My interest in exercise and nutrition started with my dad. He loved lifting weights and researching popular diets. I started teaching aerobics after the birth of my first child and began my personal search for the “secrets to health” at the age of 25. When my dad died from his second bout with cancer at the age of 65, I believed I was doomed because of my family history of cancer and heart disease. I began investigating causes of disease, researching natural remedies that were successfully used prior to the rise of pharmaceutical medicine, and enrolled in a nutrition program that focused on the healing properties of food and the foundational pillars of Ayurvedic and Eastern medicine. The body is intelligent and wants to survive and thrive. Many diseases can be attributed to nutritional deficiency and can be healed when we stop treating the symptoms and begin identifying the root cause.
My passion for fitness and desire to experiment with different diets sparked my interest in body building. I competed in various physique competitions with the objective of reaching my desired figure goal through exercise and healthy whole-food nutrition. My brother, who began competing before me, died at the age of 48 due to an ear infection. After his death, I learned that he was using steroids and believed it contributed to his early death. That knowledge further inspired me to demonstrate that you can be healthy and look fit despite the fact that many in the bodybuilding industry today use drugs and synthetic enhancers to create physical images that most people could never accomplish naturally.
I’ve been an educator most of my career. I worked in higher education as a computer instructor and instructional technologist and then transitioned to the technical college system as a director of information technology and dean of instruction. I eventually moved into the public school system as a math and physical education teacher. I’ve always taught group fitness and personal trained as a “side gig” and when people asked why I didn’t do it full-time, I told them I didn’t want to lose my love for it. After nine years of teaching math at North Oconee High School, I took a leap of faith and decided not to sign my teaching contract. I now work for St. Mary’s Wellness Center as a Personal Trainer and for Energetic Health Institute as a holistic nutrition teacher where I can combine my love for fitness and nutrition with my experience as an educator. Helping others and sharing what I’ve learned is incredibly fulfilling!
I have a wonderful husband, four incredible children and two awesome step children. Getting a picture of us all together is difficult, but we call ourselves the Brady Bunch because there are three girls and three boys in our blended family. Chris is a retired Human Resources director, Abby is a teacher in Oconee county where we reside, Alyssa lives in California and has a band called Katalysst, Matt is in the Navy and located in Mississippi, Meg is a biologist located in Wisconsin and Afton and Wyatt are studying to be engineers at Kenessaw State University.
Teaching in the public school system enabled me to travel during the summers when our boys were still at home. We love exploring different parts of the United States, particularly national and state parks, and visiting our adult children who don’t live near us. I can’t think of a better way to enjoy nature and experience the awe of Mother Earth than hiking and exploring remote locations that are predominately untouched by man.
Do you want to feel like you truly have control of your health and aren’t a victim to your genetics? My fears led me to seek training in a holistic nutrition program that aligned with my new-found conviction that disease is the body’s reflection of imbalance typically resulting from nutrient deficiency and toxicity. My knowledge of using food as medicine and avoiding environmental toxins has empowered me to listen to my body and trust in its innate and extraordinary intelligence. I hope to share my knowledge and experience with others who are seeking control over their health, balance in their body and peace about their well-being. Apply now for a free 15 minute consultation!