It’s Never Too Late: My Personal Health Journey with Pvolve and the Strength Behind Tula Blue

Heather Stringer and Pvolve trainer Maeve McEwen after a live class in Austin

The Day It All Came Full Circle

It’s not every day that you get to meet someone who changed your life. But there I was, in a studio in Austin, Texas, taking a Pvolve class led by Maeve McEwen, someone I had followed and admired from afar through a screen—now guiding me through movement that had become a lifeline. As the music pulsed and my muscles engaged in ways that felt strong, feminine, and functional, I realized this was more than a workout. This was a full-circle moment.

After class, I did a quick interview with the Pvolve team—a few of us shared what the method had meant to us. It wasn’t just exercise. It was transformation. Here’s that moment on Instagram. You can even catch a glimpse of me during the class in this post in my Tula hat.

But to understand what brought me there, you have to go back to early 2024.

Heather after ACL injury and post-hysterectomy, beginning a new chapter of healing

The Breaking Point: When My Body Said No

Two weeks before I was scheduled to have a hysterectomy to remove a potentially cancerous mass, I tore my ACL skiing. The double trauma—an unexpected surgery on the horizon and an acute injury—brought everything to a halt.

Thankfully, the surgery had the best possible outcome: cancer-free. But that chapter left me hormonal, heavier than ever (including after three pregnancies), and totally disconnected from my body. I was in my mid-40s, exhausted, overwhelmed, pre-diabetic and for the first time in my life, I felt truly down and hopeless and like my body was failing me. But the truth? I had been failing it.

Between raising three boys and running Tula Blue, the jewelry business I started over a decade ago, I had neglected myself. And it all came crashing down.

Weighted vest and P.Band—tools that marked the beginning of a functional movement journey

The Slow Climb Back

I didn’t make a big declaration. I didn’t overhaul everything overnight. I started small. I bought a weighted vest and an odd-looking armband off Facebook Marketplace (turns out it was the P.Band, which I would later realize was my first unofficial intro to Pvolve). I walked the neighborhood looking like a true perimenopausal warrior. But I was moving. And that one step led to another.

This part of my story was recently featured in Shondaland, in an article called It’s Never Too Late to Say Yes to Adventure. And for me, this health journey might just be the most important adventure I’ve taken yet.

That adventure led me to Pvolve.

Pvolve setup showing tools used to build strength and confidence through functional movement

Discovering the Method That Changed Everything

Pvolve is the first exercise system I’ve ever truly loved. It’s rooted in functional movement and built to work with your body, not against it. Instead of punishing my body into submission, it invited me to reconnect with it—to celebrate what it could do.

I felt my arms and core get stronger. I noticed my knees hurt less. I could twist, reach, and move with ease. But more importantly, I felt proud of my body. Energized. Capable. Hopeful. And that feeling lit a fire.

I connected with a health care provider at One Medical, highly recommend for those looking for a primary care doctor with ease of access, wonderful communication (I can even text my doctor!) and the best app to track your lab results, medications, appointments. I created a dedicated space in my home for movement. We started meal prepping. I got an Oura ring and began tracking my activity, sleep and recovery. I gave up alcohol, not because I had a problem with it, my running new years joke had always been to “drink more” in the new year, as I barely drank. But what I noticed was that even if I had just one drink, thanks to my Oura ring, even if I just had one drink, my sleep was compromised. Just not worth it. I began hormone replacement therapy and a GLP-1. And it all flowed from this renewed relationship with my body—sparked by Pvolve.

As of today, I’ve lost over 50 pounds. But more than that? I’ve gained trust in myself again and excitement for the future.

Tula Blue waterproof rope jewelry designed for movement and adventure

The Jewelry Parallel: Why I Built Tula Blue

At the same time I was reconnecting with my physical strength, I began to see deep connections between the ethos of Pvolve and the story behind my brand, Tula Blue.

Tula, in Sanskrit, means balance. And that’s what I’ve been chasing, creating, and sharing through every hand-spun piece of waterproof jewelry we make. When I first started, I wanted jewelry that could keep up with real life—just like I wanted a body that could. Tula Blue was born for adventure, movement, motherhood, travel, and every season in between.

It’s athleisure jewelry. Built with the same resilience, flexibility, and strength that I see in the women wearing it—and in Pvolve.

Both Pvolve and Tula Blue are:

• Built for the long haul
  

• Centered around movement and flow
  

• Strengthened through intentional design
  

• Grounded in real life, not perfection
  
  

That’s why when I met the Pvolve team, it felt so full circle to me and I am so grateful that Pvolve has helped me see a brighter future for myself again.

Heather Stringer, Tula Blue founder, wearing athleisure jewelry and smiling outdoors, celebrating confidence and resilience

Saying Yes to Strength, Style, and Self

The truth is, I’ve spent most of my adult life putting other things first. I absolutely adore my children, my husband and my business and my team. And feel so grateful for them. But this past year has shown me what’s possible when I also choose me.

Pvolve gave me a pathway back to my body. Tula Blue gave me a tangible reminder of what strength, flow, and feminine resilience look like. Together, they represent not just where I’ve been—but where I’m going.

If you’re reading this and feel stuck, sluggish, or simply disconnected, I see you. I was you. Start small. Say yes to one thing. Go for that walk. Try the class. Buy the bracelet. Commit to your own adventure.

Because it really is never too late to say yes.

With strength and gratitude,
Heather
Founder, Tula Blue