I’m ecstatic to introduce you to our first Texas Strong Woman of the Month, Meg Ramsey.

Meet Meg Ramsey

Meg was a close friend of mine at Texas A&M, and, I think it’s safe to say, we have both come a long way since our wild and rowdy days in College Station. Embracing a protein-packed vegan diet, she has been passionate about nutrition and fitness as long as I’ve known her, eventually becoming a trainer and getting into cycling after college.

Originally from Wichita Falls, Texas, Meg currently lives near Nocona, with her husband, teenage stepdaughter and 1-year-old son. Her passion for fitness and nutrition? Well, let’s just say, she ran with it.

#texasstrong Woman of the Month

Favorite title(s) for yourself

My favorite title is actually one some of the runners club members have for me. “Bab” for “bad ass b****.”

Your toughest lesson or challenge

Throughout high school I was called fat every day, usually several times a day, despite the fact that I was a perfectly healthy weight.

Eventually, I became convinced that the person I saw in the mirror was fat and began throwing up. My doctors, my family and myself were convinced acid reflux was the problem until an endoscope revealed that there wasn’t anything physically wrong to explain my vomiting. I continued to believe I was fat and continued throwing up after meals for years.

In college, a boyfriend challenged me to overcome this battle by convincing me that it was a weakness. I am not one to take being called “weak” lightly. So I confronted my problem and, for the most part, discontinued this behavior.

Unfortunately, I still believed I was fat and continued to have an unhealthy relationship with food. It wasn’t until I was pregnant with my son that I decided I needed to do what was best for my body and nurture him to the highest extent I was capable. I stopped counting calories and started focusing on nutrients. I learned to love my body for the life it was creating, and I nurtured it.

I have overcome my body image issues, and you know what? My body is amazing. It is capable of accomplishing incredible feats. And for that I am thankful.

Your proudest accomplishment

My proudest accomplishment is running 1200 miles while pregnant (including 10 half marathons) and keeping up with weight lifting. I was able to stay in great physical shape and give birth to an incredibly healthy baby boy.

My hope in doing this very publicly was that women would research the value of fitness during pregnancy. I feel that too many women don’t realize how their fitness and nutrition impacts their developing babies and how crucial it is to take responsibility for the nutrients they consume and how active they are. Granted, it is not necessary to do what I did.

I would be ecstatic if I learned one woman was taking 30-minute walks every day because I made her aware of the benefits.

Your role models or mentors

Growing up, my mom was always my role model. She was an intelligent woman in a powerful and successful career. I always thought that is exactly what I wanted for my life. I dreamed about donning a suit every day and going into the office and coming home with a fat check.

But that is not my passion.

I would rather spend my time at home playing with my children and preparing healthy meals to nourish their minds and bodies. I would have to say that my current role model is an idealistic perfect mom that only exists in a fantasy. The mother who is constantly interacting with her children, who miraculously always has dinner on the table, a spotless house, and wakes up early enough to get in a workout before the family arises every day, without ever being absent from playtime.

Your best advice for newbies

Nutrition: Where making a dramatic change in nutrition is concerned, approach it as a lifestyle change. With this mindset, you are much more likely to be successful than if you attempt a quick fix or temporary crash diet. If a diet change is not healthy for you long-term, then it probably isn’t healthy for you, period.

When making changes, try implementing one small change at a time. For example, consider adding one healthy item to your menu every day. This helps you focus on exploring new, healthy foods rather than thinking of the unhealthy things you once commonly indulged in as off limits.

If you’re constantly focused on limitations rather than opportunities, you’re much less likely to stick with it. And you’re much more likely to be constantly frustrated and upset.

Fitness: Start with a small goal. Write it down. Commit to it. Make a plan and stick to it. Once you achieve that goal, immediately set another. You may rest and recover but don’t let all of your progress fade.

Continuously seek a higher goal and constantly improve upon your current state.

How you’re building community

I’ve become involved in planning committees for local bike rides and 5Ks over the last few years. I want to ensure that my neighbors have the opportunity to get out and participate in fitness activities. I dream of igniting a new passion in people who may not otherwise get out and try.

I currently have the honor of helping to organize Nocona’s first annual Mardi Gras 5K, which I am exhilarated about because I’ve dreamed about a local 5K since moving here. I had not been involved in my community in the past and, as a result, had not met many people.

Getting involved in the 5K has led to meeting some wonderful people and discussing so many more opportunities. And it has also led to learning how many people knew who I was and the impact I had on the community without being aware.

Every time I meet someone new, it seems like their response is something along the lines of, “Are you that lady that’s always running around town?”

Quote or verse you live by

“Livestrong.”

As my cousin was battling cancer, he saw something in the Livestrong Foundation. Our whole family ordered the bands, after it had gone out of style, and wore them to support him in his fight.

I still wear one to this day for two reasons. First, I wear it to remind me of the incredible person my cousin was and to strive to be as kind and nonjudgmental as he was. I never heard him speak negatively of anyone. I wish I could say the same for myself.

My second reason is to remind myself to live with passion and love and to always remain strong. (Think of it as two separate mantras. Live. Strong.)

Favorite nonprofits you support

Patsy’s House Children’s Advocacy Center houses abused women and children trying to get back on their feet in Wichita Falls and in Bowie, a smaller town in a high poverty rate county in North Texas:

Bearing in mind the best interest of each individual child, the mission of Patsy’s House … is to reduce trauma to child abuse victims and their non-offending family members and to work toward improving the justice system’s response to child abuse by uniting the efforts of public agencies and enlisting community support.