Today’s health power players are no longer just doctors or dieticians. They are smart businesswoman and men, fashion designers, bloggers, and health and fitness coaches – the new ‘it’ people on the health scene so to say.
Each week we will talk to a variety of inspiring individuals – from raw foodies, organic city dwellers, paleo peeps, nutritionists, bloggers & overall amazing human beings who actually practice what they preach.
Today I am so happy to introduce you to my buddy Suzzi. This girl is all heart, giggles with just a side of attitude. Be sure to explore her shiny new website once you finish reading her interview, because it is just dam pretty!!!
Name: Suzzi Hartery
Occupation: Founder of Nourished Hub
For the people who aren’t familiar with you or just want to know more, tell us a bit about yourself
Brisbane born passionate little lady who followed love and is now living in Canberra. I was a girl who went through years of asking the universe “what am I here to do? What is my purpose?” And without realising it, I was already in tune with my purpose. I was a yo-yo diet billboard, an addict to alcohol and sugar and was a highly sensitive lady all while on the outside being overly-confident. I was so out of touch with who I was but I never gave up. I do everything with a big heart and made a heck of a lot of mistakes (only the same one once) and I wouldn’t want it any other way. It’s made me who I am today. I’ve kicked diets out our yellow front door, fuel my mind and body right to me, took 2 years to get my dream job and I’m working with women to kick dieting out the door and reignite their confidence through my coaching programs and event talks.
What made you choose the path of leading a healthy life and was there a particular turning point?
I was sick of wishing to not be me. I was sick of trying the next diet only to fail and have my confidence kicked to the gutter. My biggest turning point was in 2012 when I entered the Who Weekly Magazine Annual 12 Week Challenge. I realised in the third week it was more than just numbers on a scale it was about finding me, letting go of the past and accepting that I was the only one who could take control of the outcomes in my life. I wanted to live my dream life. I didn’t want to keep wishing. So I did just that and can I say even while writing this and having 11:11 pop up says everything to me. I select every day to live a life I am grateful for and I have a much deeper appreciation of the food I eat as I now understand what we eat fuels how we think and live.
What does your usual daily routine look like – what is on your ‘must do’ and ‘must take’ list?
My daily routines of must do and must take are a bit of a combination between Eating Well and Living Well but they consist of the following:
Eat Well
Hydrate my body with water (filtered where possible).
Fuel my body with healthy snacks.
Eliminate caffeine.
Nourish with daily seasonal salad or warming soup depending on the weather.
And mostly certified organic and seasonal produce.
Eliminate processed foods.
Make things from scratch.
Live Well
Iphone to capture all the goodness.
Moving daily in a way that is fun.
Gratitude journaling.
Fresh blooms. What lady doesn’t love blooms? Nature’s gift.
Meditate. Relieves stress and helps my nervous system.
Laughing with my girlfriends.
Hugs and kisses with my beloved.
Playtime with my four legged man of the house.
Everyday get in the outdoors.
Sleep well and comfortable.
Saying Hi to the neighbours.
Let’s take a peek in your bathroom cupboard – what are your must have products?
Indah Coconut Oil to moisturise body and hair, Divine Tooth Moose, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar for toner, Mukti Organic body lotion, shampoo and conditioner, WOTNOT Sunscreen, Jacqueline Evans EVERYTHING! Her range is amazing. Hurraw Lime Balm. And as I don’t drink coffee but love the smell, my lovely mate Frank he works a treat. I also have a dry body brush and a clarisonic for my Sunday beauty ritual afternoon.
What do you always have in your kitchen (both fridge and supplements)?
Vivian our Vitamix. It took me months to convenience my fiance Shaun to get one. He thought “not another gadget” but lucky for me he uses it more than I do and we love it.
I wake every morning and drink half a glass of water to rehydrate my body after resting then off to walk my beautiful dog Ayers. When back home, I have a glass of warm water with the juice of a whole lemon. We just planted our first lemon tree in the backyard as not only having one in the morning most nights it’s my dressing with dinner. I just love them. We also made a crate herb garden and now we have plenty of beautiful herbs to enjoy with our meals. My favourites are lemon thyme, coriander, rosemary and mint.
With English blood running through my veins and Shaun being English too we have copious amounts of tea in our kitchen. To be able take a moment and reconnect with the day over an aroma filled cup, there is nothing better.
When I feel like something sweet aside from a piece of beautiful pineapple. I also have medjool dates, Think Vitality cinnamon protein powder and if I haven’t been able to make my bliss bites for the week I also have a stash of Loving Earth Luvju’s and some soma bites as a just in case.
We always only have organic produce and meats which we get local from Ecomeats Belconnen who have a great range of organic meats and goats products. If we aren’t able to make the Farmers Market we go to Choku Bai Jo for all our vegetables and fruits.
Supplements:
I use natural supplements. Turmeric for immune system, liver function, and joint support. Cinnamon if I want to silence my sweet tooth. I used throughout uni rescue remedy and recently the beautiful Rachel McDonald introduced me too Australian Bush Flower Essence. They are remarkable.
How important is clean, nutrient rich food in your diet?
I know that how you eat affects how you live. If you are nourishing your body with food as close to nature and even better that is the best for you then you are going to have positive thoughts, you are kinder to yourself and to others and life works with you. I say this day in day out, if you can’t pronounce or don’t understanding something on a label then don’t put it in your body. Chemical shit storms in our gorgeous bodies suck. Queensland summer storms now they are a different story. If it doesn’t even come with a label you are doing yourself such a beautiful favour.
I don’t follow a certain diet. The biggest thing and most thankful thing with my years of yo-yo dieting is that it showed me that preparation is key. This means stocking my house with nourishing foods, hydrating my body and to make life easier having a meal plan for the week’s dinners and snacks.
If I could teach women anything it’s that no one diet works for anyone. The fact it has the word ‘die’ in it just means it’s not going to have you feeling great. I give to all my clients a food and symptom diary to reconnect them to how the food they eat makes them feel. If they don’t feel energised, then there could be a sensitive or allergy there and it’s worth further looking in to or eliminating.
How do you like to move and keep fit? Is exercise an important part of your life?
Exercise is vital to me. Becoming healthy and active has changed my life, not only am I stronger, fitter and healthier but my mind is clearer, calmer and even more so positive. It’s saying to the universe I deserve to feel good. My morning consists of daily 40 minute pup walks. Weight training and body baring exercises 3 times a week at night with some swimming and yoga once a week.
It is so imperative to listen to your body and look for the signs before they become big health concerns. Exercise should be fun and it should be daily for those happy endorphins to fill your body with.
Who or what has been the biggest influence on your health journey? These days we’re influenced by so many different sources – from friends, family, blogs, magazines and Instagram!!
It’s exciting and beautiful to be able to connect with like-minded women from all around the world.
But my biggest influences are Dr Libby for her passion, love and authenticity. Theresa Kerr for teaching me what I am looking for with regards to anything organic. My trainer and mentor Billy Joe Giampaolo owner of Elite Physique. He built my mental strength and reminded me of who I am without judgement and every session reminds me that stress is temporary and can be dealt with, with boxing. Lastly my better half. He reminds me to be consistent; natural is best and has stuck with me through all the frustrations I put on to him with big doses of laughing and kindness.
Currently loving:
Oh I LOVE THIS QUESTION. Brings me to the present moment and to gratitude.
Kelly Smith from Birdie and Me. I never thought I would be an art collector but she got me. I am always waiting for her next illustration and her art work brings such an interesting aspect to our home.
The ladies in my life. My unrelated but chosen sisters. The ones who empower you to do better and be better. They make you laugh. They don’t judge and we just have so much fun together. It’s more than I have ever had. Friendship takes consistent connection and that was something I had completely forgotten. A simple happy Monday text or even a little note to say thinking of you just fills ours heart and iPhones with such love.
My mind and body for what it does for me. At the beginning of 2013 I overtrained my body and actually caused huge damage to my spine. I went from being a daily runner to not being able to walk for more than 20 minutes. It was the hardest thing my mind went through but even more so for my body. I gained 20 kilos. Cried most nights and was completely and utterly frustrated. But it has made me really appreciate the fact it made me slow down and get rid of some habits that were holding me back. It wasn’t easy.
Fave local cafe or restaurant?
I don’t eat out that often. Cooking from home and knowing what is going into my food is something I have been working on over the last 3 years. To fill my food with love and organic produce just gives you this pat on the back to good energy. I was living a very toxic life and so was Shaun. So we both kind of hit this turning point together where our bodies were inflamed and we just had enough of eating out, not feeling energised and that general uncool feeling when you aren’t nourishing your body.
When we do a road trip up to Sydney I can’t not stop by Bondi Wholefoods. You can just feel the excitement in there food and I just look exactly like that emjoi with heart eyes.
When I am at home though Maple + Clove, Thrive, Eighty/Twenty, Elk and Pea and also Sweet Bones Bakery hit the spot just right for those special occasions.
As your parting gift to us – what is your favourite health recipe:
Every afternoon at my work I see the 3PM candy bar walk. I am working on changing this. So here is one of my recipes from The 3PM Cure that you get when you pop over and join the community at Nourished Hub. Enjoy!
RICH CHOCOLATE BITES
INGREDIENTS
15 pitted medjool dates
2/3 cup cacao powder (plus extra for dusting)
1 cup almonds (no salt added)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
Pinch of himalayan salt (pink salt)
1/4 cup desiccated coconut for rolling
DIRECTIONS
Add almonds and cacao powder to your food processor and pulse until ground. Turn your processor on its low speed and add your dates one by one. From here depends how sticky you like your bites so add your honey and salt and with your water slowly add until your processor starts to rumble from the mixture not being dry. I like mine sticky so I add the whole tablespoon. Roll into balls and then cover in coconut. Place in the refrigerator to firm. Take a bite a day and ENJOY!
Don’t forget to hashtag baby #The3PMCure
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The post MEET: Suzzi Hartery from Nourished Hub appeared first on Fitness In The City.