About Me

**Current picture**

 Hi!  My name is Tina and I'm a wife, boy-mom, runner, and fitness enthusiast.  I work daily to find a balance between my hectic life and a healthy lifestyle.  Growing up I was always active but never really paid much attention to my nutrition.  At that time, I just didn't know any better.  After getting married and starting my family, I quickly started to add weight and became more unhealthy and depressed.  After the birth of my second son, I decided that enough was enough. I didn't feel like myself.  I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I had heard a lot about a Beachbody program called Insanity.  So I decided to give it a try along with running.

My first 5K

The Insanity program was amazing.  Yes, I did feel like I was going to die at first. :)  But I was 30 days into the 60 day program and I was already seeing changes in my body and fitness level.  It was also improving my running stamina.  However with all of this additional activity, I started making a lot of trips to the chiropractor.  I knew that something wasn't right.  The doctor finally decided to take some x-rays and I found out that I was going to need back surgery.  It was devastating.  All of my activity stopped.  The depression and anxiety about my upcoming surgery got worse.  I'm an emotional eater and at this point I was turning to food more than ever.  In August of 2012, I had spinal fusion surgery.  My last two vertebra were fused to my tailbone with support of rods and screws. The surgery was really hard on my body. I did not recover quickly and struggled through physical therapy multiple times a week. I was severely depressed.  I cried A LOT.  I thought I would never find myself again.


One day I was looking back on pictures from that Christmas and I made a decision. I could sit around feeling sorry for myself, hiding from the world, and making excuses or I could suck it up and push myself harder than I ever have in my life. 

So I started pushing. Almost 5 months after my back surgery in January 2013, I signed up to walk the Pittsburgh Half Marathon. At that time, I couldn't even walk a mile without dealing with horrible pain, so this goal seemed insane. I had friends that tried to talk me out of it, but I didn't listen. I am SO glad that I didn't. With the support of my amazing family, in May 2013 I walked all of those 13.1 miles with a very dear friend and my wonderful mom.

2013 Pittsburgh 1/2 Marathon (I am SO upset I don't have a finish picture with my mom.)

I cried as I crossed the finish line. If I would have asked that girl in the Christmas 2012 picture if she could have done it, she would have laughed in my face. But I did it! I realized at that point that I could do anything. I have taken control of my body again.  I started to try running again.  I started using Beachbody's Les Mills Pump program to gain some strength back and I connected with an amazing Beachbody coach.  I joined her challenge groups and found myself really enjoying it. After the life changing impact that the Beachbody programs and community had on me, I decided that I wanted to pay it forward.  I decided to become a coach as well. I wanted to be able to inspire others. I wanted to be able to tell someone, 'Look at me! If I can do this, ANYONE can do this!'. And I continue to make goals and push myself.  I started P90X3 in January of 2014.  I have seen amazing changes in my body and strength.  In May of 2014, I ran my first half marathon.  It was a struggle.  I still deal with back issues.  I had to stop more times than I planned but none of that matters because I did it! 

My story is far from over. I still have so many goals for myself. But any time I start to get frustrated or feel like giving up, I just look back on how far I have come, all that I have accomplished, and realize that there is NOTHING that can stop me!  If you are reading this, please know that you CAN do this too.  You can have your own success story.  Believe in yourself!  That is my mantra.  I will believe in myself. I will continue to try my best to help others do the same!