Bedford Teacher Inspires Women to Get Healthy

This past fall, 41-year-old Jen Dickson, a teacher from Bedford, embarked on a journey to rediscover her health when she participated in the Friend Your Body Transformation Challenge for women.

After experiencing two of the most challenging years of her life, dealing with the death of her mother and going through a tough divorce, Dickson was at her heaviest weight ever, unhappy and exhausted, and she was eager to get her life and health back on track.

After 12 weeks of education, inspiration and empowerment with Friend Your Body in Merrimack, Dickson gained back her self-confidence, energy and happiness — she gained back her health ... and she lost 8 percent body fat and dropped four dress sizes.

“If I can do this, anyone can,” said Dickson. “I am a single mom, who works full-time and is on a limited income, and I could still fully utilize the Friend Your Body program to get healthy. Due to the Friend Your Body Challenge I have met each and every one of the goals I initially set. I have lost weight. I am moving more. I have more energy. I am happy. I have changed my life. As I write this, I am approaching my forty-first birthday. No gift that I ever receive will equal the one I gave myself by joining the Fall Friend Your Body Challenge: the gift of health, wellness and happiness. I gave myself the gift of life.”

“Jen is a role model and inspiration to other women,” says Melissa Koerner, owner of Friend Your Body. “Despite the many hardships she has faced in her life, when she could’ve easily thrown in the towel and given up on herself, Jen decided to take control of her life and transform her health. I’m honored that Jen wants to pay it forward and be a mentor for participants of our upcoming winter 2012 Friend Your Body Challenge.”

Friend Your Body’s Winter 2012 Transformation Challenge for Women brings together a team of New Hampshire health-minded businesses to motivate participants on their 12-week journey to reinvigorate their minds and bodies. Earthtec, the Republic Cafe, Derek Russell’s Art Studio, Debbie Ellis Photography of Bedford and Friend Your Body are joining forces to reward women in the southern NH community with over $1,000 in prizes for their health improvement efforts.

Friend Your Body is a social enterprise that educates, inspires, and empowers women to take charge of their lives by transforming their health. A health fitness and nutrition coach, Koerner is the driving force behind the Friend Your Body movement and is currently spreading her vigor and enhancing communities throughout New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. Friend Your Body operates off the core principle that simple daily improvements in how you eat, move, think and manage stress result in a healthy body for life.