Owensboro Athlete Jennifer Hamilton Made an Incredible Life Change

Everyone meet our first #HealthyAthleteSpotlight, Jennifer Hamilton. Jennifer is from Owensboro, Ky., and has been a Special Olympics Kentucky athlete for more than 20 years. She keeps her schedule very full by playing basketball and softball. flag football, bowling, and track and field. On top of being a multi-sport athlete, Jennifer works a full-time job at her local hospital!  

Everyone at the SOKY (Special Olympics Kentucky) office is so proud of how far Jennifer has come in her wellness journey. When asked what made her want to become a healthier version of herself, she said, “I have seen how my family’s health has become poor. In my family we have high blood pressure and diabetes.” She went on to acknowledge that she knows she is at a higher risk for these diseases because of heredity. Since this acknowledgment, health has become a top priority in her life and said, “If you do not maintain it, you end up at the doctor with so many things wrong. It is harder to start back than it is to maintain.”  

Since Jennifer’s health journey began, she has gone from over 200 pounds down to somewhere in the ballpark of 150-160 pounds. She partially credits this to consistently exercising 1-2 hours per day at least 5 days per week. Her fitness routine includes balance training, cardio – mainly through running and biking, and strength training in free weights and machines.  

Jennifer knows that health is much more than just exercise, which is why she puts a large emphasis on her nutrition as well. Jennifer does her best to pay close attention to food labels and watch her portion sizes while avoiding starchy carbohydrates. She says that a large part of her weight loss success has come from a high protein diet and proper hydration, she only drinks water.  

To manage stress, outside of exercising, Jennifer takes a few approaches; including decompressing by herself, talking on the phone with “momma,” or hanging out with teammates and friends.

When asked for one piece of fitness advice to anyone who wanted to start making their health a priority, Jennifer said, “Take 30 minutes and go for a walk. Start with an ‘I will not give up mindset. Just go for it.’ ”  

 Let’s all congratulate Jennifer on becoming our first #HealthyAthleteSpotlight and give her your best wishes as she trains for her upcoming 5k on March 22!