By: Anna Levine-Beard
5+ years ago my health was not doing so great, so I had to make major changes. I have struggled with my weight my entire adulthood. I decided to try keto. Eliminating wheat and sugar made a huge difference in my health issues, I cured my high blood pressure, high cholesterol, fatty liver and got my digestive issues under control. I also lost a significant amount of weight. Going on this journey of health I have been encouraged by working at Compass with our focus on dreams. It has helped me to work on my health goals alongside my clients- I go for walks with them, encourage them to eat more vegetables and unprocessed foods, I try to show them exercises they can do even without going to the gym.
A few years ago, I committed to increasing my fitness to walking 10k steps a day. I will call my clients up and ask them to help me out. We will walk together and talk about their work, their family struggles and their achievements. I encourage them to track their steps as well and see what they can do to increase those little goals. They might start at 1000 steps a day, I coax them to make it to 2000, or 3000 and cheer them on!
18 months ago I had my last alcoholic drink. I wasn’t a huge drinker before, but since I’ve committed to paying more attention to how things make me feel, I realized even one drink made me feel lousy.
6 months ago I had a car accident that made my back pretty sore. I consulted with a sports chiropractor who has encouraged me to focus on strengthening my back and posture to prevent further back pain. He has given me exercise tips that I have shared with my clients. I bought hand weights that I do at home in front of the TV. I go to the gym twice a week with one of my clients who has CP. I help her set up the equipment to adapt to her disabilities and I lift weights alongside her. I have been increasing my resistance and can feel myself getting stronger.
I don’t know what my next health journey will be, but I look forward to challenging myself more. Learning more about mental and physical health has always been a fascination for me. I feel really passionate about supporting the health of my clients. I want to help those who are pre-diabetic realize that they can avoid diabetes, I want them to know they have the ability to make positive changes in their body and how they feel. Our diet choices can be confusing, there are so many options and nutrition can be unclear. I really want to help our consumers make good diet and exercise choices. Eating fruits and veggies and whole grains can boost our mood, as can getting moving! I want to show them how cooking and eating healthy meals can be fun and easy. Health is not out of our reach or our control.