Let's Talk About Wellness

Hi! Thank you for being a part of the conversation.
As our collective awareness about health and wellness continues to grow, the industry as a whole grows. One of the challenges that brings is A LOT of competing noise about what to do & how to do it. Part of my mission is to clear some of that clutter, but that starts with hearing your stories and understanding the challenges you face on your wellness journey.....what's nagging at you, what questions you have, what are your biggest frustrations and successes?
It's only fair though that I start the conversation by telling you a little about my own story and struggles.

I have always been little. Small. About 5 feet tall. I was blessed with a voice for singing and I spent most of my time in grade school at choir and drama practice. My petite stature opened the door for lots of bullying and typical high school torture. I was thrown in trash cans, picked up without consent, and used to feel swallowed up by the crowded hallways.
I had always felt weak. And slow. And uncoordinated. I never excelled at sports as a kid (other than skiing which is still a life-long love), so when gym class would come I would purposely walk the mile run test, fake my period to get out of swimming, and shuffle on the sidelines in group sports.

My saving grace at the time was that my metabolism was like a race car. Every night I’d eat an Entenmann's Crumb Top Donut with a big glass of orange juice 😳 . Once a week I’d hit Friendly’s and grab an apple pie Sunday and I would stay “skinny.”  
Things remained that way until my mid 30s. While my other mom friends were ordering light shrimp salad I would order a grilled cheese off the kids menu. And while I was still able to stay slim after having my twins, I began to feel run down, sick, lethargic and just plain off.
I was thin, but not at all healthy!

While I was home raising twins and realized how crappy I was feeling, I discovered the gym. I went there for relief from my symptoms, and quite honestly, from my boys. The day care center at the gym allowed for 2.5 hours of exercise and boy did I take advantage. I went from jogging on the treadmill to training for triathlons all in the course of about two years. I worked with a swim coach and eventually a series of personal trainers to help me learn strength work. This time in fitness changed my life. I felt stronger, more confident, and more capable than ever.

As my thirties rolled on, however, I began to notice that my old diet of French fries and burgers was not cutting it. Not only was I gaining weight, but I wasn’t performing my best at the gym or on the race course. I started gaining awareness to the critical role of nutrition. Slowly, I introduced handfuls of vegetables into my diet. I reduced my intake of process foods, and I became obsessed with how much better I felt.
For the next 20 years I worked with nutritionists, dieticians and personal trainers. I read books on habit change, the psychology of personal growth, diet fads and exercise programs.  The truly lasting change I experienced lit a fire in me that continued to burn, resulting in a new calling and mission for my life. 

At 47 I have NEVER felt better. I do cardio. I lift weights. I eat vegetables. I rarely drink alcohol. And I’m HAPPY.

This evolution took more than 20 years. It wasn’t fast, but its permanent.
A wellness journey is not something that can be completed with a 30 day challenge or with the elimination of all sugar (I mean that is NO FUN.) it’s a process of slowly building in new habits that will drastically transform your life. Step by little step.

I am now deeply committed to helping other women on their journey. A journey that can often be exhausting, confusing, frustrating....

I would LOVE to hear about your own path through wellness and what your greatest challenges are.
Together, we can support each other by talking about and learning from the stumbling blocks and logjams that we’ve all experienced. Although our paths may be different, we are all on this road together. I hope this space becomes one of mutual growth and support.

Let's chat in the comments section.

xo, Joanne