EmmaK Health

Calorie Counting

And why I don’t like it.

Diet: Both ‘the kinds of food a person, animal or community habitually eats’ and ‘a special course of food which a person restricts themselves, either to lose weight or for medical reasons’
Calorie: ‘A unit of energy’
Deficit: ‘The amount by which something … is too small’
Nourishment: ‘The food necessary for growth, health and good condition’
(Google Dictionary)

Anyone who knows my style knows I’m not into counting calories or macros or anything to do with the #iifym life. I have successfully lost weight and kept it off by focusing on eating whole, nutritious foods and monitoring my portion sizes. It’s still my firm belief that this is the gateway to a forever happy, healthy lifestyle and my preferred approach to diet and lifestyle.

However, that’s not to say that counting calories does not have it’s place. It does and in my opinion, that place is education. It teaches you the value of food. Look at it like this, you go grocery shopping and the bill blows out to $100 over your budget and you have no idea how or why. To work it out, you take a look at the receipt to see which items are costing you the most money. The same goes for your food, if you’re struggling to lose weight or putting it on and you don’t know why, you need to take a closer look at what’s taking up your calorie budget.

I’ve hit a plateau with my training and weight loss results and so, I wanted to take a closer look at my diet and review where I can make some changes. I decided to count my calories for a week, I calculated this to be 1631 calories per day using the Harris-Benedict formula/ calculation for determining an estimate. I put my goal at fat loss, and exercise at ‘light’ (I haven’t been training much lately – more on that to come) to reach this number for my height and weight. Here is what happened and my pros and cons list:

Pros:
– Counting my calories did enable me to understand the value of food I am eating better. This was most apparent with some whole foods like coconut milk, nuts and grains that can be really high in calories. Whilst good for us, when wanting or needing to adhere to a calorie budget, these foods can easily blow that out.

– Eating under 1631 calories a day for me was a REAL challenge for me. I sit far more comfortably at around 1800-2000 calories. To maintain my figure or be in a slight deficit to lose weight at that calorie range, I NEED to be doing a combination of strength training and walking at a minimum. A HIIT session 1-2 times per week wouldn’t go astray either. Of course I could eat less, but I refuse. I’ll share why further on.

– Calculating my weekly calories (1631 x 7 = 11417) worked better because it would enable me to flex up on the weekend and down during the week. However, what it actually made me realise is that I’m doing far more damage on the weekends than I realised. A couple of vinos here, extra treats there and perhaps a pizza has meant the winter layer I’m now looking to remove is due to my weekends alone, I don’t have the balance right, but I can fix that.

Cons:
– People don’t eat calories they eat ‘food’ and ‘meals’ so tracking accurately is difficult and time consuming. At best it’s an estimate but any decent Health Coach or Personal Trainer will tell you that.

– I didn’t look forward to any meals because I was caught up in how much the food was going to ‘cost me’, rather than thinking about what the foods would do for my body and enjoying them.

– The more I thought about calories, the less I thought about nutrients. I did not enjoy looking for ways to constantly strip down my food, making it ‘lighter’ which ultimately meant restricting and depriving my body of nutrients.

– I drank more coffee to try and ‘fill up’ on less calories, rather than eating for example a banana full of other good things.

Summary:
I still think calorie counting is a great tool to educate people about the quantity of the food they’re eating. However, you shouldn’t live in a calorie restriction or be ‘on a diet’ forever. Learn what you need to learn and work on turning those lessons into habits for your every day life. My ONLY food rule is ‘strive for nourishment but not for perfection’. This enables me to constantly look for ways I can add more nourishing foods into my day and enjoy food, minus the guilt. When I want to lose some weight, I stick to whole foods for my snacks, monitor my portion sizes using the thumb, palm, fist method and ensure I’m drinking plenty of water.

Calorie counting helps some feel in control, accountable and on track for their health goals. It makes others feel overly restricted and bad about food. It’s not to say one method is better than another, it’s just about trying different things until you get the recipe right for you. Speaking of which, see below for my best creation yet! Your reward for being a beautiful soul and reading my blog. I appreciate that so much!

NO BAKE CHEWY PROTEIN SLICE – makes 16 at approx 214cal per slice (17gC, 13.8gF, 5.8gP)

2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup desiccated coconut
2 scoops whey protein (I used Salted Caramel Happy Whey)
1/2 cup goji berries (can use any ‘filler you like’ i.e. almonds, peanuts, cranberries etc.)
1/2 cup dark choc chips (optional)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup rice malt syrup (or preferred sticky sweetener)
3 tbsp tahini (or nut butter of choice)

*Combine dry and wet ingredients together in a bowl.
*Press mixture firmly into a lined baking tray (important so it sticks and doesn’t fall apart like granola)
*Place in freezer for 1 hour to set.
*Heat a sharp knife under hot water to cut into 16 slices.
*Store in an airtight container in the fridge and try not to eat all at once!

Recipe Share

It feels like a hot minute since I sat down and wrote a blog post and I guess it has been, it’s been a good two weeks! Whilst I committed originally to blogging every Sunday night, I also want to make sure that the information I share with you is relevant and interesting. Don’t worry, I haven’t been off doing anything terribly exciting. We’ve just been settling into the new working, gyming, swimming, cooking, cleaning, coffee drinking juggle. Howweeevvveeerrrrrr, I have found the time to create a couple of new recipes (by total accident) that happen to be GREAT. So, I’m sharing them here, I hope you make them, love and enjoy them and share them!

LASSATA

Sorry what now? Yes, Lassata – a combination of Lasagne and Frittata and a whole lotta yummata. For an extra trip to flavour town, add some Moroccan Seasoning to your pumpkin before roasting.

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

500g Roasted Butternut Pumpkin roughly mashed
400g Red Kidney Beans drained and rinsed
2 tsp Minced Garlic
300g Fresh Spinach
1 Brown Onion Diced
1 400g tin diced tomato
1 200g tub Ricotta Cheese
Hemp Seeds
6 eggs whisked
100g Grated Tasty Cheese

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 200c fan forced.
In a medium sized pan, fry onion, garlic and red kidney beans on medium heat for 5 minutes or until onion has softened. Add spinach stirring for 1 minute and remove from heat.
In a medium sized baking tray, layer mashed pumpkin, red kidney bean mix, diced tomatoes and hemp seeds. You should have enough mixture for two layers of each.
Pour whisked eggs over the top.
Add dollops of ricotta cheese and grated tasty cheese over the top.
Place in the oven for 40 – 50 mins or until egg is cooked and cheese is browning on top.
Serve with veggies or side salad.

PROTEIN SHORTBREAD COOKIES

I LOVE SHORTBREAD! And if you’re a fan too, you’re going to love these crumbly melt in your mouth cookies, perfect for your 3pm pick me up.

Ingredients:

220g Butter, softened
2tbsp Rice Malt Syrup or Maple Syrup (or a combination of both)
1 cup Wholemeal Self Raising Flour, sifted
1/2 cup Buckwheat Flour, sifted
2 scoops (60g) Happy Way Vanilla Whey Protein Powder
1tsp Baking Powder
1tsp Baking Soda
1tsp Vanilla Essence
Dark Choc Melts to taste

Method:

Preheat oven to 190c fan forced
Cream butter and Rice and/or Maple Syrup together using an electric beater for 2-3 minutes
Stir through remaining ingredients forming a dough like consistency
Roll into balls and place on lined baking tray, flattening slightly into a ‘cookie’ shape (leave room between each cookie to expand)
Place in oven and cook for 15min or until golden brown at edges (keep an eye on them because they will burn quickly)
Once cooked, remove from oven and allow to cool on tray for 10min before removing to a wire rack to cool completely
Store in airtight container

I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did. I’ll be making up another batch of these cookies tomorrow for sure! Please remember to tag me in your creations @EmmaK_Health on Facebook and Instagram so I can see your handy work. I honestly can’t tell you how appreciative I am when you like, try and share my content. Be sure to check out my latest post too on making some small changes to your current routine, that you will thank yourself for come September 1st when the weather starts to warm up (only 7 weeks away!) Much love to you all, I hope you have a fabulous week!

Tips for a Smooth Week

I’m one week into my new, working mum life juggle and I’ve started to establish some new organisation habits. So I thought this week, I would share some of my healthy mummy tips and tricks for getting organised and staying on track:

Non work days:

✨Set aside an hour or two somewhere in your week to prepare ingredients for meals (I.e. wash your spinach, roast some sweet potato and cook some chicken). You want to be able to throw together healthy meals at a moments notice.

Honey Chicken Salad Prep – Details on instagram @emmak_health

✨Cook one meal in batch I.e a pasta sauce, curry or lasagne and freeze in portions. If it’s been a long day, you’ll have dinner in a pinch.

Night time:

✨Have breakfast, after school snacks and dinner ‘prepped’ (fruit cut, meat defrosted, veggies diced etc.)

✨Organise and pack all bags, lunchboxes and bottles the night prior (this includes your handbag – make sure your work pass, wallet and train ticket are in there)

✨Lay out everyone’s clothes and shoes (including underwear, you don’t want to be running around looking for a sock in the wee hours of the morning)

✨Once kids are in bed, go around the house and put everything back in its place and ensure the kitchen is spotless (nothing on benches) You’ll thank yourself for a beautiful, clean, fresh start in the morning.

✨Do one chore (wipe bathroom vanity, spot vac floors etc)

✨Write a list of anything that needs to be packed into bags in the morning (I have a memory like a sieve)

✨ALWAYS have a cup of tea and 30mins of you time before bed (watch an episode of your fav show, cuddle up with your partner, read a book – whatever – just try not to scroll)

Morning:

✨Allow enough time in the morning to make your bed (one task completed leads to many tasks completed), clear away any dishes and one extra chore (like hanging some washing). A tidy house will help you to feel organised and calm, as well as providing a clean canvas to come home to and the evening chaos to begin.

✨Allow time to sit with your kids while they eat breakfast (if possible) and have breaky yourself (if that’s your thing). This will enable you to chat to the kids about their upcoming day and just enjoy them rather than a mad rush out the door. You set the tone for everyone’s day.

✨Before heading out the door (if you’re paranoid like me) do one more sweep of the house. Mine includes checking the hair straightener is off, front door locked and garage door closed so as I’m not setting our German Shepherd lose on the town.

It might sound like a lot and seem ‘hard’ but keeping on top of things allows me to play and spend quality time with my family in our downtime. It enables me and my family to eat healthy food, train, rest and de-stress. It enables me to feel in control, calm and reassured that everyone has everything they need. I can be in total mum/ wife mode and devote all my attention to my family when we’re together and know they’re well cared for when we’re not.

For every minute spent organising, an hour is earned.

My recent makeup draw tidy has instantly simplified my morning routine by having all my daily products in one spot and easily accessible 👌🏼

In practice, for me it looks like this:

5:15am – Wake, shower, makeup, hair, dress, make bed (on a non-work day I just wash my face and throw some active wear on).
5:45am – Wake and dress my boy
6:00am – Breakfast, dishes, final sweep of house.
6:15am – In the car to carer (or gym on a non work day)
7am – Train to work.

5pm – Home and lots of cuddles
5:30pm – Baby Dinner
6pm – Baby Bath
6:30pm – Baby in bed, general tidy, cook dinner.
7/7:30pm – Dinner, pack bags for following day, clean kitchen and 1x chore.
8:30pm – Cuppa and relax
9pm – Bed

The weeks are busy, the days are short but we all have the same 24 hours.

We get done the things we prioritise.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook @emmak_health for more daily inspo.

Failure

Noun: The lack of success

Last week in the gym, it was all about reaching our personal best (PB). How far can we push ourselves, before we fail.

True failure requires mental grit and determination. It means physically performing at a level above what you’ve ever achieved in the past. It’s going beyond what you perceive your limit to be, demonstrating vulnerability and operating well outside your comfort or familiar zone. Failure is not easy.

If you follow my stories on Instagram (@emmak_health), you will know that I did not beat 2/3 previous PB gym lifts following six months of training.

I failed.

I was initially very disappointed with my results, I even thought ‘what’s the point in continuing’ even though I love training. So here’s the thing about failure, or fear of failure – it can be crippling, paralysing and derailing for no good reason at all. I used to be very afraid of failure, always wanting to be right and rarely asking questions or demonstrating vulnerability but not anymore.

There is a great book that I recommend everyone read by Dr Carol S. Dweck titled ‘Mindset’, she says “An assessment at one point in time has little value for understanding someone’s ability, let alone their potential to succeed in the future.” Put simply, failure today, does not mean failure tomorrow. A baby will fall over 100 times while learning to walk, but at no point in time does a baby think ‘hmm maybe walking isn’t for me.’

It’s also important to look at the bigger picture, had I really failed? On that day/ week I was not stronger, but in the last 6 months here’s what I acheived:

I am the HAPPIEST now than I have ever been in my physique
I’ve learnt a tonne about nutrition
I’ve started to pursue my passion for Health Coaching
I have a great balance with training and food, I don’t have have to slog myself for hours in the gym and enjoy nourishing food and treats daily.
I’m fit, healthy, strong and a role model for my son.

I may not have beaten all of my lifts, but I feel at my personal best. It’s so important to value what you’re doing, regardless of the outcome. Reviewing the bigger picture has allowed me to identify what I’ve learnt and gained as well as what requires more effort. For the next 12 weeks at gym, my focus will be on proper form and progressive overload (incrementally and strategically increasing my weights weekly).

Effort is not weakness, however the idea of trying and still failing leaving you without excuses can be terrifying. It takes away your ability to say ‘I COULD have done X’ because once you’ve tried, you can’t say that any more. Fail without excuses.

When all is said and done, you can look back and say “I could have been … Or you can look back and say I gave my all for the things I valued” – Dr Carol S. Dweck. The choice is yours.

Returning to Work

On 20 June 2018 we bought our beautiful baby boy into the world. The past 12 months have been an absolute whirlwind. From the sleep deprived newborn days that felt like time stood still, to times more recently where it feels like the days and weeks are passing in the blink of an eye. The saying ‘the days/nights are long but the years are short’ has never felt more real. I return to my career as a HR Consultant next week. Now that my return to work is drawing nearer, people love to ask “are you dreading it?” and say “it’s going to be so hard!” Now while I’m under no disillusions it’s going to be hard, I also CHOOSE to look at the positives.

It would be so easy to dwell on the negatives and let the separation anxiety that bubbles away in the background rear up and take over. It would be easy to feel sad, guilty, self pity and melancholy about returning to work and sharing caring responsibility for my son. It would be easy to fret over the year gone by (Did I enjoy them enough? Spend enough quality time? Was I present enough? Did I give enough of myself? Is he ready? Am I ready?), however that mentality is not going to help either of us with the transition.

I CHOOSE to focus on what we GAIN instead.

Returning to work means I get to contribute to the financial income of our home and help to achieve and accelerate some financial goals for our family. It means I can finance further study in Nutrition and Health Coaching. It means I have an opportunity to re-define who I am as a professional and explore who I am when I’m not in ‘mum mode’ (what do I even do if I’m not pushing a pram, making a snack or wiping snot?). For my son, he will get to gain some independence from me, experience new environments, games and people and hopefully this will support him to be a flexible, well rounded toddler open to new experiences.

We may not always get to choose our circumstances, work is a reality most of us must face and leaving our kids is HARD, but you can always choose how you respond, think and feel about any situation. Happiness is a choice, positivity is a choice and how you show up everyday is YOUR CHOICE.

The same can be said for health and fitness. It’s hard feeling overweight, tired, uncomfortable in your clothes and in social situations. It’s also hard to squeeze training in around work life, a social life and parent life. It’s hard finding the time to prepare healthy meals, say no in social situations and eat smaller portions sometimes. But I CHOOSE my hard and that’s to train and eat well so that I have the mental and physical resilience and capability to show up as my best self in all other aspects of my life.

So this week you can bet I’ll be savouring every moment, celebrating and reflecting on the best year of my life and looking forward to everything yet to come. The choice is always yours.

The Gimmicks

We’ve all been there right? Tell me I’m not alone in purchasing the diet pill, skinny tea, meal replacement shake et. al. Or, trialling lots of different diets but never managing to stick to one long enough to learn anything valuable or see any lasting results.

So why do we do it? Why do we purchase ‘fat burners’ and ‘detox’ drinks for example? We usually make the purchase when we’re already trying to make improvements to our eating habits and exercise more. I believe we do it because we want to take control and feel like we’re aiding our efforts to improve our health and hopefully speed up the process while we’re at it if we’re honest.

It’s no wonder people are confused. Companies are out there creating problems we didn’t know we had, fitness influencers are telling us we NEED this stuff and sadly, we think the product is working because we lose weight (when really it’s the other stuff we’re doing that’s working) validating our need for that product. When nutrition slips, exercise stops and the product no longer ‘works’ we feel demotivated and are off looking for the next quick fix.

My daily routine used to consist of:

Wake up and drink 500ml lemon water with a shot of apples cider vinegar (ACV) to curb hunger and improve digestion (actually water does that, not lemon and ACV).
Go for a Fat Burning Walk (FBW) to ensure more fat is burned for the bodies energy source (there is no scientific evidence to support this, cardio can be done fed/anytime of day)
Eat nothing after 7pm to ensure the food is metabolised and not stored as fat while I sleep (eating too many calories will be stored as fat, the time of day you consume them makes no difference).

In my younger years, it was also at different stages:

Wake up and pop a diet pill (to suppress appetite for the day)
Replace breakfast and lunch with diet shakes (liquid calories are absorbed more easily and therefore less likely to be stored as fat… right? Wrong!)
Eat a Keto diet (doesn’t matter that you’re starving and have a constant strange metallic taste in your mouth)
Try and survive off only caffeine until dinner time (because I’m an idiot)
Eat super well Monday – Thursday lunch time-ish, then start drinking alcohol and eating maccas and KFC Thursday – Sunday (because #balance).
I think I’ve made my point and embarrassed myself enough here.

Not once did it occur to me to take my time and make slow, habitual changes to the types of foods I consume, the type and intensity of exercise I do and the kind of lifestyle I live.

When I lost 20kg in the lead up to my wedding, and 30kg after having a baby I didn’t count calories or macros or go on any ‘diets’. I simply started paying attention to what was in my food, and how much of it I was eating. I stick to fresh foods and if I don’t recognise the ingredients on a packaged item, I don’t eat it. If I don’t recognise the ingredient, chances are my body won’t either and will find it difficult to digest. I reduced the amount I was eating, and now stick to the palm (protein), thumb (fats), fist (carbs) method of portioning food if I want to trim down – that’s it. I don’t demonise any type food over another, I don’t cut anything out and I still lose weight and get strong in the gym.

I share all of these recipes and more on my instagram @emmak_health

Right now, my focus is on boosting my immunity, reducing inflammation and supporting my digestion through fresh foods. I’m also exploring appropriate supplementation with my GP through blood tests.

Anything in excess is not good for you. Eat too many carrots and your skin turns orange, eat too much sugar and your teeth rot, eat too much fat and your arteries harden. That doesn’t mean you can’t eat anything. That means you can eat EVERYTHING – in moderation.

The meaning of ‘health’ is different for everyone. To me, health is not shredded abs, it’s not fasting and it’s not chicken and broccoli for every meal.

Health for me is having the capability to move through my day with energy, the mental clarity and strength to handle any challenges that get thrown my way and look and feel great while doing it. It’s eating in abundance and constantly reviewing what I can ADD for more nutrients, not restriction. It’s moving my body in a way that makes me feel good and supports my functional day to day activities. Health is being disciplined when I don’t feel like it, taking advantage when motivation peaks and acknowledging when a nap would benefit me far better than another gym sesh.

If there is anything I would love for you to take away from this blog, it’s please don’t overcomplicate your health. Don’t buy into the gimmicks and the fad diets because the bottom line is a fad diet, is a bad diet. Experiment with different ways of eating from a variety of whole foods to work out what makes you feel best. Start small and see what little changes you can make, because the little changes add up to BIG results over time.

Follow my journey over on Instagram @emmak_health for daily nutrition and mindset tips, tricks and inspiration.

Ditching Diets

My earliest memory of thinking I was ‘fat’ was prep I think. I had an awareness that I was not as slender as the other girls but I think I was actually just profoundly more awkward. I’ll never forget starting ballet. Before my first lesson my Dad asked if I knew how to skip and suggested that I would perhaps need to learn this skill beforehand. So in true Dad fashion, he taught me to ‘step, hop’ with feet as flat as a 10t fairy elephant. I arrived at my first lesson feeling very well prepared, until all the girls started skipping with their dainty little toes pointed, making not a sound on the sprung flooring. Dad had never been so proud.

Not quite cut out for dancing, I moved on to basketball and netball. Far more my speed but with a running style that’s pigeon toed and looks like my legs can’t keep up with my head (I still run like this). My mum gently suggested I try running a little more on my toes and a little less flat footed. That didn’t really work so into the goal square I went to catch the lobs and shoot the goals (your girl is 177cm). Sport was actually such a blessing for me, it was the only place that I felt like my height was something to be proud of, rather than something to be embarrassed and teased about.

L. My first day of prep, R. On my way to the Avril Lavigne Concert (find a more iconic 00’s get up – note the over plucked eyebrows left over from the 90’s, stud belt, shell necklace and midriff, I’ll wait)

When I got my braces at around 13years old, I lost weight. Something about metal glued to your teeth, pulling them from their resting place into a new position really curbs your appetite. Also, I cut all sugar from my diet because the orthodontist told me it would turn my teeth yellow. And so, I was introduced to dieting. I learnt for the first time, that cutting different foods from my diet, would have different effects on my body. I followed in my mums footsteps who was always trying different diets (no blame here, it was just the done thing). Over the years we have done Weight Watchers, Lite and Easy, Jenny Craig and the Chicken Diet all with varying results but all leading back to one thing, weight regain and the next diet. I actually can’t remember a time throughout my teens or 20s that I didn’t have the goal to be thinner, sadly enough.

In the lead up to our wedding I found a personal trainer and increased the intensity of my training. I always thought I knew how to push myself but as it turned out, I didn’t know the meaning of the word. I became laser focused on improving my PERFORMANCE and started seeing the results in my body as a by-product. My dad always said “focus on getting fitter and stronger and the results will come” and he was right. Focusing on the scale weight is so demotivating because progress is SLOW, but you can see improvements in your training every single session regardless of whether the scale moves up or down and that is incredibly motivating to keep going. My trainer helped me with my nutrition and I learnt about the value of food and the importance of eating nutrient dense foods that left me feeling satisfied, energised and in control. I started saying no to office cake, after work drinks and hours in front of the TV binge watching and eating, and yes to bliss Balls I made myself, early nights, training, long walks and coffee dates. I lost 20kg in 18 months.

At first people asked me why I was doing it, then they started asking me how to do it.

On our wedding day I’d never looked better, felt better or more in love.

In the pic on the left I had been crash dieting in the lead up to a Bali holiday. Pic on the right is in Koh Samui on our Honeymoon after 18months of lifestyle changes, 20kg difference.

Nine months later I fell pregnant and I’d be lying if I said I found putting on weight again easy, even if for the beautiful gift of a baby. I felt equally grateful to be pregnant and guilty about not loving the process (looking back now I miss it!). I was conscious of eating nutritious food for my bub but also very free with the snacks. Couple that with my sciatica and Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (PSD) and not being able to train properly and boom, on piles 30kg.

The bounce back was not a reality for me. Four months postpartum I felt ready and joined a strength based gym class especially for mums focused on foundational strength and conditioning training. The women there were so strong and inspiring and they really opened my eyes up to what I thought was achievable post baby. I went from hoping to train 2-3x per week to prioritising my life around getting there 5x per week and this is the training I’m still doing today. I’ve lost all of my baby weight but more importantly, I’m the strongest and happiest I have ever been.

6 weeks postpartum to now (11months postpartum).

My body is totally different now, as it should be after growing and birthing a 10pound tiny, big human. Now that I’m almost 12 months postpartum and about to head back to work the juggle is about to get REAL, but I’m excited and ready to up the anti again. You can follow my journey over on instagram @EmmaK_Health where I share my nutrition, mindset and wellbeing tips and tricks. Next week, I’ll be sharing all the nutrition and diet gimmicks I’ve fallen for (lemon water detox anyone?) and how I have uncomplicated food forever.

Hey Emma? Hey what? Introduce yourself? No way! Introduce yourself? Okay!

If you know what movie that’s from you’re sooooo in the right place, we’re going to get along just fine. If not, that’s okay too as long as you have a passionate love of early 2000’s pre-teen movies (shabooya!) If you know, you know.

My name is Emma Adderley. I’m the oldest of three siblings, a wife and mum to a beautiful baby boy who is about to be one! If this were an icebreaker I’d also tell you I love to read, love a vino and sincerely dislike Game of Thrones #sorrynotsorry.

I feel like I have literally been immersed in health and leadership coaching my whole life. I practically grew up in a basketball stadium either watching my parents and siblings play, or playing netball and basketball myself. When I was 13 years old I also started coaching teams and continued to do so for the next 15 years. My Dad was a Personal Trainer, Body Builder and World Combat Challenge Fire Fighting Competitor. My Mum has worked in various people and coaching roles in the same Corporate Institute for 35+ years (except for when she had to quit to have me she would have you know #thedarkages). When I finished high school I had no idea what I wanted to do so I studied what I was good at and did a Double Bachelor Degree in Human Movement and Sports Management, majoring in Human Resources and minoring in Marketing. Once I completed that, I started working in Human Resources in a large Australian Corporate Institute where I have been working now for the past 8 years.

Fast forward to today and I cannot believe how fast the past 12 months have flown by (in the early sleep deprived newborn days I actually thought time had stopped just to torture me). I’ve always felt very passionate about my role in coaching business leaders to get the best out of their people and the thought of leaving was daunting. However, looking back now the time away and the perspective it has bought me has been life changing.

I got into a mentality that I had reached my potential, I was never going to do more or be more. I had dug my grave so to speak, studied, got used to earning a certain amount of money, got a mortgage and just needed to continue plugging away at this job for life. I feel incredibly fortunate to work for a company that allows their employees the flexibility to take paid and unpaid parental leave to care for their children and holds their job for them to return to. Having 12 months away has made me realise that my passion for health and wellbeing need not just stay a passion, it could be a viable side hustle. I haven’t reached my potential, I’m just getting started. I truly believe I have something to offer in this already saturated industry and that what I have to say is worth hearing. Sometimes imposter syndrome creeps in (who am I to do this), but then I think, who am I not to!? The nutrition, mindset and overall wellbeing principles I live my life by are simple, bullshit free, tried, tested and proven and if they could help just one other person then I’d be so grateful.

So earlier this year I decided to start my instagram page. I LOVE sharing my day to day life, what I’m eating, how I’m training and feeling and any lifestyle or mindset tips or tricks I find helpful along the way. However, as I burrowed deeper into the rabbit hole that is instagram, I realised just how much CRAP ‘influencers’ and skint personal trainers are prepared to put out there (and sell!). I’m even completely unashamed to say that even with my background, I too have been BAMBOOZLED in the past and it made me MAD, really mad. It’s no wonder people are confused, consistently de-motivated and looking for the next quick fix to help them get fit, lose weight and feel better. So I’m planning to go back to school before the year is out and study to become a Nutrition and Health Coach. I’m so excited about the prospect of combining my passion and knowledge for people and wellbeing.

I want to inspire and empower people to take responsibility for their health and build their self-confidence to overcome any limiting beliefs they may have. I believe it is possible to cultivate a positive lifestyle that will see you reach your wellness goals, set new ones and stick to them for good.

This is me now, 11 months postpartum the happiest and strongest I’ve ever been.

Launching this blog is a dream come true that I didn’t know I had. I’m such a nerd at heart, I’ve always loved to read and write and I feel like this has all fallen into place at the right time. I will be uploading every Sunday and in the meantime, you can stay up to date by following my instagram @emmak_health. Next week I’ll be sharing my own weightloss journey that has bought me to this point, the terrible diets, the before and afters and the lessons learnt.