I received my Bachelors in Health & Human Physiology from the University of Iowa in 2015, then my Masters in Health & Wellness Management from the University of Wisconsin in 2020. My certifications include:
One of my first jobs in high school was leading water aerobics classes at my hometown YWCA in Normal, IL. From there, I've gone on to teach a variety of group fitness classes through the last 15 years, ranging from yoga to Pilates to cycling, Barre, strength training, etc. I have also done personal training off and on for about 10 years.
The last 10 years of my career have been spent teaching health & physical activity courses at the University of Iowa. I have primarily taught nutrition, yoga, Pilates, stress management, and CPR/First Aid courses across those years.
I have always wanted to take what I've learned into my own business within rural Iowa, which is why I'm so excited to bring Lotus Wellness to the area.
What really drives me forward in this field is my own personal health and wellness journey, along with now being a mom and seeing what it means to raise up healthy, happy human beings.
I decided on the name, "Lotus Wellness" because of the meaning behind the lotus flower. These are beautiful, vibrant flowers that grow through muddy waters to bloom. I think that meaning can run parallel to a lot of peoples' health and wellness journeys. It is to mine. From high school, I struggled with GI issues, acne, and joint pain that usually left doctors saying they were unsure of what was going on or what to do with me. All of these issues snowballed into a very unhealthy relationship with both food and exercise. I struggled in these areas all through college and saw so many doctors to try and figure out what was going on. The answers I got ranged from lists of 5+ over the counter drugs to include daily, to, "it's probably just stress and hormones," to elimination diets, and beyond. I felt lost at this point, lacking confidence in myself and struggling with daily anxiety and pain. A few years outside of college, I decided to invest time into figuring things out more on my own. I already had a good knowledge base on exercise and nutrition, but I took a deeper dive into the world of holistic approaches to wellness. It's been a lot of reading, learning, and trial and error, but through the years I've been able to fix my gut issues, clear up my skin, and minimize my joint pain. I have a much healthier viewpoint and approach with diet and exercise and have developed a tool belt of strategies for managing stress and improving sleep. Waking up each day feeling more in control of my health and seeing how it's positively impacted me as a mom & wife is such a blessing.
I want to put the trials I've been through to good use by sharing with others what I've learned and just how impactful small changes to diet, movement, sleep, stress, etc. can have on how we feel everyday. That is my why and I hope to help you on your journey to improving your health & wellness.
309-212-1287
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