Hi everyone! Lindsay here from Running With Tongs. I’m a Certified Holistic Health Coach, Recipe Creator, Wife, Mom to a beautiful little girl & New Runner blogging my way through life.
1. What does wellness and health mean to you?
Wellness and health to me is a all about balance in every part of your life. It’s not just about eating well but about making sure that you are happy in the relationships in your life and your career and making time for a spiritual practice and fitness routine.
2. What is the #1 wellness practice you live by?
I make sure to take time for myself everyday. It is a challenge to do so now that I have an baby at home but I make time, even if it’s just 10 minutes to sit (or take a shower) and do something just for me. I think that we all live such rushed lives that we over commit ourselves to others and forget to take care of ourselves.
Q3. Thinking back, what were your earliest influences regarding living a healthy and balanced life?
My earliest influences were around when I started to get serious about improving my health and eating a more balanced and healthy vegetarian diet. I turned to blogs, cookbooks, and others for inspiration and eventually I fell in love with health and wellness and became a health coach.
Q4. What has your journey been like over the last couple of years to get you where you are today?
Over the past few years I left my job that was making me miserable. I stopped taking The Pill, which was making me crazy. I went back to school to become a health coach and I learned how to find balance in my life, reduce my sugar cravings and be an overall happier (and healthier) person. I have learned that the path to ultimate health is a journey that is never ending.
Q5. Looking back what was the most challenging aspect of your journey and what did you learn from it?
The most challenging aspect of my journey was taking a chance and quitting my job. I went to school for political science and ended up with a job at an insurance company which I quickly grew to loathe. I was extremely unhappy, miserable to be exact and it was negatively effecting my relationship with my husband and myself. I knew I had to leave my job because it was such a toxic place for me to be but of course there is the fear of what would I do without a job, could we make it financially and what would I do next.
With the support of my husband I did leave my job and almost immediately after things started to change and improve. My mood improved, I lost the extra weight I had put on and I decided to follow my passions instead of the money. Now looking back on things I really wish I would have taken the step sooner. Although it was a challenging, scary move to make it was the best decision because as I have learned feeling happy in your career is an essential part to feeling happy and healthy overall.
Q6. What is the #1 healthy food you love? The #1 indulgence you give into once in a while?
I absolutely love hemp seeds. They are amazing on salads, tossed with pasta or in a smoothie and are a great source of omega-3’s. My #1 indulgence is coconut ice cream and lets just say I over indulged a bit when I was pregnant.
Q7. To get you through challenging moments in life, what is the one mantra or quote that you live by?
Q8. You’ve accomplished so much so far, what’s something you are most proud of?
I am really proud that I have become a successful health coach and blogger. Most recently though I am proud of myself for being able to continue to work from home and be a full time stay at home mom to a beautiful baby girl.
Q9. What’s your advice to those struggling with finding their own path to health and happiness?
Sit down and really evaluate the things in your life. Consider all aspects of your life including relationships, your career, your physical activity, your spiritual practice (not necessarily religious) and see where you can make changes and improvements. Once you feel balanced, happy, satisfied in all aspects of your life then you can really know what true health and happiness is.
Q10. Finally, what are your plans for 2012?
My plans are to really get back to focusing on things that are important to me such as meal planning, fitness and taking care of myself. Since having my baby it’s been a challenge to focus on these things as much as I did pre-baby but I know that by taking the time for them I will be a better mom and role model for my daughter.
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