About Muse Vitality

Welcome to Muse Vitality—a cozy corner of the internet I’ve poured my heart into creating. I’m Heather, and I’m so glad you’re here with me. This isn’t just a blog or a collection of healthy recipes—it’s my lifeline, my passion, and, honestly, my accountability partner. You see, Muse Vitality was born out of my own messy, lifelong dance with food, anxiety, and all those sneaky insecurities that love to tag along. I’ve been there and bet you’ve also felt some of those struggles.

Growing up in the 80s and 90s, I was surrounded by a culture obsessed with thinness, neon leg warmers, and diet soda as a food group. To make matters worse, my mother was caught up in that whirlwind, too, with an unhealthy relationship with food, her body image, and alcohol. I’d watch her skip meals and criticize her reflection, and on the rare occasions when she allowed herself a treat or a full meal, she would hastily retreat to the bathroom. A pattern I later came to understand was bulimia. Little me soaked it up like a sponge, and by the time I was a teen, my anxiety and body image issues were full-blown. I was clueless about how to eat in a way that didn’t feel like punishment and was riddled with guilt and shame when I ate a delicious meal. Sound familiar? I’d bet many of us Gen X and elder Millennials have a story like that tucked away. No wonder the new body positivity movement is so foreign to us.

All my life, I have stumbled through crash diets, stress spirals, and that nagging feeling of “Why can’t I just get it together? In college, I majored in psychology, hoping to figure out how to help myself feel better, but to no avail. I devoured self-improvement books and followed the latest diet trends, all in pursuit of losing weight and, ultimately, trying to feel good and enjoy life with little success. However, 2024 became a pivotal year that brought profound changes, including the loss of both my parents, my father-in-law, my nephew, and two dear friends. At 52, the reality of life’s unpredictability struck me hard, and I realized I didn’t want to waste any more time being unhappy or unhealthy—mentally or physically. I was tired of merely surviving—I wanted to thrive, and decided to take action by:

• Making the long-overdue decision to see a therapist has been transformative. While I was managing anxiety with medication, my therapist diagnosed me with adult ADHD. A new prescription has been life-changing, bringing me calm and focus. Following my therapist's recommendation, I joined the Inner Bloom Health & Wellness Academy, where I have been nurturing self-care and personal growth, unlocking my potential and embracing a vibrant, positive life journey.

• Focusing on nutrition and health (instead of weight loss) through meal planning and eating a whole-food diet rich in protein, veggies, and fruit has affected my food. Incidentally, my uncontrollable food cravings have disappeared, and I am losing weight. Of course, I no longer keep trigger foods in my house. Cheez-its and snack cakes would not be safe here!

• Scheduling regular walks, stretching, and at-home kettlebell workouts with my husband. Including your partner in your health journey makes it much more manageable.

• Moving forward with ideas that spark joy, thus creating this blog. Researching and writing for Muse Vitality has become my way of piecing it together, and sharing my journey with you motivates me.

After a significant paradigm shift, I believe true wellness isn’t about chasing some impossible standard or swearing off carbs forever. It’s about nourishing yourself—body, mind, and soul—so we can bloom into the radiant women we’re meant to be. That’s why I’m here, curating hearty whole-food recipes, sharing wellness rituals that fit into our chaotic lives, and breaking down the wellness science so you can make choices that light you up. I’m not about perfection— I still have days where I drink too much wine and order pizza, but I enjoy it guilt-free and know that an occasional indulgence is okay. So, here’s my invitation: let’s ditch the guilt trips and step into a vibrant and free version of ourselves. Grab a soothing cup of tea, explore healthy recipes, practice self-care rituals, soak up some wellness wisdom, and let's do this together. I’m here, cheering you on!

Cheers to your health and happiness,
Heather
Wellness Curator at Muse Vitality