I live life with my saltwater fishing husband and two English Bulldogs on the Texas Gulf Coast. We are surrounded by tall fishing tales, a tribe of friends and family.  I'm a work in progress: a recovering overachieving people pleaser learning how to live authentically and present in my life with Jesus as my guide.

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A few of my favorite activities include geeking out with my nerdy gut health and nervous system integration friends, Tuesday night Hope groups, the Pilates Reformer (new to me), and eating tacos. I also love the Texas hill country, rivers & Honky Tonks with twinkle lights, trucker hats and fancy hats, a great pair of leggings and athletic shoes....lots of shoes.

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My passion and inspiration for physical movement originated in middle school. You see, I was tall and athletically built growing up. Unfortunately, as an elementary schooler I equated my physical body with comments I heard about my size, comments like "big German girl", "big boned" and "ham hocks".  These comments were not intended harmfully yet were forming a negative view of my body.

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When I discovered school sports in seventh grade, I also discovered the majesty of my physical body. It felt amazing to move it, use it and embrace it. I was hooked on the divine intelligent design of the human body.

 

I was fortunate to have a college advisor, Dr. Bill Squires, who introduced me to the study of Exercise Physiology. He also challenged me and encouraged me to look at science and ask curious questions about the application in real life to discover the "Art of Wellness".

 

This approach has stuck with me through almost 30 years of a fitness, nutrition and wellness coaching career.

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I started teaching aerobics in college and received my first Personal Training Certification at 18 years old, at that point it was all about exercise and movement.  Fast forward through my time trying to coach real humans for long term results.  It really wasn't sticking for my clients, life was "lifey" and my own personal health physically and mentally was in shambles.

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I felt like a fraud.  Something was missing. I was stuck in patterns. Patterns of meal plans, trendy workouts, motivational and habit change mumbo jumbo was what I knew and what I taught. The science was solid in all of those solutions. 

 

What was missing? The "Art of Wellness". I applied curiosity and learned about Functional Nutrition and the Transformational Coaching Model.  I learned about body work and fascial manipulation.  I knew there was more to story of being well than looking good in a bikini.

 

In November 2020 the culmination of all my learning had a "Come to Jesus" moment after I experienced a bout of Covid early in the pandemic. 10 days of the craziest flu like symptoms left me with some residual issues.  My physical body was no longer able to bound upstairs or even walk in a straight line. I could only get out of bed for about 4 hours at a time all the while struggling to show up for my business, clients, and husband while pretending like I was fine.  

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That "Come to Jesus" moment taught there is definitely MORE...

 

More to the physical body and more to the Art of Wellness.

 

Using curiosity spurned by great teachers, I learned about viruses leading to a deeper look at the microbiome and nervous system and the relationship among trauma, thoughts and toxins with physical health and overall wellness.

 

For lasting transformation, you need comprehensive holistic support, teachers and some un-learning to address all of the interconnect parts, body, mind, soul.  Guess what?  It is also the path to looking good in a bikini. Ha!

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My Holistic Health Journey

(insert every fad workout, meal plan, wellness tool, tracker or biohack....I have a lived experience with all the things)

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• 1993- AFFA Group Fitness Certification

• 1993- ACE Certified Personal Trainer

• 1995- Texas Powerlifting State Record Holder

• 1997- Physiology and Corporate Wellness Internship NASA Johnson Space Center

• 1998- Degree in Exercise Science

• 1998- American College of Sports Medicine Health and Fitness Specialist

• 1999- Cooper Institute Exercise & Special Populations Specialist

• 2002- Exercise Physiology University of Texas

• 2002- Director of Baptist Health System Wellness Center

• 2002- Level 1 Weight Management Specialist

• 2002- Place 1st and 2nd as a Fitness Competitor

• 2004- Certified Spin Instructor

• 2004- Adjunct Professor: Dimensions of Wellness, University of Incarnate Word

• 2004- Exercise Physiologist Dr. Roger's Metabolic Health & Wellness Center

• 2007- Wellness Contributor San Antonio Current Publication

• 2006- Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist

• 2009- Corporate Wellness Development Austin & Dallas

• 2011- Completed the Myofascial Compression & Movement Specialist Training

• 2012- Earned Integrative Nutritionist Certification

• 2012- Director of Senior Fitness Program City of Kyle Parks and Recreation

• 2013- Presenter American Council of Exercise Fit Tour

• 2014- Earned Transformational Coach Certificate

• 2017- Gave my life to Jesus

• 2019- Corrective Exercise Specialist

• 2021- Earned Yoga Faith Instructor Certification

• 2022 - Enrolled Embody Lab: Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy

• To be continued....

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EDUCATION IS A NEVER-ENDING JOURNEY FOR.  I LOOK FORWARD TO LEARNING SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY!