Forging Generational Health: Kurt and Deanna Mangum's Mission
Generational Health: How One Couple Is Redefining Wellness With the SWAN Approach
In a wellness industry dominated by quick fixes and viral trends, Kurt and Deanna Mangum II have taken a different path. Through their company CoupleyFit, the Phoenix-based husband-and-wife team is building something bigger than fitness plans or meal prep. Their mission is generational health—the idea that healthy habits can and should be passed down through families just as deliberately as wealth.
From Newlyweds to Wellness Pioneers
Their journey began in 2016, shortly after their wedding. Deanna launched a women-focused fitness venture called “Pretty Fit,” while Kurt worked at his family’s café inside Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport and kept an eye on football opportunities. When Deanna started meal-prepping for Kurt and sharing their progress online, the posts went viral. Followers began asking for guidance, and soon the couple realized they had stumbled onto a much larger purpose.
One early client captured the essence of their philosophy. She lost 80 pounds in a single year, but the real transformation happened at home—her sons began encouraging her, hiking with her, and trying new foods like avocados. “That’s when it hit us,” Deanna says. “Rather than passing down material items, let’s pass down healthy habits. People always talk about generational wealth, but you can’t enjoy wealth without your health.”
The SWAN Method: Simple, Sustainable, and Shareable
At the heart of CoupleyFit is the SWAN framework—Sleep, Water, Activity, and Nutrition. By breaking wellness into these four pillars, the couple helps people focus on one SWAN change at a time. This practical approach has drawn over 50 million views on social media and partnerships with brands like Walmart and major hotels.
Kurt and Deanna also work to demystify common weight-loss misconceptions. Kurt—who once struggled with weight before becoming an All-American linebacker—speaks candidly about his experiences with GLP-1 medications like Ozempic. They emphasize that no medication or surgery is a silver bullet. Even bariatric procedures have a 33% failure rate without lifestyle changes, they note. “Transformation has to be holistic,” Kurt says.
To protect muscle while losing weight, especially for those on weight-loss medications, they recommend 15–20 minutes of resistance band exercises each morning instead of jumping straight into heavy gym workouts.
More Than Fitness: Whole-Person Wellness
What truly sets CoupleyFit apart is its whole-person perspective. The couple doesn’t just focus on physical health—they integrate mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being into their coaching. In a market that often prioritizes aesthetics over substance, Kurt and Deanna’s approach is refreshingly human.
They’re not just helping clients lose weight; they’re equipping families to live healthier, longer lives together. “We’re creating ripple effects,” Deanna says. “When one parent gets healthy, it changes the family’s future.”
Health as a Legacy
As the Mangums expand their business and look to grow their own family, their message remains clear: health is our greatest inheritance. By teaching families simple, sustainable habits, they’re proving that one couple’s mission can ripple across generations—creating not just healthier bodies, but healthier legacies.
