About Me

5

HI and welcome to my little corner of the blogging world.  My name is Rachael and I am a 27-year-old research coordinator living in Worcester, MA.  I’m passionate about food, fitness, and living a healthy lifestyle.  I started Ready to Get Sweaty in November 2011 as a way of documenting my daily (well, almost daily) eating and fitness routines.      

The Early Years…

I have always lived a very active lifestyle, participating in dance and cheerleading. 

Senior Year Fall Cheerleading

Dance Competition

I have always been what you would call “average” although I wasn’t very happy with the way I looked or felt.  I never thought I really had to pay attention to what I was eating, because I was always so active.  I thought nothing of stopping at Wendy’s for their crispy “chicken nuggets,” drinking soda, eating bagels for lunch, skipping meals, or stopping at Dunkin for a breakfast muffin.  You get the idea. 

College and beyond…

I continued to stay active in college by joining dance team. 

I also managed to fit in a few ballet and hip hop classes for credit.  I would visit the gym every once in a while, but never on a consistent basis.  I maintained a healthy weight over the four years and never gained the infamous “freshman 15.”  Even in grad school I maintained a semi-healthy weight.  My clothes always fit and if they got a bit tight, I would just cut back on eating.   

This thought process continued even after graduating from grad school in 2009.  I was working over 60 hours a week, going out with coworkers during the week and on weekends and eating anything other than healthy.  In December 2010, I finally hit my limit and realized I needed to get ahold of my life again.

In January 2011, I joined Jenny Craig.  My parents had been on the program for a few months and had great results, so I thought why not.  I lost about 10 pounds in 7 months and felt great.  I was exercising on a regular basis and becoming more in tune with what I was putting in my body.  I even signed up for a 5K Mud Run (see post).  I was on my way to living a healthy lifestyle and becoming the best I could be. 

Today…

Today, I have no problem maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle, which includes food, fitness, friends and family. 

"FAMILY"

Friends

Friends

I’m a vegetarian and currently experimenting with a vegan diet.  I’ve learned to only surround myself with people who have a positive outlook on life.  And most importantly I LOVE the new life I’m currently creating for myself.   

January 2012

I hope you have as much fun reading along as I plan to have sharing with you! 

xo – Rachael