What “Healthy” Means to Me- Anna

What Healthy Means to Me

Hi, I’m Anna wife to Travis, mom to Asher and Elise, and the heart behind Healthier Homemade.

Five years ago, everything changed.

My sister, Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer, and at the same time I was dealing with a handful of health issues more than likely caused from when I went septic- forever ago (that’s another topic for another day). This was the wake-up call I didn’t know I needed.

Back then, I owned a skincare spa, and most of my weekends were spent doing makeup.  My kids were about to be in school full time, and I knew deep down-I wanted to be home when they were home. I didn’t want to miss the moments I couldn’t get back.

That season was the beginning of peeling back the layers… like an onion.

It started with a friend recommending a health coach. Audrey was amazing- she taught me about fueling women’s bodies, hormones, and how food could either support or sabotage our health.

I had always loved to cook, but trying to make the food I loved healthier felt like a giant learning curve. Reading labels was overwhelming at first. I remember one of the first tips Audrey gave me: “if it has more than 5 ingredients or words you can’t pronounce, maybe skip it.”

That Stuck.

From Makeup Brushes to Meal Prep

As I learned more, I started experimenting in the kitchen-finding ways to make our favorite foods healthier and preservative-free. I didn’t want this to feel like a diet. I wanted it to feel like a way of life we could actually maintain.

I also started being more intentional with movement. I always enjoyed working out, but it used to be more for calories and vanity. Now, it is about feeling good and clearing my head. For me, that looks like personal training once a week and high-energy classes I actually enjoy. Some weeks I fall off the wagon (don’t we all?), but always come back because it is part of who I am now.

Healing Isn’t Just Physical

One of the most life-changing pieces of my journey? Therapy. We went through a lot in a short period and I realized I needed help processing it. Janice (my therapist) is trained in psychodynamic therapy, which helped me recognize patterns and triggers- not just in my health, but in my relationships, my habits, and even the way I handled stress. I used to hate the idea of “just talking” and had tried therapy before just never felt connected. This time it was different, it helped me change from the inside out. I still get “triggered” but honestly I am so proud of how far I have come.

From Food as a Chore to Food as a Calling

When my sister was doing better and I was ready to step back into work, I met with an Enneagram coach, Joe.  He said something I will never forget. “You keep bringing up cooking like it is your way of connecting with life.” He was right.

Around that same time my family took a charcuterie class with Jill Emmick and Kate Bolt. Watching them light up as they talked about food made me realize- maybe I can do something with this passion.

I started a page called Noshes that Nourish, then partnered with Kelli and launched Healthier Homemade. We built something really special together!  At the end of February, we decided to go our separate ways and I am forever grateful for what we created.

What Healthier Homemade Means Now

Today I focus on Real Food, Real Families and Real Life.  My mission is to show moms (and dads!) that healthy eating doesn’t have to be overwhelming, expensive, or time consuming. I keep it simple here!

1. Preservative free meals
2. Grocery swaps that actually taste good
3. Meal plans that work for busy schedules

But more than that, I hope this space becomes a reminder that “healthy” looks different for everyone.

• Maybe you’re deep in your own journey.
• Maybe you’re just starting out.
• Maybe you’re in survival mode and looking for one small thing that helps.

Wherever you are, you belong here! And I hope you find a tip, a recipe, or a story that reminds you you’re doing better than you think.

XOXO,

Anna