I fell in love with fitness almost 3 decades ago. As a child, I’d spend a few times every week in my grandmother’s bedroom doing my Barbie workout and Taebo tapes. That was in addition to hours of jumping double dutch outside with my friends. I was never considered small or skinny but I didn’t realize the importance of taking control of my health until high school. I moved to central New Jersey for high school and quickly realized how much I had taken for granted all the walking and outdoor activities I was used to in New York. Working out and making fitness a lifestyle wasn’t something we discussed growing up. My family is from the South; we liked fried food, butter, biscuits and everything smothered and covered. Once I started high school, my struggles with food and body image reared their ugly heads and kept me from doing a lot of things I loved because of my insecurities. The good part is they also fueled my desire to learn more about making a change and living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.