Hello blog world! I have arrived!

Welcome to the dancing diva! This is my first blog and I hope you may enjoy reading what I have to say. I will give you a little introduction about me so you can know me a little better! First of all I'm 20 years old (almost 21!!) and I reside in the los angeles area. I have always been a dancer but I didn't start ballroom until I was eighteen. Let me tell you....it CHANGED MY LIFE!

First of all I spent my childhood growing up as the tubby girl..no not tubby..just plain old FAT. From the ages nine through seventeen, I probably gained and lost over 100lbs. I was always yo yo dieting. I have tried every diet you could imagine. I gained weight on weight watchers because there were too many treats, I lost on Jenny Craig but gained back that weight and more once I stopped eating their food. And when I wasn't on those programs I did low carb or low fat and I would eat so little that I lost weight fast but would gain it back the instant I ate like a normal person. Anytime I would reduce calorie intake too much it would be a given I would start bingeing almost instantly.

Everything changed when I started dancing..just dancing alone I started to lose weight from the extra exercise I was getting. (growing up I was very lazy and HATED to exercise.) Being around all the hot dance professionals I realized it was time for me to start dieting again and try to get in the best shape I could. It was different this time though because I knew I had to do it the right way and it all started with Hungry girl. I started getting their emails and I started working on my cooking and tracking my calories and the weight came off right away. I tweaked her recipes and made a few of my own and all the sudden it was easier then ever.

It's two years later now and I have taken off 35lbs and kept it off since then. I finally found out food wasn't my enemy and to listen to my body. I eat very clean foods and try to cook as many of my own meals I can so I know what I'm eating. I cook for my family now and have even helped my mom shed the extra pounds she had been carrying around. Along with that I joined a gym and now I try to go four to five times a week and I really enjoy it.

I now dance competitively pro/am. I am staying an amateur for as long as I can but I fully intend on going professional in the next few years because there is nothing I would enjoy more then teaching others the joy of dancing. I currently work as a retail associate in the best chidrens boutique in beverly hills. And on my free time (which there isn't much of) I love hanging out with my friends, going out, and doing all the things twenty year olds do is LA!

I am not here to guide anyone in life or or give expertise on weight loss or fitness or anything. (cause im no expert) I am just hoping that my knowledge and success with weight loss and cooking might inspire you in anyway. Feel free to as me any questions anytime. Comment or shoot me an email at the.dancing.divaa@gmail.com. Hope you enjoy reading my blog I will post daily with eats, dancing, exercise and, daily craziness that is my life.

xoxo
Lauren.