Hi there! I’m Erica , the writer behind the Weights + Wanderlust blog.

I began this blog as a fun way for me to share my story, ideas and experiences. But it’s about so much more than that.

I believe that women can be active, healthy and happy at any age, size or budget.

And I wanted to create a place where we can talk about our fitness adventures together and have fun doing it.

My Fitness Adventure

After several years of being stuck in the weight gain-loss-regain cycle, my fitness adventure began. By June 2010, I had hit an all-time high of 285 pounds. A shocking number to see flashing back at you, yes. But was it my big motivator? No.

You see, as a formerly active chick, I was disillusioned just enough about my weight. I knew the fit me was still inside — after all, I could still do plenty of activities, like hiking hills and climbing multiple flights of stairs. When I looked in the mirror, I could see my heavier self, but it felt more like I was the fit me trapped inside a fat suit. (Clearly, my body image needed some work, too.)

Then came the day I wanted to buy new jeans. I’ve never been big on shopping, and I pretty much shopped at one poplar plus-size store that occasionally had great deals. I grabbed a few pairs of jeans, locked myself away in a dressing room, and got to trying them on. Only…they didn’t fit. They were too snug. So snug that I couldn’t button them. Which lead to a heartbreaking realization: size 28 was no longer going to cut it. And size 30 wasn’t carried in stores.

I left that day without any new jeans. What I got instead was renewed determination to kick some serious scale.

I spent the next 3 years fixing my mindset, improving my body image, trying new exercises, getting consistent, eating better, learning to cook some simple meals, becoming a runner, building muscle, and finding natural ways to fuel my fitness adventure. Sure, I had my share of plateaus and setbacks. But by June 2013, I had lost 123 pounds.

I’d love to say that I kept all that weight off, but I didn’t. In March 2014, I left my job to start my own freelance writing business. It’s been one roller coaster of a ride, and that first year in business can consume your life ﹘ and your all around wellness.

So here I am now, getting back to caring for and loving myself. And what’s a weight loss story without total transparency? I’ve gained what I call the Freelancer 50 and lost all the muscle tone, strength and endurance I had worked so hard to achieve. It often feels like I’m starting from scratch, but I’ve done it before, and I can do it again.

Where does the wanderlust come in? Glad you asked. I’m a bit of a free bird, and next to making up my own workouts or tearing up some muscle fibers, exploring is my favorite thing to do. It’s something I incorporated into my fitness adventure as I explored my new home of San Diego by foot, bike and car.