March 2012: I believe in living the life for which my body is intended -- full of joyful movement, moderation, mindful nutrition, and new experiences! I'm currently training for my second Half Marathon and committed to a low carb / primal dietary mindset (with some adaptations for endurance exercise). I firmly believe that humans are meant to eat only real, whole, evolutionarily beneficial foods... with the occasional cocktail for fun. Humans, like all animals, have three main functions -- ...

March 2012: I believe in living the life for which my body is intended -- full of joyful movement, moderation, mindful nutrition, and new experiences! I'm currently training for my second Half Marathon and committed to a low carb / primal dietary mindset (with some adaptations for endurance exercise). I firmly believe that humans are meant to eat only real, whole, evolutionarily beneficial foods... with the occasional cocktail for fun. Humans, like all animals, have three main functions -- explore, eat, and get sexy. Sounds good to me!

June 2011: I'm gearing up for a healthy summer. My goals have totally shifted. I am NOT worrying about my weight or my pants size. Instead, I want to focus on taking in good fuel, working hard, playing harder, and loving myself. It's time for me to put energy into my top priorities: a strong body, a mindful lifestyle, and keeping myself in top condition before I start training in August for my Half Marathon.

October 2010: So it turns out that stress takes its toll, and I'm not feeling as fit or trim as I want to be. Two years ago, I would have said, "Oh well, can't change it -- pass the Ben and Jerry's." NOT THIS TIME! I've come too far and accomplished too much to ever go back. So I'm re-evaluating and getting myself back into gear. With discipline, determination, support, and self-care, I WILL do it. And in the meantime, I can get sexier, sculpted muscles and hopefully work my way from running a 5K to a 10K!

JULY 2010, One Year After Joining Spark: Being fit at healthy feels SO GOOD! I'm amazed and so incredibly grateful for all the changes that have come out of the past year on Spark and my 2 year journey to lose all the weight and be healthy.

Back in 2007, I was in a scary place -- 207 lbs, eating tons of pasta, french fries, processed food, and lots of desserts. I didn't exercise even close to regularly. I was somewhere between a size 16 and 18, although the 16's were a bit of a joke. I didn't treat my body with the respect it deserved.

I weighed 180-something when I joined SP in July 2009. Now, I'm at 157, with a healthy BMI of 23.9. I cook my meals from scratch from wholesome ingredients: fresh produce, local dairy products, healthy fats, and lean proteins. I still get my desserts, don't get me wrong, but now they're around 100-200 calories instead of 500! I exercise 6 or 7 days a week and I LOVE to be active. I'm a Half Marathoner, so running is my mainstay, but I really enjoy all kinds of exercise. Bicycling, hiking, Forza, dancing, walking, swimming, snowshoeing... I love it all!!!

Outside of the world of health and fitness, I'm the head of an after school program for at-risk girls. I'm also certified as an English teacher, but pickins are slim! I'm hoping to go to grad school soon to get my M.Ed in Special Education. I live with my amazing husband Miles and our kitty Oreo in the middle of a great city surrounded by friends, a growing artistic culture, mountains, and the Tennessee River. And since I love hiking, swimming, camping and bonfires, it's the best I could ask for!!

I'm always on the lookout for new Spark Friends -- I may have lost over 45lbs, but the Journey is far from over. I want to help others reach their goals, and find folks who can challenge me to achieve even more.

Read More About BTVMADS (Updated October 21)

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