As part of my new web series, The Role Model In You, here is my most recent interview. The Role Model In You series discusses how individuals were influenced as a child to lead a healthy lifestyle. It covers who influenced these individuals, the changes they made in their life to be healthy, and the message they would like to convey to the youth of today. Our guests include doctors, soccer stars, Super Bowl champions, pro golfers, entrepreneurs, celebrities, and just regular people looking to share their story. I hope you enjoy it!

1. Your name, title, and age? What do you do (or did you do) for a living?

Suzanne Strudwick, LPGA Tour Professional, Co-Owner Junior Golf AcademyONE, Director of Junior Instruction at Fairways & Greens GC (Knoxville, Tenn.). I played tournament golf on the Ladies European Tour 1983-1995 and the LPGA Tour 1993-2006; I was 1993 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year. Since 2005, I’ve been instructing and coaching in all aspects of golf to all skill levels including junior from age 4 to Tour players.

2. Who was the person that inspired you as a child to eat healthy and stay fit? What was their relationship to you?

My mother has always been very health conscience, she would always put fruit or raw veggies in our lunch box instead of chocolate bars or sweets. We never had sodas at home, always milk, juice or water. Dinner was always home cooked, never fast food or restaurant take-out. She always had a great balance and lots of variety for us to expand our taste buds! When I started playing on the European Tour full time I was able to develop a full world culinary taste because Mum had helped us become adventurous.

3. What did they do to inspire you?

Kept on encouraging to try new foods, tastes and stay adventurous. Not to get in a rut of same old food all the time.

4. How did their lesson change your life?

Playing and traveling all over the world each week, I realized that I was able to handle the changes in food types very easily. Many other players had a really hard time with that and in some cases that would prevent them from playing in certain countries because of the food. They would always seek out the American fast food which I thought was such a shame as I enjoyed trying new and different food from wherever we traveled.

5. Do you convey their message to kids in your life presently?

Yes, very much, especially to my Elite Level students who will be traveling to play golf but also to all my students as well. I always tell them to develop a good healthy variety of food groups now and you will have no problems later; and you will feel better if you are eating better. We have such a great variety now in the USA you can develop this (healthy eating habits) here before it becomes an issue. With the right attention to what we eat and by making better choices, we can take better care of ourselves.

6. What would be your main message to children today to lead healthy lifestyles?

ANSWER HERE: Be adventurous, add variety, try try try new foods, have a balanced diet and no fast food! I’m also a big fan of living an active lifestyle so combining a good diet with regular activity is a great combination.

7. Do you have a web site you would like to promote….web address only?

www.juniorgolfacademyone.com