Where’s the best place for listeners to connect with you?: Instagram @getfitagain.ang

Describe your weight loss journey.: I grew up child of a single mom, lots of quick, easy meals, fast food, tons of food around holidays, but also super active playing sports year round. As I got older, metabolism slowed down, got an office job, the weight packed on. Would lose some, gain it back and some. It wasn't until 2017 I ended my relationship at the time and finally began my weight loss journey. At my heaviest recorded weight I was 319 lbs. Started lifting about a year and half into it and fell in love - got my NASM CPT, worked in a supplement shop. Hit my goal of losing 120lbs in 2020 and have been maintaining ever since. Injured my back summer of 2021 and had to relearn (and still learn!) about being active in other ways and am reshaping what it means to be healthy and active for me.

What’s a skill you developed as a result of working through your weight loss process?: Reading and understanding nutrition labels, consistency and building simple, daily, mindful habits, being confident and unafraid to try new things regardless if I've done it before.

What has that skill led to outside of weight loss?: Building those consistent daily habits in all aspects of my life - routine helps my mental health a lot! And just the confidence and knowing now that even if you try something and fail, it's not really a failure - whether that's weight lifting, moving somewhere new, trying a new hobby, etc!

What advice would you give to someone working through their weight loss journey?: Don't forget how far you have come, celebrate even small victories. Make sure you have a reason for your health overall, not just the number on the scale. Do not let anyone else's journey be a scale to measure your own journey against - inspiration not competition.

What's something most people don't know about you that has nothing to do with weight loss?: Let's see some random stuff - I work in a 911 call center (and love what I do!), I'm an only child, I was a SUPER picky eater who never ate fruits and veggies growing up, I have my bachelors in English and a grad program degree in book publishing and editing.