Forty-nine-year-old TerriLynn Hebert is a FitLifer to the core, and she’s cleared some impressive hurdles in her commitment to stay that way.   Her cheery disposition and strong faith in God are the driving forces behind her tenacious positivity, and nothing gets this gal down for long.

“Determination coupled with passion help me to victoriously overcome trials and tribulations in my life,” said TerriLynn. And those “trials and tribulations” roll off her tongue like yesterdays grocery list.  Her speed bumps in the past three years include four surgeries, an accident in which she broke her foot in three place, a shoulder injury and a bad fall in which she sprained the right side of her body in four places.

Never mind all that, though!  TerriLynn is in the habit of transmuting challenges into blessings for herself and others.  In fact, she says, every time she’s been down she’s felt as though she was being refined to help more people around her. Born with a bleeding disorder called VonWillebrand Disease, she and her daughter  invest their energies into helping others with the same medical challenges, through the Louisiana Hemophelia Foundation.  But that’s not all.  TerriLynn’s life is full of giving, because, she says, contribution enriches her experience of living.  She leads a church musical group in doing holiday performances for the elderly community, bringing food and love to nursing homes during the holidays.  Terrilynn is a youth mentor who dedicates her life to her Christian faith and service to those who need her.
The sassy guitar-playing, volunteering, mentor with an entrepeneurial spirit is, most importantly a  grandmother of one and single mother of two college kids.  TerriLynn works with the deaf and blind as a speech pathologist with the Terrebonne Parish School System and calls her work both “challenging and rewarding”.   She uses her guitar in service to helping children and will soon be featured in a book about her techniques in this field.  With four Christian songs, under her belt, TerriLynn plans to write more music for a future album she’s putting together.
“My life is like a gumbo of experiences,” she says.  “All the ingredients come together to guide me to a flavorful outcome.” The biggest secret to TerriLynn’s endless ability to serve and enrich others is her commitment to caring for herself, as well.  In addition to nurturing her relationship with God, she exercises four times a week with strength training and cardio.  She also eats five times a day and works as a distributor for a life-enhancing supplement she takes called Protandim.  Her curiosity fuels her interests, and TerriLynn attends health classes and studies with the effectiveness of various vitamins and minerals.  To those who grapple with challenges, TerriLynn offers her own story as encouragement. “You might get knocked down, but that does not mean you’re knocked out,” she says, with a smile.  “It’s all about your choices!”

Q&A

Q- What do you credit most for your ability to rise above challenges?
A-Prayer coupled with determination and a never-give-up attitude.

Q-How do you live the FitLife?
A- I eat healthy 5x/day and exercise 4x/day.  I try to be the best I can in every area of life, and God has empowered me to be victorious physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

Q- Can you share a nugget of positivity that came out of one of your challenges?
A-When I broke my foot, I realized how important every part of my body is and to take care of it.