We would like to recognize our Lemoine Wellness Champion for the Month of May – Stacey Schexnayder!
For those of you who don’t know, Stacey will be celebrating her one-year anniversary with Lemoine on July 9th. She is currently a Proposal Coordinator/CRM Administrator.
We asked Stacey what is something she does every day to stay healthy. She said, “Living in downtown New Orleans helps me to stay healthy as I am walking distance to anything I do on a daily basis. I rack up a lot of steps walking to work, home for lunch, the grocery store, festivals, or just a curious adventure around town. I typically listen to music while I walk since it puts an extra pep in my step and increases my pace. My building has a very nice gym and a pool, so I make sure to take advantage of those opportunities as well. My two favorite healthy activities include spinning and yoga which I do typically 6 days a week. I eat a healthy diet for the most part (I do live in New Orleans after all, so much good food!) that consists of a lot of veggies, fruit, and protein.”
When asked what motivates her to stay healthy, Stacey said, “When I was younger, I didn’t really think about the effects of exercise and healthy eating habits, both long and short term. But as I’ve gotten older I certainly realize what an impact they have on your overall wellbeing. I am very lucky to say that I don’t take any medications to maintain my health, whereas I know many people my age that take daily medications to regulate their health issues.
I definitely notice a difference in my mental wellbeing and attitude when I don’t work out. I prefer to have a high level of energy, positive attitude, and good mood… working out on a regular basis is absolutely a contributor to that outcome.
But the thing that drives me to stay healthy and active the most is my 8 year old grandson. If I don’t stay fit, I can’t keep up with him on all of our exploration adventures and that would leave us both very, very disappointed!”
We also asked Stacey how she began this journey. She said, “I think I’ve always been an active individual, starting as a child participating on a competitive swimming team to becoming an aerobic instructor as a young adult. I have had periods in my life where I made some detours from a healthy focus, but when I look back at how I felt during those times, the negative aspects always steered me back to the health minded journey.”
If Stacey could tell someone one thing about living a healthy lifestyle, she would say “I have two pieces of advice that I have repeatedly shared over the years – first, it’s never ever too late to start; just take one small step. The second has been my mantra for the majority of my life – a body at rest stays at rest, a body in motion stays in motion.”
We are extremely proud of you Stacey! Congratulations on how far you have come! Continue striving to be a healthier version of yourself every day!
