- David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee.
The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges for people minding their health, besides trying to avoid contracting the virus.
There have been delays in primary care visits and inoculations, increased diagnoses of mental illness and inconsistency in how people are managing their physical health.
Before the coronavirus, Tash Weddle, a former university strength and training coach, pursued her dream of opening a social enterprise gym and nonprofit focused on helping low-income women meet their health goals.
TNB Fitness and The New Beginnings Center in Nashville are playing an important part in creating a pattern of generational change in women who have not historically had a habit of exercising or eating healthy.
Weddle is my guest for this episode of the Tennessee Voices video podcast, and she spoke about training her clients virtually during the business shutdown earlier this year and how she has recently been bringing many of them back in person while abiding by social distancing and other Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and city guidelines.
We spoke about the role of physical fitness in combating stress and aiding physical, emotional and mental health, and how she avoids using fear or condemnation to help clients become healthier.
She also shared her experience as a woman who played college basketball and who navigated a male-dominated college sports culture.
While running a business and nonprofit has been difficult during this era, one way she has found to combat the stress is getting a new puppy.
Op-Ed by Tash Weddle:Nashville must continue to focus on preventive health care
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About Tennessee Voices
The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program that invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network – Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.
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David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network – Tennessee and an editorial board member of The Tennessean. Tweet to him at @davidplazas.
