Soulful Sunday - Nutrition Tips, Tricks & Hacks | EVENT RECAP
Our panelists took a deeper dive to explore a much more complicated element of nutrition and wellness: the importance of developing and maintaining a healthy mindset around food.
On September 29th we held our third and final Soulful Sunday event of 2019. The Soulful Sunday series was created by YEG Boss Babes, The Wellness Warrior and Momentum Walk-in Counselling with the intention of empowering women through wellness conversations; and what an empowering conversation it was! For our final event of the year, we gathered a panel of industry experts to lead the conversation around nutrition and the role it plays in our wellness.
Our panelists touched on the importance of fueling our bodies with good, wholesome, healthy foods, as this can help to regulate our stress, emotions and energy when we have a lot on the go. One of the most important recommendations we heard was about being prepared. This could be as simple as grabbing an apple and a handful of nuts for the road, preparing a smoothie at the start of the day, or having protein snacks/bars in your car. The preparation doesn’t have to be fancy, the point is to ensure that you have easy, nutritious grab-and-go snacks nearby, so you are able to feed your body with something nutritious when you feel hungry.
This was a valuable point because as business owners, side hustlers and corporate leaders, we all know how hectic life can get on a daily basis, and being able to sustain our energy and focus throughout the day with good nutrition is crucial for our well-being.
But the conversation didn’t end there.
Our panelists took a deeper dive to explore a much more complicated element of nutrition and wellness: the importance of developing and maintaining a healthy mindset around food.
With the overwhelming number of “clean” eating trends that fill our social media feeds, the pressures of comparison, and the responsibility to take care of those around us, it’s no wonder that our relationship with food can often take a stressful turn. One of the most common ways we see this play out is by attaching emotions to what we eat and beating ourselves up for our food choices. We’ve all been there; shaming ourselves for having ‘fallen off track’ after eating that donut, or over-exercising the next day to make up for those added calories we consumed. Often times, we don’t even pay attention to the fact that we have these habitual reactions, and if we’re not choosing to be more self-aware around our reactions to food, these habits can lead to more serious issues such as disordered eating.
Many of our panelists shared their own story of disordered eating and how food may have played a part in coping with anxiety and/or depression at some point in their own lives. So we leaned on their experience and expertise and asked them to provide some key takeaways on how we can practice adopting a healthy mindset with food on a daily basis. Here’s what we heard:
Practice self-awareness or mindfulness. Evaluate how you think and feel and what your behaviour is around food. Pay attention to when you are feeling negative about food and get curious about it. What are the emotions or the beliefs that are associated with that thought, and can you reframe the thought to not take on such a negative meaning?
Set yourself up for success. Give yourself the tools that you need to understand how food supports your body. Try to look at food objectively, rather than tying an emotional response to it, and put plans in place that will support healthy eating habits.
Educate yourself on diet culture and what this means for women. There are so many opinions floating around on what we should and should not be eating and often these opinions can create more harm than good. Empower yourself in your food choices by educating yourself!
Listen to your body. Ask yourself: what do you need right now? And honour that without judgment. Learn to trust yourself with food and know that you have the answers to take good care of yourself.
If you are struggling with any form of disordered eating and you feel that you need help, seek that help out. There are resources available, and YOU are worth it!
@GlowJuicery is offering a offer a special discount code for 20% off purchases from Glow Juicery's website.
website: www.glowjuicery.ca
Code: GLOW20
Breakfast Snacks provided by @kb&Co, Coffee provided by @bravefoxcoffee, Mimosa Bar courtesy of @rivieraliquor, Venue @worknicer
BODY POSITIVITY & NUTRITION INFLUENCERS
TO FLOOD YOUR FEED WITH:
Our Panelists have come up with a list of instagram accounts that are positive influencers within the world of Nutrition and Body Positivity. Happy following!
@drtaliand
@Bodyposipanda
@bodyimagewithbri
@lizzobeeating
@thebirdspapaya
@bodyimage_therapist
@hgoodrichrd
@Marielle.elizabeth
@DRMARKHYMAN
@Drjoshuawolrich
@ELIZABETHLOUISENUTRITION
@Jennifer_Rollin
Follow our panelists on instagram:
Kalin herbach, dietitian at Pine health - @kalinhrd
Marnie Ashcroft, Founder of glow juicery - @glowjuicery
Sophie grey, founder of dive thru - @sophiegrey
Brandi Gruninger, Founder & Owner of Evolution Psychology - Facebook
Soulful Sunday: Navigating Mindfulness and Meditation in a Boss Babe Work Life | EVENT RECAP
On Sunday, May 5 we held our second Soulful Sunday speaker series focusing on meditation and mindfulness in a boss babe work life. We’ve teamed up with the Wellness Warrior and Momentum Walk-in Counselling to launch this series in early 2019, with the goal of empowering women through wellness discussions with leading experts in an interactive panel style event.
Written by: Elisa Valade, Community Outreach Ambassador at YEG BOSS BABES
On Sunday, May 5 we held our second Soulful Sunday speaker series focusing on meditation and mindfulness in a boss babe work life. We’ve teamed up with the Wellness Warrior and Momentum Walk-in Counselling to launch this series in early 2019, with the goal of empowering women through wellness discussions with leading experts in an interactive panel style event.
Whether we are talking about meditation and mindfulness, coping with stress in the workplace, clean eating on the run, or tips for motivation and time management, the purpose is to create a supportive and non-judgmental space for women to come together and have intimate, soulful conversations. Our hope is that you leave with knowledge and inspiration that fuels your soul and helps you chase after your goals.
Our Panel
Jamie Bay, Owner of The Wellness Warrior and Head of Wellness at YEG Boss Babes, facilitated our amazing panel of women on Sunday, which included:
Mandy Trapp, Founder and Lead Educator at Lifestyle Meditation
Kim Knull, Registered Psychologist and Founder of Momentum Walk-In Counselling
Laurie Kellough, Director of Marketing at ATB; and
Shannon Droeske, Meditation and Mindfulness Coach and the Founder of the In-Purpose Brand
Our soulful discussion included a series of questions answered by our panel members through their expertise, personal stories and experiences.
Takeaways from our Meditation + Mindfulness Experts
Find your Point of Focus:
For many of us, the goal of meditating for 5, 10, 20 minutes can feel overwhelming. Even if we’ve created a calm space with no distractions, often it’s only a matter of minutes before our mind is racing with thoughts about our to-do list, what happened at work last week, and everything in between. Our experts’ advice: find your point of focus. Whether that is a mantra to repeat to yourself (it can be as simple as: I breathe in calm, I release anxiety) or staying focused on your breath as you inhale for 3 counts, and exhale for 5 counts.
Having a point of focus is what keeps those pesky thoughts at bay and helps to settle your mind into a state of calm.
Consistency is the Key:
Your mind is like a muscle; you have to exercise it in order for it to become stronger. Similar to a new exercise routine or the start of a new meal plan, for the practice of meditation to be effective, you have to show up. You must put in the work. Recognize that this work might look different for everyone, and there is no right or wrong way to incorporate meditation into your lifestyle. A few tips to set you up for success:
Attend guided meditation classes (we highly recommend Lifestyle Meditation)
Wake up half an hour early to integrate it into your morning routine
Create a space that inspires you. Incorporate the things that help you settle into a state of calm, whether that includes candle or essential oils, comfy pillows, natural sunlight – create that space that you can come back to consistently.
Get Creative with your Time:
As we said, consistency is the key! But our experts know, all too well, that in a busy boss babe world, sometimes that consistency does not look like a set daily routine. Life is busy on a day-to-day basis, but whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, building an empire, or a mom boss taking care of little ones, there is always a moment to disconnect with your surroundings and reconnect with yourself – sometimes, we just need to get a little creative! Our experts recommend that you look for those golden moments where you can drop what you’re doing (for example, when you notice the kids are sleeping in the car seat) to just turn inward for a few minutes. Start watching for these golden moments regularly, and, over time, you’ll notice they pop up more often than you thought. Remember, the ultimate goal is to slow down and connect with yourself. Prioritize that quality time with YOU, even if it’s just for a few minutes. A little can go a long way!
You are not Alone
As we wrap up Mental Health Week, The YEG Boss Babes want to lovingly remind you that if you are struggling, you are not alone and you don’t have to go through your struggles alone. There are resources available to support you; there are friends, family, and experts that want to connect with you, hear your story and help you find ease in your struggle. We encourage you to reach out! For more information on resources visit https://www.momentumcounselling.org/
Special Thank you’s
To our panelists
Our first ever Soulful Sunday Recap
Last year, we had a vision of bringing more mental health and wellness conversations to women in our city. We made this dream a reality with the launch of our new speaker series, Soulful Sundays.
Last year, we had a vision of bringing more mental health and wellness conversations to women in our city. We made this dream a reality with the launch of our new speaker series, Soulful Sundays.
Our first event, Mental Wellness in a Boss Babe Work Life, was a wonderful success as our incredible panelists took to the stage to talk openly about mental health and the tools that work best for them in upkeeping their wellness. Thank you to Kyla Kazeil, owner of Bamboo Ballroom and The Common, Cathy McLean, Chief Financial Officer Western Economic Diversification Canada, Kerilee Snatechuk, Director of People & Culture and Lead of Health & Wellness at ATB, and Aimee Reimer, Registered Psychologist at Momentum Counselling for courageously sharing their stories and inspiring us all.
All Soulful Sunday sessions are hosted by Jamie Bay, founder of The Wellness Warrior, and always include a Registered Psychologist from Momentum Walk-In Counselling to offer their wisdom and insight on the topic.
Missed this event and want to get in on the action? Keep your eyes peeled for tickets to our next Soulful Sunday featuring Mandy Trapp with Lifestyle Meditation on Sunday, May 5.
Venue: ATB’s Branch for Arts & Culture
Photography: Nicole Constante
WE WOULD LIKE TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR PARTNERS FOR HELPING US TO BRING YOU THIS EVENT:
ATB’s Branch for Arts & Culture