InFitness

CSM: What do you think is the role of food or nutrition in healthy living?

JENN: What is on our plate says a lot about how we feel about ourselves. That’s assuming that you can afford enough food to live. But I believe that no foods are inherently good or bad and that learning how to trust what your body needs is imperative.

CSM: How do you maintain your consistency of weight or shape?

JENN: I don’t. My weight and shape fluctuate and always will because I’m a person. The important part is to learn to react with compassion about it. You can be happy and healthy at many weights and shapes.

CSM: What fitness goals do you want to attain?

JENN: I want to be able to hold crow pose in yoga and build my upper body strength. I want to dance more. I want to continue to never weigh myself because I think the scale is a trap. It’s just a measure of how much you’re stuck to the earth. It’s a measure of gravity.

CSM: What exercises do you consider fundamental?

JENN: I try to move everyday whether it’s walking, running, yoga or anything really getting my heart rate up and stretching helps me live in my body and not just from the neck up. Just taking a walk can help me so much with my anxiety.

CSM: When you’re stressed, how do you manage it?

JENN: I get so sleepy. I immediately want to curl up and take a nap. Sometimes I do. But if I can’t, I’ll make a list and try and prioritize what really needs attention.

CSM: Explain why mental health matters in the digital age.

JENN: Mental health matters in any age but now I think we understand that how our brains work and the way we view the world, the hidden beliefs we operate from are so important to explore.

CSM: Do you think mental and physical health are connected?

JENN: Absolutely. And the science bears this out as well. Your brain is an organ and is a part of your body. Our thoughts, our nervous systems-it’s all connected.

CSM: What advice do you have for those looking to achieve their fitness goals?

JENN: I’m not a fitness professional. Maybe consistency is a good answer? Maybe explore why it’s important to you and connect with that?

CSM: What stereotypes should people break when it comes to physical and mental health?

JENN: That therapy is for crazy people. Therapy should be mandatory. We need a space to talk and have someone help us with how we connect to the world.