In many ways, Joshilyn Jackson has a fairytale life. Happily married to the ‘boy next door’ and a mother of two amazing children, she is full of energy and happiness and lives every day to its fullest potential. Part of that rigor comes from knowing how fragile life really is.

“My father was diagnosed with heart disease and had to have stents implanted. We’re very close and it really scared me.”
Joshilyn’s mother, though extremely healthy and fitness minded, was also diagnosed with hypertension when she reached menopause.

“My mother’s side of the family is genetically cursed! We’re gain weight very quickly and have a history of heart disease.”

Like many women, Joshilyn struggles with her diet. Growing up in Georgia and Alabama, she loves Southern cooking.

“I love to cook and eat—and eat butter! I love to cook with bacon. I’m looking to make diet changes and alter my choices. I really want to lose a dress size. I know that’s so vain.”

Joshilyn has plenty of get-up-and-go, though. A self-proclaimed ‘endorphin junkie,’ she exercises every day with hiking and her church boot camp being her favorite activities.

“While my health has never kept me from any one activity, I don’t have the stamina I’d like to have. I’d like to be competitive in a 5K in my age group. Who knows, maybe then a half-marathon!”

In addition to heart disease and hypertension, diabetes also runs in Joshilyn’s family and her cholesterol is rising. Hearing that heart disease in the number one killer of women shocked Joshilyn.

“I think of heart disease as a man’s disease. Women don’t seem to be as high-stress and type A as men. I think of women as having better eating habits, but I guess that’s not really true these days. It has kind of snuck up on us.”

A former smoker of seven years, Joshilyn admits it was the hardest thing to give up and the best thing she’s ever done for herself.

“Once I quit smoking, I felt better, looked better and smelled better.”

As part of her 12-week journey, Joshilyn plans to stop and smell the roses more, but her real motivation is clear. “I want to be a BetterU for my kids. A lot of people think they have the best kids, but I really do have them.”