all, it made the process way longer). This definitely was not easy, and I don’t know that it was necessarily the best move, but it worked itself out. I graduated from UVA within 4 years with great friends, education, and memories.

It was during my first job that I discovered my passion for health and fitness through the blogs of others. I hope to inspire those struggling with eating disorders and share my healthy living journey through my Instagram and blog.