About Me!

Hey, I’m Jaclyn!

Yo.

I work out.  I eat.  It’s great.

I’ve struggled with my weight my entire life. In 2005 I lost 70 pounds on a low calorie diet combined with moderate exercise. I also got really, really sick because of what turned out to be too-rapid weight loss based on a much too low fat diet. Who knew?! I was 21. I was barely even a real person yet.

Over the next five years I gained about 40 pounds back for a variety of reasons; carelessness, laziness, jerky guys, stress, and so on and so on. I finally rediscovered my motivation at the tail-end of 2009 after a very jarring life change and I got myself in gear. I started out the way I did all those years ago, with rock-bottom calories and the elliptical. I took off 33 pounds and when I hit a plateau in March of 2010 I began looking for changes I could make that would help me break the plateau; I quit drinking diet sodas (and caffeine in general, for the most part), I switched from a super low-cal diet to a more wholesome, clean, whole foods-based diet, and turned my dedication to exercise waaaaaay up.

I’ve been a vegetarian for 15 years I’m a newfound omnivore and I’m enjoying all of the new foods I can eat, cook, and share.  I eat fats, cook with butter and olive oil, eschew diet foods and artificial sugars, and drink a lot of water.  I quit drinking diet soda in March of 2010 and it was one of the best things I ever did for myself.

I work out 5-6 days a week at the YMCA and I love going to group classes–spinning, Body Pump, interval/circuit training, yoga, and Pilates have all helped me make my body stronger and healthier and I sincerely enjoy exercising (or at least the way I feel afterward) and I’m glad it’s part of my every day life.  It was a long time coming.

My ultimate goal (regarding health and fitness) is always to intuitively eat what feels right, exercise, and maintain a healthy weight, without feeling deprived. I’m not perfect.  I maintain pretty healthy eating habits on the day-to-day, but I have a cupcake with my best friend at least once a week and I’ve been known to drink two (or ten) margaritas in one night.  That being said, I keep it all balanced now.  I still have weight I could lose (and intend to) but my body is happy and I’m more comfortable with myself than I have been in a long, long time.  Since I restarted this whole thing at the end of 2009 I have definitely come a really long way with my thinking, thanks to some great friends and my own personal dedication to changing my habits. Aside from keeping myself honest, I’m really hoping I can help and entertain people the way my favorite bloggers have helped and entertained me.

Aside from all that health jazz, I live in Orlando, I’m a native Floridian, I have a day job schooling college students in English and Creative Writing at a private university, two awesome (and ridiculous) cats, some fabulous friends, and deep personal love for LOST, Harry Potter, Tom Waits, and more writers than I have room to mention. I eat chocolate almost every day.

Please email me at jaclynworksitout@gmail.com with any questions or comments. I look forward to hearing from you!