If you’re reading this – THANK YOU! Since deciding to do a blog a few months ago, it’s been quite a journey both physically and mentally. I’m sure you have a lot of questions….so let’s get started.I thought the best and easiest way to give a better sense of why I started this blog, the name, etc. would be to break them out in a Q&A style.

Up until my early twenties, I could eat basically whatever I wanted and barely workout. It was great, but I also suffered from constant health issues – sinus infections, colds, digestive issues, etc. I was thin – but I wasn’t healthy. Once I graduated from college and got my first job in NYC at an advertising agency, I had NO time to be active due to the nature of the business. I also learned about the perks of the job, which involved lots of free dinners. Again, it was great, but I quickly packed on 20+ lbs. The health issues continued and the weight gain made me unhappy with myself. When I moved to Boston in 2011, my now husband and I would go on hikes and I could barely get through them without stopping many times. I knew I had to change my lifestyle.

How did you do it?

Since I hadn’t been to a gym in years, I was pretty self conscious about trying to workout in public. I went online and searched for the top rated at home workout DVD’s – I started with beginner level ones since at that point I hadn’t really worked out in 2 years! I slowly saw the weight coming off and that I was able to get through them easily. I then started investing in more advanced programs that I could do at home, like Insanity, Tae Bo (yep, good ol’ Billy Blanks), and my girl Jillian Michaels. Once I got the courage, I tried group classes like spinning and yoga which I still love and do today.

The weight continued to drop, however there was a point when I hit a plateau. And that’s when I realized just how important it was to make dietary changes. This was the absolute hardest part for me – I absolutely love a good cheese, chocolate dessert, or anything fried. But if I wanted to see real results, I had to make changes in the kitchen.

I lost my final 10 lbs this summer after challenging myself to a #100healthydays challenge, which was inspired by my co-worker Amy who had done a #100happydays challenge. Since starting my journey 3 years ago, I have lost 20 lbs and never felt better!

Me in 2011 (left), Me in 2014 (right) after weight loss

Why did you start the blog?

During my #100healthydays challenge, I documented the journey on my social media accounts. I had co-workers, friends, and even people I haven’t talked to in years tell me I inspired them. It made me think – there are so many people like me out there who can’t workout two hours a day or have a personal chef to help them eat healthy. I want to share my experience and new love of fitness and healthy eating with others.

How did you come up with the name?

Coming up with the blog’s name was one of the toughest parts of the process. Maybe it’s because I work in advertising, but I wanted something that really related to the concept of my blog. From a literal aspect, weight training has been a vital part of my workouts, and watermelon is one of my favorite healthy fruits. However, the overall concept of my blog is to balance healthy eating/working out with the challenges of everyday life for people (full time jobs, kids, etc.). Overall, the name of the blog portrays the balance between working out and healthy eating.

As we enter the new year, I want to cheers to health and happiness to all my readers. With that, I’ll leave you with a preview of what you can expect from my posts (recipes, reviews, rants, etc.). Below is a healthy alcoholic drink recipe I made on New Years Eve this year. Comment below with any thoughts on the above, questions, or ideas you want me to cover!

Peach Raspberry Dream

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup zero calorie peach seltzer
• 1 shot peach vodka
• 1/4 cup frozen raspberries
• A few cubes of ice

Using an 8 oz glass, add in ice, seltzer, vodka. Stir gently. Add frozen raspberries and enjoy!