Welcome to my life. I'm Deanne Dietz, a re-vitalized, passionate health enthusiast!
Today, I am a teacher, Holistic Nutritionist and health enthusiast, however, I wasn't always this healthy and full of vitality. A reformed smoker and drug user, it wasn't that long ago that I was looking for a new journey to health.
Even though I was raised by two wonderful parents who always pushed me to believe in myself and to follow my dreams, after completing University and starting my career as a Teacher, I began to neglect my health and found myself depressed and sinking into a spurt of drug and alcohol abuse. I was sometimes smoking 2 packages of cigarettes a day, and found myself gaining weight as I ate endless amounts of junk food. Despite my experience as an elite volleyball player and figure skater, I no longer had the desire or the energy to do anything. Even walking to my car was becoming difficult. Getting out of bed each day was a challenge as I spent endless hours at night driving around in my car depressed and thinking about ways I could get out.
Knowing that I had to regain control of my life I ventured from Newfoundland to Hamilton, Ontario, in December of 2007. I stopped smoking and my drug use and never turned back. There were definitely days that I thought about going to the store to buy another pack of cigarettes as I thought it would definitely be easier than eating another tub of ice-cream and gaining more weight, but deep inside, I knew that I just had to make the change. I owed it to myself. After joining the local YMCA, I made the decision to compete in a triathlon that summer. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I knew that it would be an ultimate test of will-power and achievement for me.
The day of the triathlon I woke with anxiety as I feared I would not succeed. I told myself that I was out to prove to my family that I deserved a second chance. I was an emotional wreck as I entered the water that day. Despite being "smoke & drug free" for 6 months, I still had flashbacks and believed that I was a failure. Part of me thought about the irony that would be if I were to drown in the lake, as if it were meant to be. I fought to keep my mind in positive places and persevered through the bike course and run course all the while thinking back to how I created this pain and hurt myself. When I hit the final kilometer of the run course, tears began to flush into my eyes. I knew I had accomplished something great. I was overjoyed and emotional beyond control.
Even though I was raised by two wonderful parents who always pushed me to believe in myself and to follow my dreams, after completing University and starting my career as a Teacher, I began to neglect my health and found myself depressed and sinking into a spurt of drug and alcohol abuse. I was sometimes smoking 2 packages of cigarettes a day, and found myself gaining weight as I ate endless amounts of junk food. Despite my experience as an elite volleyball player and figure skater, I no longer had the desire or the energy to do anything. Even walking to my car was becoming difficult. Getting out of bed each day was a challenge as I spent endless hours at night driving around in my car depressed and thinking about ways I could get out.
Knowing that I had to regain control of my life I ventured from Newfoundland to Hamilton, Ontario, in December of 2007. I stopped smoking and my drug use and never turned back. There were definitely days that I thought about going to the store to buy another pack of cigarettes as I thought it would definitely be easier than eating another tub of ice-cream and gaining more weight, but deep inside, I knew that I just had to make the change. I owed it to myself. After joining the local YMCA, I made the decision to compete in a triathlon that summer. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I knew that it would be an ultimate test of will-power and achievement for me.
The day of the triathlon I woke with anxiety as I feared I would not succeed. I told myself that I was out to prove to my family that I deserved a second chance. I was an emotional wreck as I entered the water that day. Despite being "smoke & drug free" for 6 months, I still had flashbacks and believed that I was a failure. Part of me thought about the irony that would be if I were to drown in the lake, as if it were meant to be. I fought to keep my mind in positive places and persevered through the bike course and run course all the while thinking back to how I created this pain and hurt myself. When I hit the final kilometer of the run course, tears began to flush into my eyes. I knew I had accomplished something great. I was overjoyed and emotional beyond control.
Me, Christmas of 2006,
weeks before I began to transform my life! |
After completing Ironman Florida in 2009
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But the journey couldn't end there. I still feared that I would return to the smoking and drugs and knew that I had to do
more. I kept saying that I wanted to prove my health to my family, but truthfully, I needed to prove it to myself. In 2008, I completed my first half ironman, on my home soil in Corner Brook, Newfoundland, with my whole family cheering me on. I fought tears of happiness and satisfaction the entire final hour of this 6 hour race as I finally knew I had done it! I am still flooded with emotions of anger, fear, joy and sadness as I work towards competing in various events, but I find strength and courage as I use food and exercise to heal and energize my soul. In 2009 I became an "IRONMAN" which, next to the birth of my children, was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. While working to achieve each goal I have sought out the help and guidance of many holistic practitioners. Words cannot explain the stream of emotions that pass through me each time I obtain a new goal towards achieving Health and Fitness. Without my “body repair team” & "support network", I fear to think of where I would be now. I strongly believe in the Holistic approach to success and it is what is driving me to now share this information with you and others through my practice, the Healthy Root.
As a Certified Holistic Nutritionist and Naturotherapist I focus on Clinical Nutrition, Performance Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching. I am moved every time another client turn challenges into successes. Teaching and guiding others and watching their dreams and joys unfold before me is a true passion. My hope for my clients is for them to experience, as I did, the true joy and exhilaration of transforming their lives so that they too can
live each day full of hope, health and vitality!
live each day full of hope, health and vitality!