Today on this International Women’s Day, I would like you all to meet my fabulous, fun-loving friend, Lacey! She is such a happy, positive ball of energy, and I know you will be inspired not only by her health and fitness journey but also by her amazing sense of style. Be sure to also check out her Instagram feed and her blog.

• What types of weight struggles have you faced throughout your life?
  

Like many other women, I’ve struggled with the ups and downs of my weight. My entire childhood and teens I was considered overweight, but in my 20’s I fluctuated the most. Lose 30, gain 40. Lose 10, gain 15. Nothing I ever tried lasted long. Something that I’ve never shared with anyone except for close friends is that I grew up in a home with a mother who struggled with her own weight issues. Bulimia and Anorexia. Our cupboards were always stocked completely full of chips, donuts and brownies. My mom would always have dinner ready for our family, yet she never ate with us. Nobody else in my family struggled with their weight in the way that I did which made me feel like an outsider. We all ate the same things, I was just the one who had very little self control and would overindulge and had zero knowledge of what “healthy” really was.

• What was the singular moment that made you want to change your lifestyle and focus on your health?
  

I was so incredibly uncomfortable in my own skin. I was at the point where I did everything I could to not leave my house. I was wearing my maternity pants two years after my twins were born, and they were so tight they would give me a stomachache just wearing them. I didn’t want my husband to look at me undressing, and I just finally reached my breaking point. I wasn’t LIVING, and I sure as hell wasn’t setting the example for my daughter that I swore I would. I’ve been asked this questions many times, and the SHORT answer is: When you’re ready…you’ll know it. And there’s nothing that will stop you. Losing weight takes a lot of self control and is really hard….but NOT living your life because your uncomfortable in your own body is even harder to face.

• What was the biggest struggle at the beginning of your health journey in 2018?
  

I think my biggest hurdle was trying to find the right types of foods that were healthy and actually fueling my body in a way that made me feel good and gave me energy. I struggled for years with inflammation pain in my back. So listening to my body and lots of trial and error had to happen for me to find the foods that were best for me.

• How much weight have you lost altogether, and what have you learned about yourself throughout your health journey?
  

I’ve lost 60 pounds. I just realized that together, if I were to pick up my twins, that would be the equivalent to 60 pounds! Trying to imagine carrying them around for a long period of time would quite literally break me! I’ve learned that I can do hard things. If I set my mind to something, and if I want it bad enough….I can do it, and that makes me super proud.  

• What went into your decision to get orthodontic work as an adult?

My teeth have always been my biggest insecurity. I never even wanted to let anyone know how much I was actually embarrassed to smile because I didn’t want to bring anymore attention to them. I’ve learned over the past year that if you are truly unhappy with something…YOU have the power to change it. I look back at my weight journey when I started, and it feels like just yesterday. I know 9 months from now when I have these braces taken off, I’m going to be so happy that I no longer have to cover my mouth with my hand when I smile or laugh. It’s amazing really, how much bigger I smile even now, only one month into my braces journey. I’m totally embracing this awkward journey of adult braces. Pun intended 😉

• How did you get into the art of hand lettering and sign making?
  

After I had my twins, I was thrown into this world of being a stay at home mom. I felt isolated and lonely. I’ve always loved art and being creative, but never in a million years did I think that I could turn my passion into a side hustle. While my boys slept, I doodled. Lettering was incredibly therapeutic to me so I practiced and tweaked it all the time. I was invited to a baby shower, and with super low funds available now as a single income home, I decided to head out to the garage. I pieced together a sign with scrap wood and made my very first sign. From that point on, I was hooked. I connected with people and formed new friendships during the sign making process and carved out “me time” alone in my garage.

• Do you plan to start selling your signs again anytime soon?
  

I’ve created over 500 custom hand lettered signs, & I’ve loved doing them all! Knowing that someone trusts me to create something so special for them was such an honor! However, the second my boys became mobile….it was a whole new game. It became harder and harder to fulfill my orders, and signs were beginning to take over my most important job. Being a mom. I could see myself creating custom signs again when my boys are in school and I have a couple of hours to myself each day.

• What is your favorite home DIY project you’ve completed?
  

This is a hard one! I’d say it’s a toss up between the skinny shiplap wall we built in our living room, and the breakfast nook we built out of scrap wood in our kitchen!

• Where did your Instagram name/blog title come from?
  

I wanted to choose an Instagram name that represented me as a WHOLE. I had chosen names in the past that put me in a box, like @laceyletters. I’m so much more than just lettering. I’m a mom, wife, fashion lover, awkward dancer, health advocate, friend, artist and #allthethings. I treat my Instagram as my personal diary, that I share with the world, haha! SO! That being said, Ponderosa is my roots. It’s the name of the street I grew up on for 18 years. It’s fond memories of my childhood. Climbing trees and exploring. Plaid is my hubby! Because….well, he’s always wearing plaid 😉

• What advice would you give someone who wants to take charge of their own health and wellness?

It’s never too late. Start right now. You’re going to look back at yourself one year from now and be SO GLAD that you made the choice to put yourself first.