Thank you for having me! My name is Chloe Fusselman (or Chloe Warren on the blog, since my last name is a long one!), I’m based in Washington, DC, and I’m currently balancing a few different jobs and side hustles. By day I work in marketing at a consulting firm, run my blog on the side, and am about to finish up my training to become a Pilates Reformer instructor. I’m also engaged and planning a wedding on top of all that, so 2019 has been eventful to say the least! For me, life is all about balance – juggling three jobs while still making time for myself, staying on top of life’s to-dos while keeping my stress and anxiety to a minimum, and enjoying the city’s amazing food & drinks with my friends while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Once I stopped focusing on being perfect and getting everything done, accepting that life was always going to be a little messy, I felt like this balance was finally achievable.

Freedom! To me, wellness can’t be tied to any restrictive fitness/diet regimens or stress. As I mentioned previously, I feel that only when you throw away the concept of unrealistic expectations and perfection, you can feel truly free. I try my best with exercising, eating well, and balancing life, and that’s more than enough for me. Once I changed my mindset, everything else followed, and now I’m happier than ever.

This answer is a little outside the box and probably very TMI, but I feel like I have to share for other women who might be struggling like I was! Back in March, after being on birth control pills for over ten years, I made the decision to switch to an IUD, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. For YEARS I had struggled with bloating, random weight gain that I could not shake, and just feeling uncomfortable in my skin. I had tried literally everything, but never thought it could be tied to my birth control. Immediately after going off the pill, my bloating went down, I lost about 10 pounds, I felt happier, and just all around lighter. I’ve never felt better physically, and wish I had done this years ago! Please note that I’m not a medical professional in any way, and talked through all of this with my gynecologist – if you’re considering making the switch, of course discuss it with your doctor!

 I wish I could tell myself that I looked beautiful, fit, and healthy just the way I was, and there was no need to strive for anything different. I’ve always felt like I could be skinnier and more toned (as women, doesn’t society have that effect on us all?!), and remember experimenting with diets as young as 16. Looking back at that fun-loving girl who had much better things to worry about, like whether to go see She’s the Man or John Tucker Must Die for the third time, I wish she knew that she didn’t need to change a thing. I cannot even IMAGINE what young girls go through today with the pressure of social media and the impossible beauty standards of 2019, so I hope every girl has someone to tell them what I wish I could tell my younger self.

Take it one day at a time. I used to beat myself up if I ate a donut at work, thinking I ruined my newfound ~health journey~ all in one fell swoop! That would sort of have a domino effect, and then I would skip a workout, opt for takeout instead of healthy dinners, and think “I’ve already ruined this week, might as well just start again next week.” Now I take things one day at a time, so if I wake up and decide I need more sleep instead of going to a workout or pig out on queso at happy hour with friends, that’s totally fine – because tomorrow is a new day! Making small, achievable changes when you can, like opting for a salad on Postmates when all you want is pizza, are what eventually make up a lifestyle change. Celebrate each mini victory as it comes, be patient, and show yourself some love!