My name is Melanie and I am mommy to Xavier, 3 years old, and Miarie (Mia) who is 6 months old. I was born and raised in Hawaii but moved away to Las Vegas in 2000 to attend UNLV where I obtained a degree in Finance. I met my husband there and in 2007, at 8 months pregnant, the Army relocated us back to the islands. We just recently bought a home in Kamakana at Hoakalei near Ocean Point in Ewa Beach but class time there is just too early for us so we attend CORP and Kapolei on Wednesdays.I was never athletic growing up so in high school I started working out. Do you remember buns of steel (hahaha)? I did it all. Exercise has been a passion since then. Over the years I became interested in women's body building and would like to one day enter a competition. I tend to focus on low-repetition, heavy weight exercises in the gym and so it is actually very challenging for me to do lower weight, higher repetitions/longer duration holds in Joni's awesome Wednesday class.
I used to be an AVID Stroller Strides mommy with Xavier around 2007-2008ish and I loved how SS pushed me beyond my comfort level (and still does). I gained 50 pounds (yikes!) with my first pregnancy and could not believe I gained that much weight and I was determined to take it off. Going to the gym alone wasn't working so when I joined Stroller Strides at that time I actually shed off all the weight and then some.Being pregnant for the second time I continued to work out at the YMCA and tried to keep my weight gain to a minimal. But lo and behold I again gained 50 pounds. I am so glad I rejoined Stroller Strides. In just a few weeks, I already feel my body transitioning and my energy level increasing I have never done so much SQUATS in my life as I have done in these past few weeks...I can't believe I can still walk:) Everyone has been so motivating and I appreciate that cheering on one another is encouraged so much. I hope to one day keep up with everyone, lol.
