You don't have to be a size 2 to be sexy.

As much as I care about my appearance, gym time has never been a priority to me. I'm not a "gym girl." You're not gonna catch me at the gym at 6 a.m. lifting weights and doing crunches. That doesn't mean I am an advocate for being unhealthy, it just means that's not my thing.

I don't believe you have to be a size 2 to be sexy. I don't think a flat stomach and abs make you any more beautiful of a person.

I'm the girl who orders dessert at restaurants. If you bring bread to the table, I'm probably going to eat that, too. Some people know me for my love of processed sugars and snacks, my office is stocked with candy and people have joked that my nickname should be "Skittles."

Am I making the most healthy choices? No. But if you're one of those "ditch the Skittles and try eating strawberries instead" types, move along, because the two are not interchangeable. Life is entirely too short to skip out on the snacks.

Nevertheless, whether you're a size 2 or 22, the Skittles will eventually catch up to you.

And that's where I am.

I've never been "overweight" and I've never struggled with having to face real weight loss. But I started noticing that some of my favorite clothes were fitting just a little too tight. Pencil skirts and fitted dresses were ditched for jeans. I went from shopping consistently to skipping out on new clothes just because I knew what I was facing. I started looking at myself in the mirror with negative thoughts about my appearance, which wasn't anything that had really bothered me in the past.

I had visited gyms in the past, but it never lasted more than a week. I felt like I wouldn't make any progress in a gym full of equipment I honestly didn't know how to use anyway. And the idea of a personal trainer sounded more like boot camp.

Just as I had been considering some gym options, Shine Cycle Fit Co. opened in Sevierville with cycling/spin classes and barre classes. They offer your first week of classes free and since the studio was brand new, I thought it couldn't hurt to try it out.

I showed up with ZERO spin class experience. For the first time, I walked into a "gym" and didn't feel like the whole place stared at me. This isn't your typical gym. It's a studio, the lights are better, the style is better, the smell is better (this place has NO GYM SMELL), the environment overall is just better. I had no idea how to set up my bike or clip in, and people jumped up to help me.

When I thought about spin classes, I imagined a room full of size 2 sorority girls fully decked out in expensive workout gear. It has actually been quite the opposite. People of all sizes and fitness levels show up. People wear everything from Lululemon to their old high school t-shirts, and no one cares. No one is watching you when you're struggling to keep up.

Most people who know me would say I don't put myself first all the time. But one of the best things I've done for myself is dedicate an hour of my day, just a few days a week, to something besides a computer screen.

If you're local to Sevierville, Tennessee, come try out Shine Cycle Fit Co. with me. If you're not local but you're feeling the same way, try one of your local cycling classes. It has been a game changer for the way I feel about myself.

If you made it to the bottom of this post, thank you for reading.