My Health Journey
I will never forget my 11 yr. old wellness check up. I stood on the scale and it read 161 pounds. My pediatrician gave me some solid advice that day; he said, "instead of the footlong, go for the 6" and choose fruit instead of chips." It was in that moment, my eyes were wide open to what I needed to do and change. At eleven years old, my journey started.
I was young and knew I was different than most kids my age. In P.E. class, I was usually the last one chosen to be on anyones team.This was always embarrassing, kids made fun of me and making friends was hard. Being laughed at, called names and feeling defeated, I knew I never wanted anyone to feel the way I felt, never. As hard as it was to go through all this, it molded me into who I am today and my mission to help others.
I had a challenging childhood filled with anxiety, fear, depression and instability. I was raised in a modern day broken family with a whole lot of issues. I ate my emotions and didn't think twice about the effects it would have. It was possibly the only way I could find comfort, or at least I thought it was. As I got into middle school, I started to observe and learn how adults ate, their activity and how they lived. I would make simple conclusions on what to do and what not to do based off of my observations. At 11 years old and before the internet was widely available, I lacked resources. Also, coming from a family history of metabolic diseases and obesity, there really wasn't any guidance there either. I made a lot of mistakes during these formative years. I found access to diet pills, starved myself for long periods of time, and ultimately, found what I was doing was all wrong. This lasted well into Highschool.
In my sophomore year of Highschool, I ended up taking a female gym class with a focus on power walking and building healthy habits. I learned the power of healthy exercise and consistency. Little by little, I grasped the idea more and more that change happens with the little things, one at a time and with patience and grace.
That next year, I took a weight training class with the Highschool football coach. By that time, my body had changed quite a bit built more endurance. I finally reached healthy weight. I still wanted to learn more about the body and how to become strong and lean. I was hooked. During that year, I learned so much about muscle mass, how to build strength and why it's important for our bones and tissues, as well as overall health and longevity. I am forever grateful for those two teachers who instilled a love for health and the human body.
After Highschool, I set out to become an athletic trainer and obtain a kinesiology degree. It was an uphill battle from the second I graduated Highschool... I wasn't able to afford college on my own, my living situation was a disaster and I felt helpless. At this point, I chose to take out a small loan and attend a local barber school so I could still work with people and help them feel their best. I knew I could make a decent living this way, make my own hours and have a family. I loved working with people, but I longed to work in the health industry helping people transform their bodies. I would always read the latest studies on the human body, foods, exercise etc. Ultimately, after 15 years of being a hairdresser, I found that I had met capacity with this line of work. The industry became very superficial. I became less interested in the materialism of the make-up, current trends and hair-do's. It was time for a change.
I was on the hunt for a certification program that I would complete from home (with 3 kids in tow) that included personal training, health coaching and nutrition. Not a college degree, I know, but it was the first step forward and served its purpose well. After many late nights studying and test after test, one year later, I achieved these certifications. I'm still not an athletic trainer, as I once sought after. But, I believe I am right where I'm supposed to be. I can see a silver lining in all of it. The goal was always to help people. I never needed a college degree to begin with. I believe the years I spent working in the hair industry was leading and training me to interact and see people in a very vulnerable way. To learn empathy, compassion and respect for where we all are in our current circumstances, meeting them where they're at. I learned how to communicate. Often times over the years, I've found that University education cannot teach you empathy, understanding, compassion or communication. I had to experience these things for myself.
So friends, in hindsight, through my personal experiences beginning in my childhood, knowledge acquired over the years and from the certifications I now hold, I know I can offer you an invaluable perspective in what it means to live fully from a Heart, Mind and Body perspective.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about my journey; I can't wait for you to begin yours.