1. Your name, title, and age? What do you do (or did you do) for a living?
My name is Katrina Michelle Woolverton, formerly known as Katrina Michelle Abrahemian and professionally known as Katrina. I’m 36 years old and after practicing law for five years I quit being an attorney to return to music.
2. Who was the person that inspired you as a child to eat healthy and stay fit? What was their relationship to you?
When I was very young my Mom always influenced me to eat well. I loved steamed broccoli and strawberries watermelon and apricot. My childhood home had a gigantic apricot tree in the back yard. We would have apricot picking parties and everyone left with their bags filled. Still there would be more leftover than we could ever finish. I remember Mom cooking the extra apricots stove top. I would steal a stewing apricot each time I passed by the pot.
But the desire to become physically fit didn’t come along until I was an adult and that’s when I drastically changed my eating habits. When I met my husband-to-be he introduced me to the love of skiing. I realized I was out of shape and had low cardio vascular endurance. Wanting to become a better skier was my drive to be a fit as possible. Afraid of injury and the desire to excel on the mountain motivated me to work out. I started spending 3-5 days a week in the gym, jogging outdoors, or doing exercises indoors with gallons of water as weights and a resistance band.
3. What did they do to inspire you?
My husband inspired me by example. He’s very active and likes to be outdoors hiking, skiing, swimming, surfing, and goes to the gym several times a week. I love being outdoors too but I had such a hard time keeping up with him. He was very amenable to eating super healthy along with me. Being on the buddy system makes it easier to order a side salad instead of a side of french fries. He accompanies me on long walks so I can walk at night after dark and feel safe.
4. How did their lesson change your life?
healthywordsThe lesson of health and fitness changed my life completely. In 6 years I have gone from 135 to 105 pounds. I’m down four dress sizes, and I can walk up several flights of stairs or a hill and not be winded. My body fat has gone from 35% to 21%. Wanting to be more healthy also inspired me to learn how to cook. As a result now I love to cook and cook often. I have come up with so many original recipes, healthier versions of dishes I love to eat but were just too greasy or sugary to enjoy eating often.
5. Do you convey their message to kids in your life presently?
The message of health and fitness is something I convey to kids as often as possible. Leading by example is always good. Children look to see what the adults around them are eating and tend to do the same. There is no junk food in my house. All of the dried fruit is un-sulfured and unsweetened. I even make peanut butter and jelly from scratch for my PB&J sandwiches.
6. What would be your main message to children today to lead healthy lifestyles?
Fresh fruit is a better snack than a candy bar any day- I call it nature’s candy. Be active. You can always jump rope, use a hula hoop, or play hop scotch. I also wish I had at least tried to join a team sport in junior high and high school. You can always do something…. run, play, jump, walk. What I try to do now is to take the stairs instead of the elevator. It may be small but it makes a difference. It’s never too late to change your ways to be more health conscious, but if I could go back in time I would have started at a much younger age.
7. Do you have a web site you would like to promote….web address only?
KatrinaMusic.com