Erin Levzow’s lifelong journey to wellness wasn’t easy, but she has finally found her happy place, thanks to fancy footwork and jazz hands. Growing up near Rockford, she was overweight; as an adult, she reached 350 pounds. In 2008, gastric bypass surgery began a healthier era, but another key piece fell into place three years ago, when her husband bought the couple ballroom dance lessons. “We fell in love with it: a date night but also an amazing workout,” says Levzow, 40. She now dances with a professional partner, taking part in (and sometimes winning) competitions across the country. Beyond the physical benefits, dancing improves her focus and leadership — skills she uses as chief marketing officer of the Museum of Ice Cream, which has a location downtown. Levzow, who once worked as a stage actress in Chicago, splits her time between homes in Wilmette and Milwaukee.

You now fast until lunch. What was your diet routine before your weight loss?

“Breakfast, lunch, dinner, multiple snacks a day — there wasn’t a meal I missed. And if there’s a diet or a workout system, I’ve done it. When I had the gastric bypass surgery, I went through a huge weight-loss journey and had to take mindful-eating courses as part of that. What actually worked for me was being mindful of when I’m hungry, having a routine, and making sure I’m moving my body in a way that doesn’t feel like working out but is.”

What’s your favorite way to exercise?

“Competitive ballroom dance is the best workout. The fact that I can now waltz and salsa and cha-cha and rumba? It’s wonderful. It’s joyful. The weight loss improved my confidence, but I would still look in the mirror and never see what other people saw. What has changed through dance — and therapy, let’s be honest — is that it forces me to deal with my insecurity. You have to trust, you have to connect, you have to do all these things. And guess what you can’t think about? Anything else! It’s not just changing the outer image — it’s about changing the inner image.”

Does ice cream jibe with mindful eating?

“Of course! I don’t believe in stopping yourself from enjoying life’s luxuries. Like, have you really lived until you’ve dipped french fries in a Wendy’s Frosty?”