We’d like to recognize our Lemoine Wellness Champion of the Month for June – Erika Fortenberry!
For those of you who don’t know, Erika started working at Lemoine in October of 2017 as our Chief Financial Officer. She is about to celebrate her three-year anniversary with Lemoine!
To stay healthy, Erika made a commitment to herself in January of this year to get healthier. “I’m not sure I can make a comment on ‘staying healthy’ but rather ‘getting healthier’”. Erika consistently walks a minimum of 3 miles a day and closely monitors what she eats each day. She has seen success over the last five months and recommends using the “Lose It” app.
In March, Erika implemented an intermittent fasting method (5:2). On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she fasts using a smoothie product which keeps her calorie intake around 700 calories while helping to keep her energy levels up. She says, “I actually enjoy the fasting days and the freedom to not focus on food which has given me more willpower on the days I do have to make decisions about what I eat”.
When asking Erika what motivates her to stay active and healthy, she says “My motivation was sparked by an old college friend who challenged me to help her through her weight loss journey. But even before that, I had already made the decision to focus on my diet and exercise after the results of my annual wellness screening last year”.
Erika’s advice about living a healthy lifestyle is to put yourself in the right frame of mind. “Over the years, I can look back and I now realize that I set myself up for failure. I had the idea that I had to be perfect and make all the right food decisions every single time, and not allow myself to miss a workout EVER! That is impossible! So, when I made a bad decision or missed a workout, I essentially self-sabotaged myself and called it quits! I know that sounds crazy – but it is true. I FINALLY came to the realization and mindset to address the immediate decision before me in an effort to make progress, not achieve perfection. It’s been working for me the past few months and I look forward to see the benefits in my annual wellness screening in August of this year.
Awesome job, Erika! We are so proud of you! Keep striving to be a healthier version of yourself every day!
