Sergeant Amanda Tucker and her family are moving along well with the Performance Triad. She is a Public Affairs Specialist with the 82nd Sustainment Brigade at Fort Bragg, N.C.
Tucker has been making improvements to her Sleep, Activity and Nutrition in order to perform better, and she is helping her family do the same. While she has a good handle on all three elements, she finds that the sleep element can sometimes be the most challenging. She notices that when she has gotten adequate sleep, she is less irritable and when she eats smaller meals, she feels more agile. She believes that the approach to these modifications takes a "crawl, walk process" and that "small changes lead to big changes."
Believing that time management is key, Sgt. Tucker and her family focuses on scheduling. Her oldest son "has limited video-game time after his homework has been completed, is physically active and reads above his grade level," says Tucker. As for his mother, she does low-intensity training due to physical exercise constraints. She also utilizes a personal readiness device to track her activity and nutrition as well as to manage her weight.
After reviewing an array of materials and resources offered by the Performance Triad, Tucker has shared the information with others. She has discovered a large variety of fresh fruits and vegetables available at Fort Bragg's commissary. Shopping at local farmers markets for organic foods can be daunting, because they are typically more costly, says Tucker.
In the past, Tucker got off track with her nutrition when stress in the aftermath of her mother's passing triggered overeating. But her fiancé, a former Soldier, encouraged her to honor her mother instead, by striving to improve her health. So, while the loss of her mother was devastating, it has also inspired Tucker to improve her and her family's health.
Besides her family, Tucker finds support in pursuing her Triad goals from friends Tomekka Hamilton and Natasha Connell, both fellow sergeants. Hamilton, who is studying for her personal trainer certification, tracks Tucker's progress with weekly weigh-ins and evaluates her results; she is also Tucker's work-out partner. In addition to offering Tucker nutrition advice, Connell is Tucker's jogging and walking buddy. Both constantly encourage Tucker, and together, the group is seeing the pay-offs from commitment to the Triad.
Sergeant Tucker's experience shows the importance that encouragement and exercise companionship can positively impact your health and performance outcomes.
(This is the 2nd within a series of articles.)
Please feel free to submit your health story to the "My Health Story" link within www.Army Medicine.mil.
Related Links:
Article 1: Army Family's Performance Triad Journey
Article 3: Army Family on a Steady Stride with the Performance Triad
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