If you're looking for a no frills strength gym in Austin, be sure to check out Hyde Park Gym. Whether you're training for bodybuilding, powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting or strongman, this place has the equipment you need.

I had been training hard for the past year and a half before I decided to leave home. I had just come back from a year off work and I was slowly getting adjusted to training and working part-time. My numbers were going up and I was finally beginning to feel like I knew what I was doing. The gym no longer intimidated me. I felt strong. I felt empowered. And most of all I could snatch and clean and jerk. I had a routine and I loved it.

And then I decided to go on a trip of a lifetime and long-term travel.

Selfies can be therapeutic. Especially when you are a recovering self-hating girl who’s trying to find the beauty within herself. That’s me, a girl who is trying to love herself, a girl who is trying to reclaim her self-esteem.

I have negative body issues that I battle with every day. I've often been told that what I see in a mirror doesn't match how others view me. It used to be the case that with every photograph taken of me, it could make or break my day. A bad photo would leave me feeling vulnerable and shy. Negative feelings would take over and I’d start to feel awful about myself. But a good photo would cheer me up. It felt as if finally my outside matched how I felt on the inside: beautiful.

With so many arches to choose from within Arches National Park, Delicate Arch tops many people's list, including mine! I was so excited to find out you could hike to it. And with such a short hike, this made it very doable in a short amount of time.

Have you ever had someone tell you that you can’t do something? I have, multiple times. And each time my stubbornness has driven me towards action. It’s like someone lit a fire under my ass and I find the strength and courage to do what I have to do to prove them wrong. But when my own self-doubt creeps in, it is difficult to have that "prove ‘em wrong" mentality. Instead, I find my big ego cowering in a corner whimpering “I can’t.”

"Hiking eases my mind and allows me to take in the beauty."

Start at the Long Lake Trailhead and follow signs to Lake Isabelle. The parking lot only holds about 30 vehicles. Come early to avoid crowds. If you can't find parking, you can park at the Brainard Lake Recreation area, but this adds 2 miles to your total trip.

The trail passes Long Lake. The trail follows along South Saint Vrain Creek. When crossing Jean Lunning Trail make sure to follow signs for Lake Isabelle and Pawnee pass.

Summer is always on my mind. And even if it's freezing or raining outside I'm dreaming of ice cream, popsicles and ice cold beverages.

Luckily for me, I caught the tail end of the summer season here in Colorado and I've definitely been enjoying it. Sun here in Boulder means hiking and visiting the Farmers' Market every Wednesday to pick up my favorite bread and all of the fresh squeezed juice I can drink.

Last week I had this amazing alcohol-free basil mojito lemonade and it was perfectly refreshing!

"On this trip my mom reminded me that at any age you can surprise yourself, challenge yourself and even laugh at yourself."
- BOLD & FIT (Jen)

I honestly don't think my mom knows how truly wonderful I think she is. She worked her ass off to give me the life that she thought would provide me with the most happiness. She stressed the importance of honesty, kindness and a strong work ethic. She gave me independence at an early age and because of that I never wanted to let her down. And even though I've gone down a very different path than what she had imagined for me, she respects my decisions and knows that I'm happy.