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Two Meatballs: This Barre is Purrrrrrrre and Our Third Meatball!

June 17, 2015health, fitness, beauty, motivation, plus size, make up, hair, hairstylist, oribe, bumble and bumble, MAC Cosmetics, comedy, Paleo, besties, best friends, meatballs, exercise, life change, lifestyles,blasts from the pasts!, Coquette, dates galore, education, inspiration, Katie Manselle, love, luxury brand partners, MonifC, no shoes, outside of my comfort zone, Pure Barre North Raleigh, R+CO, randcohair, Reuben Carranza, salon family, samuel cole salon, sharing is caring, so much air humping, sticky socks, support, Third Meatball, Trying new things, v76, Zesttwomeatballsgetfit View all 4 comments

You guys (this is Sara)…I have found my exercise spirit animal, and it is Pure Barre North Raleigh.

I have been having the hardest time getting myself motivated to work out again! My stylist and buddy Natalie was doing my hair the other day and telling me the key to life is getting up at 5am and going to workout at a class and getting it done…having the rest of the day ahead of you. At the time it sounded like crazy talk! This is Sara from the future…Natalie!!! You were so right! #lifechanger

The girls at Samuel Cole Salon have been going to classes and Pure Barre specifially forever and I finally got begrudgingly persuaded into going. I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this but classes were my worst nightmare. I found the thought of them soooo incredibly intimidating! I talked myself into a tizzy over this last year of fitness and wellness that classes weren’t for me. They were for experienced, fit girls.

I convinced myself the instructors would yell at you and I would fall or cry or break my leg and knock myself out and lose all my front teeth or fly off an exercise ball and take out a row of old ladies!?! What a silly girl I am. So when Sandra had to unexpectedly leave town just as I was getting my healthy groove back AND Jenny was out of town for the Bee Wedding I had several realizations. #1 I am completely dependent on Sandra! It is such an amazing and challenging workout and I was in such a bad place for so long that I convinced myself that the once a week with her was enough. So when I got my shit back together I decided to start seeing Sandra twice a week #accountabilityiskey We made it through one week before she had a family emergency. #loveyouandyourfamilysandy I was feeling so connected again, I had to find a way to keep going! #2 I need a buddy, I am codependent as hell! #3 I hate wearing shoes…especially sneakers. #4 The world has a wonderful way of presenting you exactly what you need, exactly when you need it.

So reality came crashing down that I would be solo in the exercise game last week and I thought, Sara you better steel yourself up for this! Lauren, my next door neighbor at work and the love of my life,

said you should try Pure Barre. I’ll help you sign up! She walked me to the computer, we found a time together and it was a 6am class last Wednesday. Everything felt very fate. I worried about waking up, being on time, would I die…all the normal stuff! But we got there and Grogan was there too!!! I was feeling the love and support and it helped me feel comfortable and excited! Claire was our teacher and it was go go go from word go!

After lots of air humping, pulsing, bending and lets of tiny, controlled movements and music blasting, an hour flew by! Claire was so nice and encouraging and helped me understand how to do things!

An hour flew by and I survived! Grogan really pushed me to sign up for an unlimited month! So I did and she helped me download the app and I started signing up for so many classes. They have a 40 classes in 60 days and I want to see if I can do it! So, Grogan and I went back on Friday…at 6am! Today we had Kim! She was so challenging and supportive!

Haaaa!!! Look at that couch love! Her class was an ass kicker for sure! Then I did something I NEVER thought I would do…I went by myself on Sunday and met the sweetest, most lovely little Paige!

She gave me tips on how to do some things that I can’t physically do yet differently so I still get a good workout…I love modifications! I set myself up and everything and survived solo workouts!

Then I made it to number 4…reunited with Grogan on Monday!

So early, so ugly! Today was with Christina! She had a great energy and again was super encouraging!

You guyyyys!!!! I’m in love with this place and this lifestyle! Getting up early and going to bed early feels great. I have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m doing something, it’s booked, it’s in my calendar, and I don’t have to wear shoes!!!!!!!!!! I already feel better in my adorable new bathing suits from MonifC! I love this one piece and fringe fatkini!

I was oh so wrong about classes. The instructors have been amazing, this class style is so challenging and different. They are small classes and everyone is friendly. It’s so hard you don’t have the energy to see what everyone else is doing. And the warm up is the same. So the first day I felt like I couldn’t do anything and now I already feel like I am more capable…how motivating is that!? To the girls at work…I love you guys so much I could cry. Thank you for the support and encouragement and the glowing positivity! I really needed you and y’all were at the right place in the right time in my life!Love times a milly. Second, thank you Pure Barre North Raleigh…this has been life changing and such a happy edition to my life!!! Thank you to every single instructor and I can’t wait to meet everyone and for us to all fall in love. My goals is to hit 40 classes and to be able to eventual plank on my toes! Love isn’t a strong enough word! Sign up today, conquer your fears…its feels incredible! Here is some closing PB inspiration!

In other news I went on a thousand dates while my meatball was gone! My bff’er K Tizzle came to town and we Zested it up!

#alltheangles

Then I reconnected with my old partner in crime Lauren! We hadn’t seen each other in ages and I was giddy and nervous for our date…hahah!!! Lauren is the living embodiment of adorable

and down for anything! WE met at Coquette and I had the duck…it was gross.

We laughed and caught up on everything…i love reminiscing!

I literally didn’t want the night to end…Love you Lauren, can’t wait to do it again!

On the work front… my adorable sister and her kids came in to the salon!

We got the hot new summer products in from Oribe…could not be more obsessed!

This showed up in my Facebook time hop thing!

This was from Oribe’s La Fama in Miami 2 years ago…this was very motivating! Love these people!

Then a super inspiring stylist, Katie Manselle started at the salon! This woman is incredibly talented and such a gem! I love our growing family!

And finally…my meatball came home and we have been bonding our asses off! We are finally both in the same place in so many ways in the longest time!

Then, the cherry on the paleo PIE (get it Reuben?! winky face)…Reuben Carranza, President at Luxury Brand Partners and Group President of R+Co and v76 came back to the salon on Monday to give us all an inspiring class on branding! Reuben is the self proclaimed third meatball and we wouldn’t have it any other way. You may remember him from such posts last year as Two Meatballs: Is There a Cloud 10?!?!? We fell in love with this mogul from moment one…I mean look at us!?

I came in early to help set up for class

and when we saw each other it felt like a slow mo run in the airport! Reuben has a glow to him, a calm energy and a power! He is enigmatic and so engaging.

He looked great and said that he had started his own journey to health and lost 25 pounds since we last saw one another. Wahoooooo! This powerful, pop culture loving and busy man has been so supportive of this meatball adventure and we are so grateful and humbled! #lbpfamily He reached out to us today!

Haaaaa!!! But class and I’m guessing that you are sensing a theme with this post…was so inspiring and thought provoking and relevant and buzzy with good vibes and hilarious imagery!

Look at this man go!

I learned so much about how to remove myself from negativity and exploring what my reputation is! Reuben, I literally can’t wait to see you again in Miami. You are a treasure and we are so lucky to know you.

I feel like the universe has come together to put all the right people and support in place to help Jenny and I find the way again. And you guys, we are so thankful for each and every one of you who help us along the way. We will pay it forward. We love you all. I’ll be at the beach next week and then we will see y’all at weigh in! XOXO, I miss you guys already!

#whycantidoadeadface!?

Two Meatballs: How Much Fun Can Two Meatballs Have…A TON!!!!

January 9, 2015health, fitness, beauty, motivation, plus size, make up, hair, hairstylist, oribe, bumble and bumble, MAC Cosmetics, comedy, Paleo, besties, best friends, meatballs, exercise, life change, lifestyles,#tonoffun, ASICS, clients who are family, Empower Personalized Fitness Raleigh, Fleet Feet Raleigh, free sneaks, group fitness programs, losing weight as a community, Losing weight together, meatball nation, networking, out of the comfort zone...literally, parking lot workouts, raffles, Roots, sports bra fittings, support, swag, Ton of Fun, walking outside...what a concept, we got our own table at an event y'alltwomeatballsgetfit View all 6 comments

The wait is finally over!!! We’ve cleaned up the mess from the weigh in…

And January 3rd has finally arrived and the kickoff to Fleet Feet Sports Raleigh’s Ton of Fun was upon us! If you haven’t heard yet, this is a fantastic initiative started by Fleet Feet Raleigh to unite the community to collectively lose 2000 pounds…together! www.fleetfeetraleigh.com/tonoffun

You guyyyys, this was our first major event…where we had a booth!!!!! So exciting and we were so honored that they even wanted us to be a part of it!!! And we were kind of nervous all at the same time…what will it be like, what should we wear, ugh its raining and cold but we are going to be working out but need to look cute right!?…you know that kind of important stuff! #imablogger But we put our big girl workout pants on and and packed up our things and headed to the Wade Ave Fleet Feet!

We brought our chalkboard #sosmart, our most stunning before and after pic on a magnet board, our KC Batik #meatballnation tanks, we got little business cards made with all of our social media avenues printed on them #grown,

my kitchen table cloth, two sets of R+Co products to raffle off and our shiny bright attitudes and loud mouths…I’m not sure I realized that we only talk in yells!!! I mean, somebody look at this booth!

We got put right in front of the sports bras which seemed perfectly fitting (pun intended) and we were instantly distracted by all of the shopping that we wanted to do! #FOCUS

We were joined for the event by all the amazing coaches and fit specialists at Fleet Feet…

Paul from ASICS…

This little cutie, Jenn from Roots…

And the awesome group from Empower Personalized Fitness Raleigh…our next door neighbor booth…

After we set up and met everyone (and took a million pictures haha), we joined the group walk at 10am with coach Mary Ashley whom we instantly fell in love with and lots of lovely ladies!!! Walking outside is a total foreign concept to us!!!

While we were walking which btw…walking outside is amazeballs…hello nature…we ran into my client Catherine and her husband Harry #smallworld and our good buddy Nikki’s good buddy!!! I love a small big town!

It was so fun chatting it up with everyone and before you knew it the mile was over!!! #success

As soon as we walked back in I spotted my sweet client Karen…she was signing up for the challenge!!!

And getting fit for new shoes and checking out all the Empower Fitness has to offer!!!

Then I turned around and there was my sweet pal Meg…she also signed up for Ton of Fun and we talked about a paleo dinner night and yoga class for the blog!!! #letsdoit #someonetellLila

And then the entire Puckett clan showed up, signed up, got shoes and worked out! Love y’all!

Our buddy Natalie stopped by and signed up too!!!! #missyou

We had so many visitors and so much support from loved ones!!!

My sister dropped by and sweetly surprised us!!! Jenny has named her the President of our fan club! Then my super supportive parents came in and my dad even broke his ultra white New Balance obsession by getting a new pair of kicks!!!

#twinning #ilovewhenmyclientsmeetmyfamily

Speaking of new kicks…Paul from ASICS gave us both new shoes…our first corporate swag!!!!!!!! I’ve never been so in love with a colorful pair of shoes before!!! AND sooooo grateful!

We did not understand what was happening at all and were convinced that we had heard him wrong and that we would be accused of shoplifting haha…he came up and said I want you to try some shoes, give me your sizes. So he came back and said keep them! And we were like, and then give them back?!? Like test them out in this class and then return them!?!…it seemed too good to be true. We asked him to confirm a thousand times that he meant that these awesome new ASICS were living with us forever…AND THEY WERE! Ugh, thank you soooo much! #ASICSfanforlife

Then the ladies of Fleet Feet fit us for a new sports bra that they wanted us to test out…swag number two of the day!!! Ahhhhhhhh, everyone is so kind and y’all are really helping us get fit…in style!!! #icantstopbeingcheesy

Yayyyyyy!

Then the raffles began!!! Karen won a month of free classes at Empower and a pair of socks from ASICS…best day ever!

Sweet Sue won our prize!

Sue came in with her friend Petra and told us an awesome story about how they met! #hiphopdancingbesties

We joined these awesome ladies and our new pal Yolonda for a noon workout class with Empower! This class was no joke! Here is the before of our group!

Let me just say, it was freezing and raining…and we were working out in the most crowded parking lot in Raleigh…talk about outside of your comfort zone…but when at a Ton of Fun…

We did a self paced three round circuit. The first round you did each exercise 20 times, then 10 times and then finally 5! This was sooo hard…but the music was great and Tiffany walked us through the exercises!

Then we warmed up…#grapevine

And the competition began…whoever finishes first wins a water bottle!

Jenny got first and I came in second!!! We have come soooo far!

It was so fun participating in all the events and getting to know everyone. We are actually participating in the challenge to lose a ton of weight!!! So we both signed up and got weighed in!

And wrote down our goals for the next 12 weeks!

Ok now it’s time to hydrate from these ass kicking workouts! Time to visit Mary Ashley’s booth!

All of the sudden it was almost 2 and the day was winding down. You guyyys…sooooo many people showed up! I think in store they had 40 people sign up for the challenge. We met some incredible people and got to work with some really awesome folks. It is hard not to feel inspired to get fit and lose a ton of weight when you are surrounded by so many fitness advocates. It was also really cool to play both sides of the fence here. On one hand we were here to share our story and show that anyone can save their own lives and find their path to fit and to remind people that getting healthy takes a village. On the other hand we are literally participants in this challenge bc we are both still overweight and wanting another layer of community and accountability. The class and walk were amazing. Meeting so many people who are on the same journey and encountering the same post holiday struggles as we are was incredibly bonding. And to everyone that we know who came out to support us and this amazing program…we love y’all so much!!! Honestly it really means the world. And to everyone that we got to meet and had the pleasure of working with, being inspired by and working out with…we are so glad to add you to our circle of workout buddies and accountability partners. Jacob, Carrie and Natalie, Carter and everyone else at Fleet Feet, thank you so much for welcoming and embracing two loud, childlike nuts. This was a blast…it was literally a Ton of Fun!!! If you didn’t get a chance to come out, there is still time to sign up! http://www.fleetfeetraleigh.com/tonoffun

Another blurry pic courtesy of my delayed phone! #upgradeya Love y’all.

Two Meatballs: Don’t Worry TV…We Brought Our Own 10 Pounds!!!

December 9, 2014health, fitness, beauty, motivation, plus size, make up, hair, hairstylist, oribe, bumble and bumble, MAC Cosmetics, comedy, Paleo, besties, best friends, meatballs, exercise, life change, lifestyles,bill leslie, first tv appearance, Good Things, gravy, love, sammie cole, support, wraltwomeatballsgetfit View all 6 comments

Wellllll….it happened! We made our big tv debut on Wral!

I wanted to barf allllll day long on Friday…what did we say…how did we look…what pictures did they choose to use…how can we look thinner if the camera adds ten pounds!?!? Jenny called me around 2 and we decided…duh we should watch this together. So I brought some coffee and all my nerves over to her house at 5. We were both sweaty and soooo excited. Adorable Bill Leslie posted about the interview on his Facebook page and we just couldn’t wait!

That alone felt huge!!! So at 5:30, we turned the tv on to the news!!! Jenny’s daughter London was def not in love with this idea!!! She was jonzing for Peppa Pig…so we played some games to distract her!

We took some selfies to calm our nerves…bahahahaha!

Soooo many emotions; waiting is the living worst #anxiety…and then David Crabtree did the Good Things spoiler…

Ahhhhhh, this is really happening!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And then it happened!

We both totally failed at capturing each other watching each other on tv!!!

We couldn’t have asked for a better story. We had no idea the angle they were going to take and to focus so completely on our amazing friendship was incredible. We sat on the couch holding hands and I found myself getting really chocked up. Sometimes bc we live it every single day, you can’t see someone else’s perspective of the situation. We have an AMAZING bond and we really love each other so much. It feels so nice that someone captured that and was able to articulate it so well. Bill Leslie, we are so grateful to you for this gift and opportunity!!! Once the initial shock of it wore off we watched it again and were relieved! We looked great, sounded smart, were very true to ourselves (I could have been a tad less intense but what’s new there winky face). The pictures that they chose…we loved! Everything went great!!!!! And the outpouring of support on social media and in real life has been so humbling!

First tv appearance…check!!!! Thanks to everyone who tuned in and reached out. And thanks again Melinda!!! The next morning at the gym a guy recognized me…he said…were you on the news!?!!!!

My life is complete!!!! And Jenny’s clients on Saturday could not get enough!!! You guys are the living best. Now…Ellen should be calling any day right!!?? What better way to celebrate the greatest meatball accomplishment than getting all gussied up for our Samuel Cole Salon Education Team Christmas Dinner (I never know when to capitalize and when not to…i’m certain its not right but it works!). We got ready together and then headed over to Cara’s to scoop her up on the way downtown!

We walked into Gravy…we were the last ones which for the three of us is COMPLETELY unheard of but like every street was closed off dt! Can I just say, I love this group. We are all educators at the salon and we have such an awesome relationship…and amazing bosses! Our table wasn’t ready so we packed in at the bar and annoyed everyone around us with a million pictures….love this little sammie cole fam!

After two inspiring speeches from our fearless leader Jack and Joelle….

some cocktails and some cheersing…some of us with water…

Our table was finally ready!!!

The food was fabulous…just ask Jack!!! Bahahahaha…

The drinks were lovely…

But the company was the best!!! The stories abounded…the laughter never quits…

To everyone that we work with on the education team, Alley, Cara, Katie, and Carolyn…we love you guys so much. Teaching is such a gift and we couldn’t ask for a more fun group. It is a joy and a pleasure. Tonight was sooooo fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so lucky. Looooove y’all.

And to Jack and Joelle…thank you for the guidance, the love, patience,opportunites, the fierce conversations, the knowledge, the effortless leadership, the laughs and belief that we all had a teachers heart. #gratefuleveryday #sammiecoleforlife

We may have dabbled in a few desserts and risotto ball bites but we capped off the night with a few flights of stairs!!! #sorryiflashedyouguys Meatball nation is never far from our minds! Love you alllllllll….

xoxo

Two Meatballs: An Afternoon with Grandma Apple

June 13, 2014health, fitness, beauty, motivation, plus size, make up, hair, hairstylist, oribe, bumble and bumble, MAC Cosmetics, comedy, Paleo, besties, best friends, meatballs, exercise, life change, lifestyles,best childhood, Childhood, family first, history, life lessons, roomies, support, sweet grandmatwomeatballsgetfit View all 13 comments

I have written about her before, but for those of you who haven’t met Grandma Apple…she really is epic! Tuesday I wrote all about me and Kristina’s adventures in Little Washington with the Apples but did you know that both Kristina and I lived with our grandparents while we went to hair school…both in one bedroom houses…for a year…and LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT! My grandpa was still alive at this time and we had the living best time! Grandma would help me study for my test with flash cards but the answers were Medulla, Mandible or some other long, complicated nail disease. I would say the answer and she would say..I have nooooo idea!!! hahahahahha She packed me a lunch everyday and would ironed my scrubs. She even hemmed my pajama pants while I was sleeping bc she thought they were too long…#wherestheflood! She also insisted on doing my laundry and after three bleach washings I had all crotchless panties! #thanksgrandma

Last week out of the blue grandma called me which she never does and I happened to be next to my phone and answered it. She has the cutest, sweetest voice and I got my gift of gab from her. At first I was worried bc I knew she had had a violent stomach virus the week before and like I said she literally never calls! I said how ya been and she said you know I’ve been better which was hilarious. Then she said why don’t you come see me and bring me some tacos!!! I nearly fell out…you just had the worst stomach virus the world has ever seen and you want MEXICAN FOOD?! Farttttttt….but I would do anything for this woman. We have such an awesome connection and we always have.

So I road tripped it to Wilson where she now lives and walked in…two crunchy taco supremes in tow…to see this…

Janet Apple is COMPLETELY obsessed with The Big Bang Theory and more importantly Sheldon Cooper…banzinga! But no really she has their tv schedule memorized. I almost wet myself. She told me all about how a buddy from church rigged their Secret Santa so he could give her this…she is soooo loved. So onto lunch…

Look how happy!!! She is the most pleasant human ON EARTH! One thing to know about The Apple residence is that you have to bring your own food if you want to eat healthy! They have literally always had the cupboards , fridge, candy jar and freezer stocked with complete shit…which was super exciting as a kid but a slippery slope for this meatball! So I came prepared with those spicy ass chicken legs from last week…

And this to save my life…

But here is a glimpse into her processed food world…

There is always a candy jar full of treats! Grandma lives for peanuts, chocolate covered cherries, a “come” of ice cream, popcorn, saltines and milk, Hershey’s miniatures and peanut butter bread. I gained at least 20 lbs living with her…she used to make a pan of biscuits with every meal and we had a standing beer and pizza night! She definitely feeds you with love…and high fructose corn syrup! Anyway, I was not tempted in the least. Grandma Apple has always been concerned with my weight and used to find adorable little ways of putting us in the same boat so that we could “get healthy together” even though she is the tiniest human. She is sooooo sweet. So today when I walked in she said…how much have you lost and I said 42!!! To which she responded…I want it to be 100! Hahahahahaha me too girl. I have always loved going to this woman’s house and not just for the endless buffet of terrible snacks! She has such an appreciation for history. She is a great story teller and archiver…there are one million picture scattered around her house of the family that she loves soooo much!

And on top of that 1000 photo albums!!! Which is my personal heaven!!! There are crafts from loved ones…mostly my mom all around. The apple memorabilia is abundant. When I was little I spent a week at my grandparents and when I came home I told my dad…grandma taught me how to spell my last name…I was only 3 or 4 so he said ok lets hear it. I said A-P-P-L-E. My grandma thought it was the funniest thing…bc my last name is Beard!!!

She has all my favorite books and games from childhood and being at her house is the living embodiment of childhood! She would always let us play with everything and I certainly got my love of chintzy, colorful jewelry from this lovely lady…

I know that when I see her I will get some Grandma lectures and we will solve all the worlds problems. I could talk to her for days on her swing and rocking chairs on the back porch. She cracks me up, she is so bright and positive and fiercely loyal to her family. She had a flaming red puff ball of hair while I was growing up and I longed to be a redhead as well much to my own mothers dismay! I idolized my grandma and I still do to this day. We have been roommates at her house and every year at the beach and over the years we’ve become close friends…she trusts my advice and she knows I would do anything to help out. We’ve been through some tough times…Grandpa Apple passing, her sister losing her battle to cancer, Buddy Cat having to be put down and so much more but family heals all and we’ve been through so many more good times…so many family vacations, making little cities in the back yard, helping out with chores, graduations, sleeping on the back porch, going to the waterfront, laying out on the dock on the Pamlico Sound, singing MC Hammer with Kris on road trips, dancing to Iggy Azelia on the way to the beach, Unto These Hills and KOA campgrounds, watching PBS while they beg for money, watching family guy and king of the hill together, graduations, weddings, making Christmas candy with Kelly and Kris, 100,00 Heath Bar Blizzards from Dairy Queen, playing in the kitchen at the elementary school where she worked…but I know that the best is still to come!

We used to watch 60 Minutes together every Sunday and during the intro when they say I’m Leslie Stall, I’m Ed Bradley, I’m Morley Safer…she would always say…annnnnnd I’m Janet Apple and then make the ticking clock noise!!! This is one of the trillion reasons that I want to spend every waking minute with this sweet baby angel. How lucky can one girl be!?!? Grandma…you are the living best and I love you soooooooo much…no you hang up…no you hang up! #bestroomieever #snnnnnnakes #mush #oodlesofnoodles #heathblizzards #dominoesthegamenotthepizza #afghans #searscatalogue #rotaryphones #harlequins #paintbynumber #backporch #lifelessons #grandmaplaits #seemmelike #spitjar #badboysbadboyswhatchagonnado #Yankees #wheresmybelt #loveyoutoobob

Love you GiGi!

Two Meatballs: Pickled Meatball

June 9, 2014health, fitness, beauty, motivation, plus size, make up, hair, hairstylist, oribe, bumble and bumble, MAC Cosmetics, comedy, Paleo, besties, best friends, meatballs, exercise, life change, lifestyles,365 days without alcohol, binge drinking, drinking problem, fate, fitness, honesty, journey to health, lifestyle change, new friends, paleo, random acts of kindness, relationships, sobriety, support, Trader Joe'stwomeatballsgetfit View all 14 comments

Hiiiiiiii you guys!!! How was your weekend?!? My other half left for the beach yesterday!!! I’m so happy for Jenny that she gets to enjoy a week at the beach with family!!! Soooooo what’s the plan you say?!? I’m going to take over the posts for this week so she can really enjoy herself. What have I been up to…so nice of you to ask…This weekend I went to the gym Saturday and Sunday morning…check!

BAM

KABOOOOOM

This is my new favorite ritual…meeting my adorable parents and sometimes my sister at gasp…8am at the gym…on the weekend!!!

Oh how my life has flipped, turned upside down (do you see what I did there…fresh prince-in’ it up). Then we have breakfast at Whole Foods…what could be healthier?!

Just four months ago I would have been so epically over hung from a night out at Saints and Scholars that all I would have been capable of doing was eating Bojangles…main lining Diet Dr Pepper and hiding in my dark , freezing cave of a den…frequently napping and texting apologies to my friends and Victor, the owner of the bar for loud, inappropriate things I yelled and glasses I cheerfully smashed. I have always been a big drinker and quite frankly I never really trusted those who didn’t drink. I’ve briefly touched on this subject before. I don’t know if I’m an alcoholic but I do know without a shadow of a doubt that I have a drinking problem.

I’m your classic binge drinker…like everything in my former life this was just another excess. It’s safe to say that I was always the drunkest person in the room and I think the only reason I still have friends is that I’m a happy, fun drinker.

I don’t know anyone who had more fun than me in these pictures and in the moment…but the feeling the next day…to quote Jenny and Howard McLaren…wooooooooof! No one was more unaware of their limits than me! The regret, the guilt, the dress I barfed on in my sink, the actual hangover, the void in my bank account, the lack of a voice, the empty Cookout trays, the stranger in my bed, the inability to recover as quickly as I did when I was 18…oops I mean 21! This last picture is from Aruba on my 30th birthday. It was the best of times and it was the worst of times…We literally drank and smoked from 11 am to 3am for a WEEK! When I got home I felt like I was 130. I think my body was trying to prepare me for this ultimate fate…I was hitting rock bottom. But I’m the type of girl who has to put her hand in the fire and at the time I prided myself on not being a quitter…I persisted and just kept partying my ass off! My body had had it and at the beginning of this year I was sick for three months culminating in walking pneumonia…you guys…I GAVE MYSELF WALKING PNEUMONIA! Bc I couldn’t see the correlation between my partying ways and my declining health…probably because I was wasted! So when Jenny and I decided to change our lives, I knew I had to quit smoking (I only smoked when I drank…but I drank all the time!) And I knew the only way that was happening was if I quit drinking. I told myself…just for a month so you can really focus on getting healthy. Well a month flew by and I was shocked to find out two things…one I didn’t miss it…like at all and two I felt one trillion times better! Today is my 120th sober day. I feel amazing…I genuinely don’t miss it and am not bothered or even tempted in the least being around others who are drinking. Who am I?!? I believe so strongly that everything happens for a reason so I’ll close this story with this little coincidence. Last week I decided that I was going to give up drinking for a year. My boss sent me a link to a blog where a woman my age who I totally relate to gave up alcohol for a year. I hadn’t really started taking about it bc I wasn’t sure I wanted to commit…I had told a few clients and a handful of coworkers…but I still just didn’t know. So Saturday I went to my Mecca…Trader Joe’s. I stocked up on lots of healthy food for the week and even splurged and got some beautiful fresh flowers…fresh flowers are my favorite!

As I was checking out, Jackie whose line I had been in a handful of times, was so pleasant and just chatting it up about everything in my cart. She then slid my new obsesh…raspberry lime sparkling water over the scanner and said don’t you love this!? I felt an overwhelming urge to tell her about my newly found sobriety…so I did. And to my amazement she began to tell me about her own success…she had been exactly a year on her own journey! How cool for her to confide this huge milestone to me…a relative stranger. But this one small exchange between two people helped me solidify my plans for my own year without alcohol. Then she became even cooler and almost made me cry…she leaned over and quietly told me that my flowers had been taken care of by Trader Joe’s to celebrate the good news. So to Jackie…congratulations and thank you soooooo much for opening up to me…it happened at just the right moment, and thank you soooooo much for my flowers!

Who needs another reason to love Trader Joe’s?! But there it is. So many things have happened since Jenny and I started on our journey to health but what keeps getting reaffirmed for me literally everyday is that if you are honest and open…there’s no telling all the wonderful people and stories you will find. Xoxo Jackie! And here’s to the next 245 days of clean living. Love you all!!!!!

Two Meatballs Get Fit

We had so much fun getting fat together. Now we're going to have even more fun getting fit!

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