The Take Care Project empowers mothers to take care of themselves first and to help them understand that only through a healthier, happier self can she successfully take on life's balancing act. To help achieve this, Take Care Project will share the Five Spokes of total health with moms across the globe: rest, health, fitness, fun, and spirit. We will effectively deliver our message to English and Spanish speaking moms.
Take Care Project Founder
Healthy eating and exercise has always come naturally to me. When I was seven years old I used to jog around the block with my father who kept in shape for the military; I was just doing it because it was fun. The healthy habits continued into high school. I exercised fanatically for cheerleading competitions and ate healthy meals. While a lot of my peers were frequenting the snack bar with chips, soda, and ice cream sandwiches, I often ate at the salad bar or brought healthier alternatives. It’s funny now that I think about it, some of my fellow cheerleaders would be hungry an hour or so after eating fast food so I started bringing a couple of extra sandwiches. In return, the girls would hear my lecture on “feeding the body to perform at its peak.”
After high school, I went down south to Grambling University (GO TIGERS!). A lot of great times and a lot of hard work; but the food (fried meat, boiled veggies, and glazed side dishes), while delicious, made me too lethargic to study. I decided to meet with the school cafeteria staff to discuss healthier food options, but this California girl did not get very far. I opted for a vegetarian diet and a steady regimen of books and exercise. It was in my sophomore year when I started personal training sessions at the school’s gym. I couldn’t charge much at the time, but it was at that point I realized that helping people to reach fitness goals and build stronger bodies was sheer pleasure.
After completing Grambling’s Air Force ROTC program, I left a commissioned officer; ready to take on the world. My time in the military has given me every reason to stay in tip top shape. With routine training and four deployments to the Middle East, I have had to carry around many things from very heavy gear to lugging men over my shoulder (get your head out of the gutters ladies!). During those trips I’ve met several women, some new mothers like I was on one of my deployments, who were struggling to get into “fighting” shape. I decided to organize a series of fun and healthy eating contests, run/walks and personal training sessions that not only made them stronger, but more focused on the mission. Even some of the men decided to get in on the action.
Although I am proud of my country and my accomplishments, my most rewarding experience is that of becoming a wife to a loving husband and mother to two wonderful boys. I know all too well how much of an experience it is to bring a child into this world, then watching this “experiment” grow into what you shape it. The demands of motherhood on your body and mind can be intense, but with the Take Care Project, we’ll be with you along the way. My purpose is to give you the resources needed to take care of yourself FIRST!