After living in the city for 12 years, my husband and I recently moved to a small island town. When everything had settled after our move, I realized I had let my health go during our time in the city. I had let cyclical habits creep in and become my routine. I always tried to eat healthfully, but I had stopped moving. And when you stop moving, your health slowly fades.
I was experiencing heart issues and high blood pressure. While both are hereditary, I was still surprised when they happened to me. The doctor prescribed medicine to help my blood pressure, but I knew I didn’t want to rely on medication to be “well”. Medicine wasn’t making me better, simply keeping me going. I wanted the freedom to garden, to chase after my grandkids, and play golf with my husband. So, I decided I needed to prioritize my health.
I started walking the beach outside our home for a few hours a day and introduced a yoga practice. Yoga brought me peace and helped me focus internally on what my body needed. I was slowly regaining strength and endurance.
After establishing this routine, I was ready to get stronger. It was perfect timing – my daughter came for a visit and encouraged me to practice the new Movement by NM classes with her. I loved them immediately. We even did two a day!
Not only was it a wonderful experience to move together with her, it reminded me of when she was young, and we’d take our evening walks and play in the yard. Those memories reminded me of why I started moving again, and motivated me to keep going.
After she left, I continued to practice the 22-minute classes on my own, along with my daily beach walk. The intentionality in every movement has left me the strongest I’ve felt in years. I love that the classes include modifications so I could learn new moves at my own pace. The timer keeps me accountable, while the teachers keep me engaged. I feel as if they’re in the room with me as my personal trainer, teaching and encouraging me to keep moving.
My heritage (being First Nations) has taught me about health and longevity, but it’s also taught me about the struggle of cyclical habits. I was stuck in a cycle of unhealthy habits, but knew there was more for me and my health. I didn’t want to repeat the cycle; to let heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes rule how I lived, so I accessed the freedom found in fitness. In changing my habits, I feel stronger and better than I have in years – I have the confidence to take up new endeavours like pottery and move around the studio and my everyday life with greater ease and comfort. And I can happily say that I do garden, run around with my grandkids, play golf with my husband, and so much more.
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Patti recently turned 60 and lives with her husband on Vancouver Island. They have three daughters and six grandkids. When she isn’t in her pottery studio, she’s in her kitchen or down at the beach swimming or walking. Patti encourages anyone at any age to keep trying new things, and never stop moving.
