This is the story about a blonde-haired, talkative, happy little girl from a very small town. She loved “Get in Shape Girl” and “Mousercize”. It was one of her very favorite things to do but little did she know that her love of movement would define her adulthood.

She played every sport available in school and enjoyed every bit of it; the off-season work-outs, the practices, the competition and probably more than anything, the camaraderie of her teammates This girl found a passion in motivating and encouraging others and surprisingly, they responded well!

The little girl grew up and went to college. She didn’t play sports there but maintained a meager discipline of working out. However, the nasty freshman 15 found it’s way to her body and she found herself (by the end of her sophomore year in college) the heaviest she’s ever weighed.

Her life took a different direction going into her junior year of college. A full time job fell into her lap so in order for her to finish her degree, she had to go to school after finishing an 8 to 5 job. For about 3 months, she wasn’t able to workout to the extent that she needed to and beat her last “highest weight”.

This now, young lady, felt defeated. She hated the way she looked. She hated the way she felt. She hated that she lost the discipline that she took so much pride in earlier in her life. There had to be a solution! A new YMCA opened down the road from her work. Since working out after work wasn’t an option (due to school) she only could do an early morning aerobics class. “Gulp,” she thought, ”I can barely get up in enough time to go to work!” She sighs and decides to give it a shot since it’s her only option.

So there she goes. At a mere 20 years old, getting to the gym at 6am Monday/Wednesday/Friday. Much to her surprise she loved the class! Even though she was the youngest attendee, she felt immediate camaraderie with the other students. Slowly, she started noticing her clothing fitting looser. After a few months, she steps on a scale to find that she had lost about 7 pounds! She continued going to the class not just because she was losing weight and feeling better, but because of the friendships she built in that class. She woke many mornings ready to hit the snooze button but thought of her friends that were also getting ready for class. The instructor of the class noticed her enthusiasm and passion for fitness and encouraged the young lady to get certified in aerobics. It wasn’t in the cards at that time so she put it out of her head.

The months turned to years and the young lady moved to a new gym. She picked up long-distance running in the summer and found her body change even more. Her love of fitness and helping others was back. She was gearing up for her wedding and had just finished her degree, so life was good. The young lady got married and she and her husband discussed future plans in regards to children and working. They both decided that it would be best for the girl to stay at home and raise their children but having a job in her back pocket would be a good thing.

The young lady  remembered the conversation she had with her previous aerobics instructor and even the times in high school and college when she encouraged women to take care of themselves. This aerobics thing just might be a good fit. She and her husband started praying about it—for about 2 years.

Her church finally built a new building in a nice neighborhood. One of her friends approached her and asked if she had any desire in starting up aerobics classes there. It didn’t take the young lady much time to make her decision as she had been praying about that for a while!

The fall of 2004 she stepped into her church’s multi-purpose room and instructed her first ever aerobics class. In January of 2005 she started teaching Pilates classes there as well. She maintained teaching classes in the evening while working during the day until she had her first child in December of 2006. In March of 2007, she quit her full-time job. In August of 2007, she started up morning aerobics classes at her church to other stay-at-home moms. She also started teaching Pilates at a local university. She has maintained this schedule even through her 2^nd pregnancy (June 2009)

She loves to share her story. People often tell her that she’s lucky that she’s so thin and that she has a high metabolism. She sighs to herself often and thinks, “If they only knew my real story; if they only knew the discipline in my life; if they only knew that I, too, struggle with making healthy decisions.” It’s a story of hard work and passion. It’s a story of frustration and achievement. It’s a story. And it’s her story.

This blonde-haired, talkative, happy little girl from a very small town who loved “Get In Shape Girls” and “Mouserize” found her niche. She found what keeps her moving; she keeps others moving. She lives. She loves. She presses on.

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” {Philippians 3: 12-14}