My Path to Health: How it All Started

It all started when I was a teenager. At some point along the way I decided to cut back on a lot of the junk food I had been eating my entire life and pay more attention to what I put in my body. I began reading health magazines and learning about which foods to eat more of, which to eat less of, and the benefits of exercise.

By the time I went to college, I was determined that I would continue my healthy eating habits and not gain the “Freshmen fifteen.” I made it a point to include fruits and/or vegetables with every meal and was always veering towards the healthy options the cafeteria offered. Sometimes I would try one of the unhealthier main courses offered, such as turkey tetrazzini (it was SO good!), but doing so enabled me to learn that it is okay to have those things in moderation.

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Over time, I paid close attention to when my stomach was truly full and it is then that I realized I had been eating way more than my body needed while growing up. I remember going out to dinner with my family and stuffing myself so much that my stomach literally hurt from being stretched out afterwards. I knew that couldn’t be good for my body. Therefore, I continued to make it a point to listen to my body’s signals to when I simply didn’t need to eat any more.

Aside from my eating habits, college also enabled me to understand the importance of exercising according to my own free will. Throughout high school I was active in sports and never really exercised simply for the sake of exercising. But I did not do sports in college and knew that I needed to take it upon myself to give my body the exercise it needed. I began a regular schedule of going to the gym several mornings a week before class.

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As an undergraduate student, I majored in Biology. One of the chapters we studied was Nutrition. I grasped this chapter more than any other topic and knew that I wanted to learn more.

As the years went by, I continued my passion towards health and eventually attended graduate school to get my Master’s degree in Health Education, focusing on health promotion and worksite wellness. My classes included general nutrition, nutrition guidance, program planning and implementation, social marketing, and exercise physiology. Every single class enhanced my desire to promote health to others. I even worked at a local fitness center as a fitness and wellness assistant which allowed me to utilize what I was learning in my classes. But within four months of graduating, the military moved us two times and our first child was born. My choice for six years was to be a stay-home mom.

What I've done during that time, however, is continue to do my best to make healthy food choices and exercise on a regular basis. I admit that I fell behind on exercise after my kids were born, but when I finally did get back into it I was reminded of how much better my body feels when I do exercise. Re-strengthening my body has eased the severe back and hip pain I had after having my kids. I feel better now than I did before I ever had kids. Nutritionally speaking, I have followed developing research and try to implement what I learn into our household food choices.

Many health advocates will push certain diets or supplement programs or say that we should completely cut some particular food out of our diets. I however have a different mindset. Health, to me, is about eating the healthiest foods possible, when possible, and enjoying anything in moderation. In Moderation. Just as a car needs quality fuel to function optimally, so do our bodies need proper nutrition to run their best. It is not about fad diets or supplement programs but is about eating a balanced diet of real food with adequate intake of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. It is about making exercise as important to the day as brushing your teeth. Just as a car needs to be driven, a body needs to be exercised. Sometimes exercise can be as simple as cleaning the house, but a good sweat session is important too for building cardiovascular and muscular endurance and reducing disease risk.

I also believe that being healthy means having the ability to be inspired, having faith, working towards self-improvement, and taking time to do the things you truly enjoy.  

I am the first one to admit that I am nowhere near perfect when it comes to being healthy. However, perfection is not the key. Continually working to make healthy choices whenever possible will make huge improvements in how we feel, in reducing disease risks, and enhancing our overall quality of life.