So, Who is Dr. F. Maxine Fantroy-Ford?

Hello there, my name is Dr. Fantroy-Ford, and I want to share my story with you. I spent 35 years as a teacher and administrator in the City School District of Albany before retiring in 2012. Post-retirement, I had the opportunity to serve in various educational positions at the local and state levels. As an interim and substitute principal, adjunct professor, independent evaluator, coach, and mentor to new administrators, I gained a wealth of experience and knowledge.

My years as a school turnaround administrator, working with principals and teachers in low-performing schools to implement restructuring plans, led me to start my consulting business, CoreInspiration Consulting, Inc. I am passionate about education and equity, and I believe that every student deserves a chance to succeed. Eventually, my passion for education and helping others took a toll on my own well being…

What Led Me Here?

Being an educator, mother and wife consumed my life. From the role of a teacher to administrator I lost myself in taking care of others, my family, the students and their families, and the faculty. My self-care was not a priority.  I never exercised because I was attending meetings or just too plain tired. Although I always had a sense of style and dressed fashionably, I did not like the way I looked. My weight was increasing and eventually would have an adverse effect on my health. There were always excuses as to why I was neglecting “Me”. The demands of being a principal, the activities that my son was involved in that I refused to miss, and the never-ending problems that needed solutions started to weigh me down emotionally. Trying to be superwoman was gradually disintegrating.

As the weight loss roller coaster kept moving, it finally came to an abrupt stop when I had to have a stent inserted in my artery at 58. This was my wake-up call. I was instructed to begin an aspirin regimen and walk one hour every day. My first attempt at walking that distance was not easy. I huffed and puffed after a few steps.  I contacted my doctor because I started to believe that something was wrong. He assured me that I was fine, and just needed to gradually increase my distance. I thought walking through the halls at my elementary school was enough exercise.

Prior to my surgery, I struggled with eating late at night (after work meetings), snacking, and not exercising. For an entire year, I pushed myself to walk until I was able to go around the entire perimeter of the university campus.

Over the years, I added spin cycling, weightlifting classes, and bike riding. After weighing in at 272, I eventually lost 100 pounds. I had to change my mindset. I finally understood what self-care looked and felt like. The secret to maintaining a healthy, emotionally, and physically well-balanced life was to make self-care non-negotiable.   It didn’t happen overnight. Did I have moments of relapse? Yes, but I kept walking and exercising, keeping my “Me Time” sacred, preparing and eating healthy, reading from my list of personal 100 affirmations, and finding solitude and positivity in meditating.

CONQUER STRESS, AVOID BURNOUT, AND REACH YOUR POTENTIAL WITH MY SIGNATURE SELF-CARE STRATEGIES EmpowerED and AIM WELLNESS PROGRAM

…EmpowerED…