At the start of 2025, she made a New Year’s resolution, not just for fitness, but for herself. As a full-time caregiver for her father who has Alzheimer’s, her time, energy, and finances were stretched thin. With only part-time work and a full-time care schedule, she couldn’t afford yoga or nutrition classes and didn’t have the capacity to invest in herself. But she knew one thing, she didn’t want to turn 50 feeling frumpy, worn down, and disconnected from her own well-being.
Despite trying to stay active in the past, nothing had stuck. She’d often fall into the pattern of taking care of everyone else first and putting herself last. She described herself as “a bit lazy,” but in truth, she was burned out. Still, she had sheer determination and a desire to learn.
On a whim, she Googled “free cooking lessons,” not expecting to find anything. But she stumbled across the Cambridge Food Bank’s wellness programs. Embarrassed at first, she kept it to herself. But after joining the cooking classes, everything started to shift. She’s now an advocate for the food bank and has a mission to reduce the stigma around it.
Being vegan, the Meatless Mondays program aligned perfectly with her values. She discovered new ingredients like soy nuggets, an affordable protein she now loves, and started sprouting seeds on her counter. She realized that nutritious food didn’t have to be expensive or complicated. She began cooking more often, experimenting with new flours and techniques that expanded her options beyond just lentils and beans.
Through cooking, she found yoga, and that’s where things really changed. In-person sessions gave her the space to focus on herself away from home (and her barking dog!). It helped her reset each week, improve her flexibility (she can now touch her toes!), and take away small, practical tips like breathing exercises and digestion support.
“I used to feel stuck,” she said. “But now I feel like I have real tools, a community, and a reason to show up for myself.”
For someone who never thought she’d find anything free, or worth her time, she’s found more than she imagined: confidence, consistency, and a new approach to caring for herself as fiercely as she cares for others.
