Hey! I’m the new girl around Natural Wellness PT. Well, probably new to you. I’ve been hanging out behind the scenes helping where I can while my husband, Dr. Courtney, has been building his dream PT practice.
And while he’s been helping people fix the pain in their backs, necks, elbows and knees so they can get back to doing what they love, I’ve been helping people reach their goals as a nutrition coach. But I haven’t always been a coach. In fact, for the past 13 years I’ve been teaching high school students subjects ranging from language arts to graphic design.
But, Rebekah, WHY would you leave a job you enjoy after 13 years?
Great question! There are so many reasons, but here are the top two:
Changing what I ate and slowly adding in healthy habits changed my life. Back in my early 30s, my health took a turn for the worse. I considered myself healthy because I was exercising regularly, either working out in my living room or going out on early morning runs. I was teaching and had two children under the age of 5, which meant I was busy. And tired. I thought pulling over on the side of the road to take a power nap during my evening commute was totally normal. It’s what moms do; we’re all tired, right?
But then I started experiencing GI upset, and a lot of it. There were times I would have to hurry out of my classroom or rush into the nearest QuikTrip to find a bathroom. I canceled plans with friends. I mapped out all the bathrooms on the route anytime we would get in the car and leave town. This went on for at least six months before I saw a doctor. Results of my tests? Nothing. No Crohn’s. No UC. Nothing. My Doctor’s advice? Not much. “Watch what you eat and see what could be the trigger.” There was no diagnosis, so there wasn’t much he could do.
Oh, and did I mention I was carrying around 15 extra pounds and had the craziest mood swings? I saw a doctor for those two things, too, and heard the dreaded, “You’re getting older so it’s harder to lose weight,” line. I declined her offer of mood stabilizing drugs and left the office feeling like there had to be a reason, a root cause for all of this and got to work on figuring it out through books and podcasts.
I learned that what we eat, how much sleep we get, how we manage our stress and how often we move all play key roles in our health. My weight came off, my moods evened out, I had the energy I longed for and cleared up my chronic gut issues. I am now able to run faster, keep up with my kids when we hike and climb and even get out and jump on the trampoline with them--if I’m wearing the right bra.
And as an added bonus, I found a love and appreciation of my body I never really thought possible--no matter the number on the scale.
All that being said, I feel like with my personal experience and nutrition training I can make a difference through nutrition coaching. It seems as if the odds of living a healthy lifestyle and avoiding chronic disease are not in our favor, and I am determined to help people learn how to navigate the mixed marketing messages and grocery store aisles to find foods that make their bodies feel their best!
Nobody should feel the way I did, and I know there are so many people who feel much worse. No matter where you’re at in your health journey, I believe it is possible to make real, lasting change with a little TLC: time, love and consistency.
I like to think that I’m still teaching, just different content to a new audience. Just like with teaching, I get to see others learn and grow. It’s just instead of celebrating a student’s high test or project score, getting a scholarship or writing a fantastic piece, I celebrate a client’s weight loss, dropping A1C levels or getting their energy back!
Anyway, just wanted to say hello! If you happen to call the office, I may answer the phone so you can call me Rebekah. Or Beka. Or Courtney’s wife. Or Henry and Claire’s mom. :)
If you’re interested in learning more about my coaching, you can always reach out to me via email at squareonenutritioncoaching@gmail.com or follow my page on Facebook.
I offer discounted rates for any current or former Natural Wellness clients!
I look forward to seeing you around the NWPT office.
-Rebekah