Amanda Jeren

MY HEALTH JOURNEY

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I like to tell people that my passion for health started after a life-changing event, but to be honest, it was way before that. I grew up in a home where video games weren't allowed, my vegetarian mother always kept vegetables in the house, and we took walks every night after dinner. An active lifestyle was not just something we strived for, it was something we just did. 

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Fast forward, at the age of 10, I had to grow up pretty fast. I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. This came as a shock to my family and I as no one had diabetes. 

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Going through school, I was able to educate and communicate to my peers about my diabetes. I held community/school walks and fundraisers, and gave speeches. At age 10, I was fearless.

 

In high school, I went through a few difficult years with challenging mental health complications. I was a cheerleader and ran track, got all A's, and held a high family reputation in the community. I lost all of these passions while my parents were divorcing. I felt very helpless which led to an extreme eating disorder. With diabetes, this creates a huge problem and landed me in the hospital with pancreatitis. My mom had conversations with the doctor a mom should never have; however, I was a LUCKY one to come out alive and well. 

 

From there, I saw a counselor who changed my life. After two long years, she helped me find comfort in eating again. It is crazy to think of how low I was and how far I have came. Anorexia completely changed two years of my high school experience and since then I have continuously worked towards recovery. 

 

While recovering, I took up running. At the time, running was a form of a mental break for me. I talked to God, I ran away from stress, and challenged my body in ways I've never done before.  

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As I ran, I became passionate about fitness. I started working out more, running more, eating better, and decided I'd go to college to further my education in this field. I majored in Kinesiology, Health Promotion, and got a minor in nutrition. I wanted to work with individuals and help them get to healthier lifestyles and teach them what I have learned. 

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Personally, I have found my true movement passions in running and yoga. I lift weights and cross-train to become a better runner and more skilled in my yoga practice.

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Since college, I've worked as a fitness professional supporting companies such as Honda, Duke University Hospital, GE and Citi Bank. In 2018, I transitioned to working as a full time personal trainer at Equinox in Bloomfield Hills. Currently, I am an independent personal trainer running Fit And Fearless training both virtually and in-person in the Metro Detroit area.