From a background of modern dance and track to a busy career in real estate, Windie McGinness is now raising her two young daughters to be active, fun-loving females – just like their mom. Most importantly, she tries to instill a sense of enjoyment around a healthy lifestyle. She and her husband, Hastings, work together to balance life, careers, parenthood, nutrition, fitness, and fun.
HS: How do you balance work and home life?
WM: The great thing about working in real estate is that I can decide to work as much or as little as I want. Honestly, once our youngest, Ella Hastings, was born, I pulled back a lot. I wanted to spend more time with my girls and be there for all of their stuff – sporting events, homework, and just spending time with them. They are my number one priority.
HS: How do you like to spend time with your family?
WM: It’s very important to us to eat dinner together every night. The girls usually work on their homework while Hastings and I make dinner, and then we all sit down together. Often after dinner, we’ll play a game that Ella Hastings has made up.
HS: How do you prioritize fitness?
WM: I’ve always loved to run. It clears my mind. Our oldest daughter, Charlotte, is running cross-country now, and I love to get out and run with her. I treasure that time together. And my husband comes from a family of serious runners. He’s too fast for me though! Ella Hastings plays tennis and basketball, and as a family, we get outside together all the time and play games.
HS: What are some of your favorite outdoor places to spend time?
WM: We love to run together on the mountain, and then when we have time, we go down to the Riverwalk. It’s so great. Chattanooga is just a great place to be outside!
HS: What do you teach your girls about nutrition?
WM: For me, eating healthy was always something I had to work at. I grew up thinking of certain foods as ‘rewards.’ Things like going to get ice cream were thought of as such a treat. So I try to teach my girls not to think of food as a reward, but to enjoy what they want in moderation. I’ve also learned while cooking dinner that it’s easy to make healthy substitutions and keep the food tasty and enjoyable. Simple things, like trading regular pasta for whole wheat or white rice for brown.
HS: What do you hope to teach your daughters about a healthy lifestyle?
WM: For me, when Charlotte talks about how much fun she has at cross-country practice, or when we’re running around outside playing and laughing, that’s what I
want. I want them to enjoy it. And I tell them, that’s the most important part. Because if they enjoy it, that’s how they’ll develop those lifelong healthy habits.
