Putting health first. Jewel, Cheryl Burke, RaeLynn and more visited Kroger’s Wellness Experience to celebrate and encourage good health in both the mind and body.
The Cincinnati, Ohio, event kicked off the second day of activities on Saturday, August 21, with cofounder Jewel, 47, and her anxiety workshop. The “Foolish Games” singer led a discussion about how she manages her everyday anxiety and how to avoid it ruling her life. The packed session gave fans an opportunity to learn more about Jewel’s mental health and how to take charge of their own mental battles.
“No one owes me happiness,” Jewel told her captivated audience. “I owe myself happiness.”
The musician discussed knowing when to push anxious thoughts aside and when to listen to them. She compared her anxiety to a car alarm during the session at The Wellness Experience by Kroger’s Inspiration Zone, presented by American Greetings.
“When someone tries to break in, your alarm goes off and it warns you. Anxiety is your body alarm. Your body and your brain have their own intelligence — they’re your alarms,” she explained. “Your anxiety is telling you who the burglar is. Anxiety is your ally. Get close to your anxiety and your body alarms when they happen. They will teach you.”
Later, the Inspire Lounge held the Different Abilities, Better World session, led by Allison Warrell, star of TLC’s Big & Little. The bodybuilder shared her personal journey with health and fitness industry alongside Keep Her Wild skateboard collective founder Megs Gelfgot, FitOps Foundation’s Bobby Somers and Devon Spivey.
Dancing with the Stars alum Burke also shared her personal experiences with mental health as a woman of color. The 37-year-old spoke during Mental Health in the BIPOC Communities session on Saturday alongside entrepreneur Morgan Angelique Owens.
The Wellness Experience wasn’t just about listening to advice and experiences, of course. Attendees had opportunities to workout in the Active Zone presented by Blue Triton, and the GoFit Roller Rehabilitation session in the Meditation Tent offered a chance to exercise with Nikki Walter. The fitness guru, 40, led devotees through a targeted toning workout using the GoFit Roller.
To wrap up a fun and healthy weekend, The Wellness Experience by Kroger delivered a country concert in the Fitness Zone, sponsored by UnitedHealthcare. X Factor alum Willie Jones wowed audiences with his blend of country and hip-hop. The Voice alum RaeLynn, who is expecting her first child with husband Josh Davis in September, danced on stage with her baby bump proudly on display.
Scroll down for an inside look at the second day of Kroger’s Wellness Experience: