A Wellness Journey

Submitted by Tara D. from Disability and Aging

As a teenager I began taking an active interest in my health. I developed an understanding and foundation for physical and mental wellness. By cutting down on my portion sizes, making healthier food choices and exercising (mostly walking and strength training), I lost 70 pounds. Through the years I have continued to make my health a priority. I have developed a love for many different exercises. I even taught spin class, weight training and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for many years. With both of my pregnancies I gained 78 pounds and lost all of the weight by eating healthy and exercising. I have been on my wellness journey for almost 20 years. I make healthy choices most of the time but also give myself leeway to not exercise as well as having “treats” (ice cream!) occasionally. Now that my husband and I have children, we are both working on helping them develop a foundational understanding about wellness. Our hope is that by instilling this from an early age they will both develop a personal responsibility and love for wellness.