Come SPELLhealth with me

Wow, introductions are normally very easy for me. I’m a talkative person by nature but, actually writing about myself can be challenging. Here goes …

I was born in Seattle, Washington and moved to St. Helena when I was 12. After attending a few years of college in Napa (studying nothing related to wine), I got a job at The French Laundry. This incited my interest in the world of wine and food where I explored all facets of the business until 2004 when my parents hired me as the {insert title} at Spelletich Cellars.

But what really defines me is my role as a single mother to my amazing 5 year old son Gage.

I also recently underwent gastric bypass surgery.

People frequently ask me, “How can you work in the wine industry and live a healthy lifestyle?”

I am 5’2” (well 5’1½”, but rounding up always sounds better) and last year I weighed 226 lbs. Let me break this down for you – I was wearing a size 18 pants and XXL shirts and felt like Humpty Dumpty. I had enough.  I realized if I wanted to get healthy, I could still have my cake and stare at it too!

After almost two decades and thousands of dollars spent on weight loss strategies, I had to do something drastic to make a change in my life and enrolled in the bariatric program at Kaiser. I let my lavish eating and indulgent drinking (often tasting some of the best wines in the world) go … to save my life.

On November 16, 2012, I smoked my last cigarette and took my last sip of wine. Let’s just say I went out in style and never looked back.

Now you may wonder how I am able to keep this up. I am keeping the 100 lbs. off with exercise, great Napa Valley food and amazing friends and family. I look forward to sharing my story with you as I continue my journey.