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During the pandemic, I discovered I was on the high-risk list because of my high blood pressure and my weight. So, I decided to take control of my health and well-being again. I was at my heaviest weight and very unhappy. My weight gain started while attending college and working full time. I didn’t have time to exercise, and I was eating on the go between work and school. Once I graduated college, I started to work a lot, so I didn’t make time to exercise and was still eating very unhealthily. I knew if I lost weight, I could …

Here’s the thing: I’m 40 and a mother of three. Let me say that again so I actually believe it. I’M 40 YEARS OLD AND A MOTHER OF THREE (gulp!). I haven’t enjoyed a hot meal in years, used the bathroom without some little grubby tiny person barging in to examine what I’m doing, or completely finished blow drying my hair in over a decade. In fact, just last week after a long day at the office, I came home to find myself unexpectedly cooking three different types of pasta for dinner, because one will only eat spaghetti, one cried …

“I don’t run. If you see me run, you too should start running because something is probably chasing me,” was something I always said when my friends would ask me if I wanted to go for a run or participate in a 5K road race. Running was not part of my routine life and I was completely okay living my best life without running in the picture. Then came my late-20s-approaching-30s where I found myself gaining weight and feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. My normal routine of lifting weights and dog walking were not helping me sustain the healthy …

Deciding to live a healthy lifestyle and to “get fit” is a great decision to be sure. However, turning that decision into a reality is about much more than that. It’s about making the right decision hundreds of times throughout the week when presented with the choice between the easy way and the right way. Should I be disciplined when the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM when I don’t feel like it… Or will I hit the snooze button and regret the decision later? Should I get the waffle fries or the fruit? Soda or water? Keep running or …

Based on the number of times I’ve heard “treat yourself” or “live your best life “recently, it seems like people are really focused on inner happiness these days. While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying that 600-calorie Venti Frappuccino with double whip every once in a while, I think sometimes we all forget that there are much healthier ways to handle stress. Mental wellness tends to get lost in the other demands of everyday life. We’re consumed by our work projects, mowing the lawn, walking the dog, being a good spouse or partner, baking peanut free/gluten free/sugar free/dairy free cupcakes for …

The thought of Yoga generates either good thoughts or terror and nothing in-between. Yoga is very physical and regular practice develops your stamina and strength including your core! When committed to the practice on a regular basis, you experience and become aware of the spirit (energy) within and without. While it is primarily stretching (until you cannot stand it anymore) and limbering the body through challenging poses, the mental aspects of Yoga are amazing. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga act as guides to help you find inner peace through love and compassion for yourself and others. It calms you …

Do you think about your future? Bucket list vacations? New cars? College tuition? Does it excite you or scare you? Having a financial strategy should excite you, but unfortunately, it scares most people. When people ask me about how to start, they are surprised with my answer – Discipline. You have discipline at work, with your family, but many people find it hard to have discipline with their finances. I am here to take the “scary” out of Financial Wellness. The following are some tips to get you started on your journey. Plan and set Budget goals: Write your goals …

Roughly ten years ago, my boyfriend of four years and I broke up and I was at a loss for what to do with my life. I had moved to Savannah to live near him, and the only friends I had made were his friends. I quickly found myself lonely and bored. I randomly came across a group of runners who were about to begin training for a marathon in San Diego, California. I figured, why not? I have nothing else better to do! To make a long story short, I met the most amazing group of people. We all came in different …

The day was April 21st, 2014. I was on my hands and knees kissing the yellow and blue finish line every distance runner looks for as I was finishing the Boston Marathon. Rewind 14 years ago, when I was a freshman in high school and my sister’s boyfriend was asking me to join the Varsity Cross Country Team, as they did not have a full team. I was reluctant at first, being short and out of shape thinking, “Who would run for fun?” I decided to join, and one week later I was in my first Varsity meet, the Benzie …

I’ve always been a high-strung, type-A individual…great for the physical sense of wellness, if not so much mental. Rural Virginia living lent itself to hiking trails, bicycling to sleepovers and generally being outside of the house, and out my mothers’ hair. I participated in cheerleading, flag corps, and the marching band drumline from 6th grade to graduation. University club league sports kept me busy through the higher education years, but were usually 70% socializing, and 30% actual physical exertion. I was an accomplished distance runner in Tampa for the next seven years, amassing well over 30 medals ranging from first …