My weight gain, like many women experience, was gradual — a few pounds in college, a few more in law school. My weight continued to increase steadily, and I weighed much more than I had dreamt of for my wedding day. I remember tearfully telling my best friend that I couldn’t believe I weighed 170 pounds. Despite trying everything from Atkins to Weight Watchers, the scale continued to climb, and to my shock and horror, one day I hit 208 pounds.

After losing close to 100 pounds, I was featured as a weight loss and fitness success story in Good Housekeeping Magazine and I was inundated with people messaging me to ask “how did you do it?” I started answering all kinds of questions on Facebook, and eventually became known as FBJ (a nickname which was short for Facebook Jillian, after Jillian Michaels as I was always trying to encourage and inspire people to lose weight and to get fit and healthy.) It took on a life of its own and I created a separate Facebook page called FBJ Fit where I give fun, funny, but firm fitness and diet tips and advice to thousands of followers.