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Health Map By Sarah DeRoo Photographed by Shanna Wolf healthy lives. Th e formula was clear. Following recom- mendations from the AHA, UW Health experts would guide the challengers in un- derstanding their personal risk factors and the current status of their heart health, as well as in implementing lessons in goal- setting, nutrition, exercise and stress re- duction. Along with in-person lessons, the challengers would log on to BetterU, the AHA's online, public version of the challenge. From there, the rest was up to them. For 12 weeks the women tried new tricks, worked up a sweat, whipped up new meals and de-stressed—blogging and sharing their experiences along the way. Th e lessons were both big and small, from reading nutrition labels and smart grocery shopping tips to easy ways to get active and start new fi tness plans. Th e messages behind each step were loud and clear. "Healthy isn't restrictive dieting, it is ed- Team Heart and Sole Meet Zoe Schuler, Gloria Ott and Cara Vanderlin Good health is about more than just reaching a number on the scale, it's about making easy lifestyle changes that matter both inside and out. For a healthier you tomorrow, follow this road-tested path today ucating ourselves so we make good choices most of the time while allowing ourselves to make an occasional bad choice without punishment," says Kristi Brereton. Most importantly, they learned to be- lieve in themselves. "We are nine smart women who fi nally get it—we have to take care of ourselves, no one can do it for us," says Brereton. Th eir 12-week journey has come to a close, but each woman will continue building a heart-healthy lifestyle with daily choices to make a difference. Sharing the life-changing (but simple) lessons they've learned, the women and their team of local experts are issuing ev- ery woman a challenge: Start with these real-world tips, and make a commitment to pave your own path to a better you. Team Rubicon Meet Kristi Brereton, Terri Redmond and Roxanne Wenzel Kane Sivesind, CSCS Owner CORE ATHLETIC Sivesind knows that quick-fi x exercise plans often result in short-lived success. To help the challengers get moving and feel great, he coached them on building fi tness plans and fi nding exercise opportunities that meet their individual goals and keep them energized. Gail Underbakke, RD, MS, CLS Nutrition coordinator UW Health Preventive Cardiology Medical nutrition therapy. Sounds clinical, right? Not so for Underbakke, who specializes in the area. She offered the challengers real tips for digesting all the nutrition information out there, and building successful strategies for healthy (and delicious) eating. Mary Zasadil, MD Assistant professor of medicine Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, UW School of Medicine and Public Health Zasadil sees fi rsthand the effects of heart disease—and wants to prevent it. To give the challengers a true picture of what they're facing, she brought the facts: Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, and together we can prevent it. May 2012 bravamagazine.com 59