Jennifer Engel Moves Mind, Body & Spirit

How losing over 100 pounds, quitting smoking and learning to love herself landed this local woman the role of a lifetime— as one of the American Heart Association’s national Go Red For Women spokeswomen

By Kim Dearth

Photographed by David Watkins

Sometimes it takes another person to convey a truth that we, in fact, have known all along.

When Jennifer Engel, now 34, took a trip to Australia in 2003 to visit the host family she had stayed with as an exchange student years earlier, she knew deep inside she wasn’t living the life she wanted.

“I wasn’t healthy. I was overweight, I smoked, plus I had other negative influences in my life,” says Engel. “I sat down with Francis, my host family ‘mum,’ and she had the unique ability to point out these things in my life and to talk to me like a family member, but not as my actual mom, who I would probably have rebelled against,” she remembers with a laugh.

That conversation stuck with Engel, who was also was concerned that, at her young age, she was suffering from shortness of breath, occasional heart palpitations and had cholesterol readings of over 260. She lost her grandfather to heart disease and her then-fiancé’s father to stroke. That, plus other little moments of clarity—“I remember being on a plane home from London and crying because the power plug for the movie headphones was cutting into my leg the whole way; I was wedged too tightly into the seat”—and Engel decided to make some drastic changes to her life.

Today, Engel is an inspiring 120 pounds lighter, smoke-free, pursuing a less-stressful career and married to the love of her life. Through these life changes, she has truly turned her life around. Once plagued by low self-esteem, today an effervescent life force seems to emanate from Engel’s every pore. For her, confidence stems not just from weight-loss, quitting smoking or finding love, but from choosing to make herself a priority.

She has turned her personal challenges and eventual triumph into an inspirational blueprint for other women who want to take charge of their health and happiness. And, she’ll have the perfect opportunity to share with audiences across the United States as one of the American Heart Association (AHA)’s newly-appointed spokewomen for Go Red For Women.

Go Red For Women is an AHA initiative designed to educate women about cardiovascular disease and empower them to live a healthier lifestyle.

“The Go Red message is so important because there are still so many women who are not aware of the incredible impact cardiovascular disease has on [them],” says Marni Brown, corporate events director of the American Heart Association’s Midwest Affiliate. “The numbers are staggering. I talk with women daily who are shocked by the fact that one in three women will die from cardiovascular disease. That is more than the next six causes of death combined, including all types of cancer. We need to keep forging ahead, educating women so they are armed with the information to make the right choices.”

First selected as one of two local representatives chosen from over dozens of women at an open casting call at Madison’s West Towne Mall last February, Engel advanced to compete nationally with over 1,000 additional women—ultimately being selected as one of nine national Go Red For Women spokeswomen.

In this volunteer role, she will tell her own compelling story to women nationwide by representing Go Red for Women in media interviews, on the American Heart Association’s Web site, and in both marketing materials and at events, including a number of local and regional activities like the annual Madison Go Red For Women Luncheon. Engel will represent the cause until at least July 2010.

NBC-15 news anchor Carleen Wild, who interviewed Engel during the selection process in Madison, was especially inspired. “What struck me about Jen’s story is that she took something that can seem so out of touch, a disease she doesn’t yet have and an issue that is typically so hard for a woman—or man, for that matter—to really internalize at a young age and truly used it as motivation for a better, more healthy lifestyle. Jen not only is taking charge of her own health destiny, but trying to impact other young women and hopefully their mothers along the way.”

Brown also found Engel’s story especially compelling. “Jen has an amazing story of self-discovery—she took the time to listen to her body and the signals she was receiving from the inside. Jen is an example of what we should all be doing, which is putting ourselves first so we can be strong and healthy and take care of those around us. Women carry a heavy load and often don’t take that important step of assessing their own needs first.”

Today, Engel continues the practices that started her on the path to good health—mainly putting herself first each day, literally. “My morning routine begins with one hour of my time. I used to sleep as late as possible, but now I get up an hour earlier than I need to. I exercise, then do meditations, where I really feel my heart. I center, and think of the challenges of the day. The three main components of my routine are exercise, meditation and prayer.”

Eating healthy is another important component of Engel’s new lifestyle and started for her with a decision three years ago to ban soft drinks from her life. “We live in a food-centric society—portion size is out of control,” she says. “People need to not only control their portions at home, but also not be afraid to ask to split portions at restaurants. It’s also helpful to keep a food log—it helps you realize how mental food is. We eat for so many different reasons other than hunger.”

Also enjoying the benefits of a better diet is Engel’s husband, Kevin, who, along with his wife, committed to a healthier lifestyle, losing 100 pounds in the process. “We knew we wanted to have children someday and realized that genetically they may have weight issues. We made the decision that we wanted to lead different lifestyles,” he says.

Kevin also points out that he and his wife are much more active than in the past. “It’s almost a reaction to feeling better,” he says. “We bike around the lake, hike places we never would have gone before and even play Frisbee golf—something I had never really even heard of before, but Madison is a great place for it.”

“It’s really easy to sit on the couch some days,” says Engel. “We cut our cable back to basic—when there’s nothing on TV, what are you going to do? Now we go for a walk just because it’s a beautiful night. I also made an effort to put myself out there, scheduling activities that would be good for me, like a golf league.”

Engel is grateful for the love and support she has received from her husband every step of the way. “I had to sit down and look at what was really important to me, not anybody else. That was really difficult. I used to be one of those people that when I was asked what was important to me would say, ‘I don’t know what’s important to me—what’s important to you?’ Now, I know to really focus on me.”

While Engel is thrilled with her new, healthier self, she has had to make some interesting adjustments she never anticipated. “When I was 300 pounds, I didn’t matter to myself. That translated into how other people saw me. When you’re heavier, people tend to look through you,” she states. “But when you’re thinner, people actually look at you. I was really uncomfortable at first—I felt a little ogled. But now I’ve learned to handle it. It’s changed my attitude about myself and my self-confidence.”

Her husband has also adjusted. “I fell in love with Jen when we were both very different physically. I love my wife for a whole bunch of reasons, but it was a little difficult to see all this new attention focusing on her. But it actually matured us and made our marriage even stronger—I’m more in love with her than ever.”

Like her Australian host-mom did for her, Engel wants to sound a wake-up call for other women. “If there’s any message that I want to get out to women it’s this: Don’t be afraid to figure out who you are. Don’t ask why, ask why not. And don’t let fear stand in the way. Don’t be afraid to try, and fail. It seems every time I’m doing well in my routine, life throws a curveball,” says Engel, who acknowledges that there are days when she slips into her old pattern of beating herself up or telling herself she’s not good enough. “You need to be OK with screwing up a little. Accept little setbacks as part of the growing process.”

And, most importantly, Engel reminds women, “You can’t compare your insides to everyone else’s outsides—you need to realize that behind the façade, everyone has their own issues.”

A support system is vital for all women, regardless of what aspect of their health they are dealing with. Go Red For Women—and its spokeswomen like Engel—has a mission to provide that support. In fact, 97 percent of women who join the movement make a lifestyle change for the better.

Says Brown: “I encourage all women to take part in our BetterU program to start on the road to heart health—for you and those you love.”

According to the AHA doctors, the lifestyle changes Engel has made have added 23 years to her life. And that is, quite simply, priceless.

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