"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world." - Harriet Tubman
One of our OWN! This can be YOU!
Weight does not define a person, but it does make a HUGE impact good or bad on the quality of our lives. After having my first child in 2003, I looked in the mirror and was so tired of hating what I saw, looking nothing like the dancer/cheerleader that I was as a child and teenager. Due to unhealthy eating and NO exercise in college, a desk job, and now post-partum, I was up to 171lbs at 5"2! I was also on daily asthma medication and always tired. Did I mention that I was only 23 and should have been in the prime of my life?
What did I do? I made the first of many good decisions, and that was to NOT diet but to begin the journey towards healthy living. The first thing I did was to join the YMCA and actually use my pass! Starting in water aerobics because the fitness machines intimidated me but very quickly, by sticking with it, my body began to adapt. This encouraged me and gave me enough confidence that I was able to participate in some land group exercise classes. You know that person in the back of the room who looks scared to death that was me, worrying that I would stick out and look silly but I stuck with it. The new friends I made at the Y motivated me to keep coming back. As my body adapted to exercise by growing in endurance and strength, I started to move up closer and closer to the front row. The loud exciting music and friendly people hooked me in, and I was now a true lover of fitness classes.
Exercise is NECESSARY to be healthy. After all, your heart is a muscle and needs strengthened along with the rest of your body. However, exercise alone is not enough. I continued down the journey and began to change the way I ate and to develop some self-control. Change doesn't occur overnight and I realized that changing my diet was a daily opportunity to make good choices to improve my health.
The successes I was having with my exercise and diet led me to change my career path and become a fitness instructor so I could help people reach their goals and join the healthy living journey with me.
Now 8 years later, I am down 65 lbs., a certified fitness instructor, personal trainer, and Pilate's trainer and have the daily opportunity to help people become healthier one step at a time.
Healthy Journey is a new class that will be offered at the North Canton Community Building YMCA. This class is designed for the population that doesn't know how to get started. The structure is such that I will lead lectures on healthy living, it will include a 10 min complete workout, and a support network will be provided for those who are in the process of changing their lives.
I invite you to join Healthy Journey and let me help you begin your journey today!
Jamie Dannemiller