My Other Hobby and Love.....Exercise

UVA is not the normal college experience. The girls at UVA do  not gain the freshman fifteen and there were often times when getting ready for the gym was just as important as getting ready to go out on a Friday night. UVA is where I learned to hate and to love my body. I have struggled with my body image for a long time but know that the one thing that does make me confident is feeling strong after a great workout.


My reward for getting up at 5:30am every morning to workout….super cute gym clothes!


The summer between my junior and senior year of college I had a boring internship and an awkward living situation preempting me stay out of the house as much as possible. It was this summer that I ate less, worked out more, and lost 10 pounds. 10 pounds isn't a ton of weight but for someone 5'3" and already at a healthy weight it was a lot. When I went back to school I was complimented for my weight loss and it felt good. I knew that I could not continue with my unhealthy eating habits so I turned to exercise to keep the weight off. At this time my same elliptical and free weight routine became monotonous so I began to take classes. My spin and body pump classes my 4th year at UVA changed my life.

One day after a body pump class my roommate and I asked our instructor how we could get rid of the extra fat on our legs. Our instructor turned to us and said, “You are perfect. You need to enjoy exercise for how good it makes you feel, not how badly you want it to change you”. I had never considered how strong I felt after a class and how I actually had more energy in the day after a great workout. This one simple statement truly changed how I viewed exercise and my body.

My awesome bike which provides me with one of my favorite forms of exercise

I still struggle with body image, as I think most women do, but I truly love my time spent exercising. The time I spend outside running or biking helps me to clear my mind and feel ready to take on the day ahead. And the time I spend in my boot camp, body pump, and spin classes makes me feel strong and fuels my competitive spirit. While my relationship with food and exercise has been a difficult one, it has sparked my interest in nutrition, cooking and fitness. Stay tuned for more yummy and healthy cooking blogs to come.

My favorite exercise partner, Grace