Hi, my name is Roxanne Valinoti. I have always battled my weight ever since I can remember. Growing up in an Italian household, food was always the focus. I was never obese growing up, just “muscular,” and I always played sports. I was active going to the gym and enjoyed mountain biking. I participated in several charity bike-a-thons and even went to camp to be a better rider in my 20s.I have been on the South Beach diet, Weight Watchers, and I do a annual detox for one week. I know how to eat healthy and exercise. I have a home gym! So why do I find myself 50 lbs. overweight and in the worst shape of my life?
I began working in a salon as a nail professional when I was 18 and I quickly got into the bad habits we all have. With a full book, I started eating quickly on the run (or in the break room), drinking coffee all day long to keep me going, and I started smoking. These were, and continue to be, my vices when dealing with a busy lifestyle. Looking back I wish I had the time I thought I didn’t have then.
As my career developed I became an Education Ambassador for CND (Creative Nail Design at the time).That was 10 years ago, and in the past five years my travel schedule has increased substantially. Last year I was on the road a total of 150 days! Training and inspiring other nail professionals takes a lot of energy! Travel makes it difficult to make intelligent choices about food, so you make choices out of convenience, loneliness, and exhaustion. I quit smoking last September after having a basal cell (skin cancer) removed from my upper lip. I’m sorry to admit that I started smoking again, after six months.
So enough about excuses! I am the only one who is responsible for my actions. I have committed to Healthy Tech Talk so we can work together as an industry to feel better. I will not promise to be perfect, but I will make an effort to change habits and share them with you all along the way. I have committed to a 10-week body-shaping program that starts next week. It is a nationwide program.
— Roxanne Valinoti
Print | posted on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 4:19 PM