Congratulations to Lonna, who joined us in 2016.  We are inspired by her determination and success.  She set her goals, identified resources and is continuing to improve her nutrition, health and therefore confidence and energy levels.

We asked her to tell us about her experience:

“Like so many before me, I came to Tri-City Wellness Center to make a change I couldn’t make on my own. 16 years ago I was the fittest I had ever been. Then I got pregnant, and the weight chart has been a journey of sharp peaks and valleys ever since. I tried going vegetarian, then paleo, then did a “takedown challenge” based on a big, fat nutritional lie.

I tried rock-climbing, biking, and hiking. I got a dog, and we walked every day for six months. I did weekly Pilates classes at another studio. None of these got me back into my skinny clothes and feeling good naked for more than a month at a time. In fact, some of them led to injury and illness, which exacerbated the peaks and valleys.

Looking back today, I understand what I was missing: a balance of nutrition education, exercise, and encouragement. These three components are exactly what works for me as a TCWC member. I’ve been learning with Katie DiLauro, the in-house Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, to fill up on vegetables and avoid carbs and sugar. Makena Nixon is the Personal Trainer who jump-started my exercise plan, and I love the strength workout she created especially for me and my many past injuries. And my friend, Amanda Zerbini, who teaches Roll & Release classes, encourages me to keep coming back. Outside of the gym, I have a new weekly routine of hiking with friends, stationary biking (on high resistance!) while I watch my favorite tv show, and continuing to walk the dog. As a result of this new balance, since August I have dropped 30+ pounds and three pants sizes, and I’m feeling good. I’m not done yet.

Actually, I’ll never be done. What started with Katie as a slow change to my food choices has become a long-term change, one small step at a time. I started with the idea that I could reach my goal weight and feel complete, then return to my regular food intake and caloric burn – with a few small modifications – and get back to life. Now, I realize that the way I eat, move, and think about health today is my new normal, and if I decide to go back to old habits, I will have to recalibrate my tastes all over again to feel as healthy as I do in 2018.   I could not have made this mental shift on my own and want to thank TCWC for all of the resources they provide our community, especially the expert nutrition education and support.”