After years of failed attempts at unhealthy yo-yo dieting, every diet program available, and a national makeover television show Mary Alexander took matters into her own hands.  The results?  A complete body and life transformation.

My life-long struggle with weight and body image turned out to be a gift.  It became my life's passion --figuring out smart ways to eat and work out for optimum results and increased self esteem.  I spend my days figuring out ways to get the biggest bang for my calorie buck.  I've worked hard at this because I've always had to.  Now, I work hard at it because it just makes sense and it works.  It will work for you too.

The Past:  For me, weight management was a struggle from the time I was 10 years old.  My closet fluctuated from a size 2 to 22, back and forth in both directions at various points.  The total weight gain was gradual but it just kept creeping up until one day I realized that I had enough.  I deserved to be fit and healthy. 

212 (aka “Area Code”): All New Yorkers know 212 as the original New York City area.  To me, 212 & Area Code were my nicknames.  At the age of 21, my weight had climbed to an alarming 212 pounds!  Because it was so hard to believe we began to poke fun at it.  (it doesn't seem so funny now, by the way...) -- and right then, my new nickname Area Code emerged....

The vision of a 5 foot tall, 212 pound, 21 year old is a painful but embedded memory that I rarely shared with anyone outside of my close network until now.  Something I kept inside, ashamed, as if I had committed a crime.  At 21 I set out to lose the weight.  I did.  However, it sent me on a spiral downward where I couldn’t be thin enough and it became what I’ll call my toxic body image 20’s.

I spent the first 20 years of my life overweight.  I spent the second 20 years struggling to keep off the weight, using every method possible…..from very low calorie dieting, to various well known diet programs, to finally getting trapped with an eating disorder that sucked the life out of me.  You name, it I’ve tried it.  The truth is, after getting a taste of what thin felt like who would want to be fat again?!  I sure didn’t. 

The Present:  As I head into the next 20 years it’s as if I’ve awakened.  I am disciplined, I am smarter, I am finally at my healthiest weight and BMI.  I am fit!  I eat right!  My work outs empower me because they make me stronger!  The gorgeous body you’ll get is the bonus…... ….always remember that.

I created Get Into Fitness to help you avoid the negative body image traps, to get fit and live your life in a healthy and successful way (body and mind). 

Always remember….It's a matter of control and balance and you’re the one in control.

The Future:  Features YOU!  Get into it, today!

….Balance, peace and love.
Mary

The Photos:
I've finally come to terms with my before pictures.  There I was, eating all the wrong foods while trying to deal with my daily stress and before I knew it, I ballooned to my former overweight self -- once again.

I remember shopping for this new bikini for my first beach trip with my daughters (ignoring the fact that maybe I shouldn't be wearing one) until I got to the beach and was terrified to remove my shorts!  One sunny morning, as I was pushing my daughters on our backyard swing set I thought, “what am I doing to myself?” "what kind of role model am I going to be to them".  That's when I made a decision.  I set out to transform my body and mind.  I taught myself discipline.  I made smarter choices and became physically and mentally stronger.  I did it and you can too.