Tag: fitness

Vegan Blueberry Pie.

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Blueberry Pie đŸ„§

I was #gifted a few punnets of @australianblueberries and to be honest I was pumped as we eat a punnet every few days in our house. With smoothies, snack boxes, homemade jam and did I mention snack boxes đŸ€Ș🙈. I wanted to make up something different and get creative in the kitchen after we went to the shops. I’m craving đŸ€° a blueberry pie with coyo yogurt so I thought why not make one up. It was so easy to make.
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Ingredients đŸ„§


2 sheets of short crust pastry(we use a vegan one)
1 large punnet of @australianblueberries
1 small red apple, grated
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 drops of green mandarin essential oil (could totally squeeze a lemon though)
2/3 cup of warm filtered water
3 tbsp. maple syrup

Method đŸ„§

  1. Preheat the oven to 180degrees.
  2. Line a small Pyrex pie dish.
  3. Throw in the blueberries and the grated apple into the centre.
  4. In a bowl mix, warm water, maple, spices and citrus.
  5. Pour over the apple and blueberry mix.
  6. Pop some of the remaining pastry on top however you wish to style.
  7. Bake in oven for 45minutes on 180 degrees. Then turn down to 100 degrees and bake a further 15minutes.
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    Serve warm or cold. We are teaming this with coyo, but you could totally serve it up with ice cream, custard, cream. Your choice. âœŒđŸŒ

Studio Pilates – My Personal Journey

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I celebrated a win on Sunday! I did my 20th Studio Pilates class at the Wellington Point Studio. CELEBRATE GOOD TIMES COME ON!! Studio Pilates is a total body exercise, developed almost one hundred years ago by Joseph Pilates, to rehabilitate injured WW1 soldiers and later, for strength and conditioning of dancers, pretty cool right?

Studio Pilates is a total-body workout, with powerful cross-training benefits, focusing on strength, mobility, endurance, body alignment and breath control. 

I decided after having my third child via a C Section, that I wanted to give reformer  pilates a try. I had heard from one of my girl friends how much it had helped her with her postpartum recovery, plus I  wanted to re build my body, make it strong and allow it to recover safely before returning to my usual high-intensity workouts that I love and have done for years now. During this process though I feel in love with pilates. I have a Studio Pilates down the road from me, with 3 young children , this was so convenient as I could sneak off early morning when David (my husband) was not working and do a class.

The classes go for a total of 45 minutes, you only have to arrive 5 minutes early and you just need light workout clothes and some grippy socks. Because I’m used to high-intensity workouts or home work outs using weights, I found it took a while to get out of the mindset that you really have to be dripping with sweat to get a workout. NOT TRUE BY THE WAY! Although I do still love to sweat a few days a week at home, these Studio Pilates classes were really something my body was loving. I found it helped to sculpt my body in places I have always struggled with. I mentally felt strong too, as I feel I was also practicing mindfulness in the class. I would concentrate so hard on the movements that my mind would only focus on one thing and that was PILATES!! I would also be so proud of my body and what it could achieve each class.

The class starts with a stretch, while you do that, the instructor comes and personally greats each individual. They also check in on how you are feeling and if you have any injuries. I loved this as I could explain about my scar and how I was feeling that morning after a night of breastfeeding haha. They were really supportive of each client and their individual journey. They also are there to modify the exercise if need be for you if you do have injuries or if you are more experienced. I find it very personalised.

I feel my body is starting to feel stronger, look more sculpted and my T Zone area and Pelvic floor muscles are improving with each class. I love what it is doing for my posture too, I have a natural arch in my back, so I have found that these classes are helping me to switch my abdominal muscles, pull them in and support my body when I am holding my babies or doing simple daily tasks. I look forward to working hard in future classes to continue to improve my strength too. I will be adding in some more cardio and weighted classes in the next month along side my Studio Pilates classes. So I look forward to seeing more progress and how Studio Pilates can compliment that too. I have made some new friends, found a new passion and I love that I am seeing improvement every class. From the moment I finished the orientation class I have been hooked, I will defiantly be continuing. Will keep you updated!

To find your local Studio Pilates Studio visit here – HERE

Want to know more about Studio Pilates?

Website –www.studiopilates.com

Instagram – @studio_pilates

Hair @c_ba_hair

Photographer @wyldefolkstudio_

#showtherealyou Rebecca Carr AKA @becbodymindsoul

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So excited to introduce to you all Rebecca Carr. 

I first met Bec at White Bohemian when I was working in store. She used to come in store as a customer and one day we really got chatting about her passion and that is naturopathy, yoga and meditation. This naturally beautiful woman glowed health to me, and I was always so interested to know more about her lifestyle. 

When Bec decided to start her Instagram I was so pleased as she shares so many useful holistic health and wellbeing tips, her knowledge about yoga and meditation and some delicious nourishing recipes with her followers. 

I was so over the moon when she said yes to being apart of my #showtherealyou feature as I know you will love knowing more about this holistic goddess too. 

Sit down and put your feet up. Enjoy the interview with Rebecca Carr AKA @becbodymindspirit

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Kimberley Smith AKA @kimmysmithfit #showtherealyou

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This weeks #showtherealyou feature is the gorgeous founder of  “The Fit Mummy Project”, Mrs Kimberley Smith, AKA @kimmyfitsmith. Kimberley provides other mummas with complete wellness and fitness guide, which preaches beauty, fitness, happiness, health and self love. Kimmy is a mumma of two gorgeous girls, her girls also share the same big smile as their mum (it totally infectious).
Kimberley is an absolute goddess, I know you are going to love this interview with her. She certainly inspires me to live a life of simplicity, promote self love and to be at peace with my body. She just radiates positive energy.
Please put your feet up, sip on a cup tea and enjoy this weeks #showtherealyou…

MRS KIMBERLEY SMITH
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Favourite hot drink?

I’m obsessed with Pukka Teas at the moment. I have so many favourites. I am loving the Liquorice and Cinnamon blend for a sweet treat after a meal and the Relax Blend to help me unwind at night time.

Actually – what am I saying – I LOVE coffee!  I’m trying to cut down at the moment to give my adrenals some much needed rest, but coffee just makes everything more fun!


Can you tell me who the REAL Kimmy Smith is?
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Kimberley Smith – Image by Julia Wheeler Photography

Oh gosh! Big question. I am still trying to figure this one out myself. I think that I am pretty authentic – what you see is what you get with me. But in saying that, I have had so many labels over my lifetime, I was a corporate lawyer, I was a professional Netballer (I played netball for the NSW Swifts and was a member of the Australian Diamonds Netball Squad),I was a business owner and most recently I am a Mum. A large part of the last two years for me is trying to strip back those labels and re-discover who I am without having to pigeon hole myself.

I think that the real ‘me’ is the person I am being when I feel happiest. At that is when Ryan and I are together and playing with our girls.  I have never felt more myself than when I am with my girls. Being a mother is the most beautiful and challenging thing I have ever done. I have two daughters. Allegra is 4 years old. She is a beautiful little girl who is just so kind and caring. And so mature! She is such a Mum already! She has 10 dolls who are all her ‘children’ and she takes care of them every day.  Samara is my youngest who is almost 2. She is just pure cheekiness. I love the spark in her – it’s a real challenge to let her have the freedom she needs to cultivate that spark and at the same time stop her from causing some serious damage – both to herself and to everything we own!
My husband is Ryan (we started dating in high school!! I wanted to go out for 3 months so we would be considered a “serious couple”! 17 years later – I think we are pretty serious!). We were married in 2008 and I just feel so lucky to have him.
So family is super important to me, but there is also this huge part of me that is always asking for more. To me, that ‘more’ is my health and my work.
I need to take care of myself. I am getting better and better at really listening to my body and giving it what it needs. I spent a huge part of my life (I am 34, so I would say I spent close to 32 years) just pushing my body. Demanding that it perform day in and day out. Always asking it to work harder. Now I am at a point where I don’t want to push myself so much anymore.  I want to be able to honour my body and live in a more cyclic way. Taking rest when I need it and working hard when I am feeling energised and vibrant. So being healthy and taking care of my health on all levels (physical, mental, emotional and spiritual) is a huge part of the ‘real me’.
My work is also a huge part of the ‘real me’. I am so passionate about what I do. Becoming a Mum was the most inspiring and emotional moment of my life. They say that when a baby is born, so too is the mother. And that is what I felt like. The moment Allegra was born, so too was the mother in me. And I have been growing into this role for the last 4 years. I think when Allegra was little, I really tried to pretend that nothing in my life had changed, except for the fact that now I had a baby. So I pushed myself to get my fitness back. I pushed and deprived myself to get my ‘body back’ and I worked myself into the ground trying to prove a point. I wanted to prove to myself more than anyone else that I could still do it all, even with no sleep and even less energy.
When I was pregnant with Samara, I just knew that I didn’t want to treat my body that way again. I didn’t want to feel so depleted. I wanted to stop valuing myself by how much I could ‘do’. I wanted to realise that my own wellbeing was worth prioritising.
So I began to really stop and think about how I really wanted to feel. About the type of life I wanted to create. And about how I could begin to accept the fact that everything about my life had in fact changed.
Initially how I wanted to feel was beautiful, fit and strong. Those three words became the start of the Fit Mummy Project which is my complete online guide to post natal fitness and wellbeing. I wanted to help to show other Mummas that we can create the exact type of life we want for ourselves and for our families. That we shouldn’t try to get our ‘bodies back’, but instead, we should be creating beautiful, fit and strong new bodies.
I wanted to create this community of fit, strong, healthy and happy Mummas that are really taking control of their health and happiness.
Tell me about a day in the life of Kimmy?


No day is really the same for me! So this was my Monday last week which is probably more like a typical day for me.

6:30AM Wake and do my morning routine which I call my 3 M’s.
  • Meditation. I do a 10-15 minute guided meditation. I love the app Insight Timer as it has so many free guided meditations. So I will chose a morning meditation and listen to that in bed with my headphones in.
  • Movement. I do around 10-15 minutes of movement. Normally this is a short yoga flow to wake my body up and stretch out and tightness that has accumulated over night.
  • Motivation.  I read a little bit and do a little writing. My morning journalling always includes:
    • Setting my intention for the day.
    • Listing my Core Desired Feelings.
    • Listing 3 things I am grateful for today.
    • Setting 3 mini-goals for the day.
7:15AM The girls normally wake around this time. So I make them breaky and quickly sneak out and grab a coffee before my husband leaves for work!
7:30 – 9AM Normally the girls play and I just eat my breaky and just try to get the house organised for the day.
9AM Drop Allegra to Kindy. She goes to Kindy two days a week.
9:30AM Mums and Bubs. I train around 6 beautiful Mummies at my house. It’s a bit chaotic, but I think that they really enjoy it. We have around 6 Mummies and sometimes up to 8 babies. I have a baby sitter who comes and minds the babies. I focus on a mix of toning Barre style exercises, strength work and a little hit of fitness at the end of each session.
10:45AM I’ll take Samara to the shops and park and get our groceries for the week and she can have a little play.  Maybe a sneaky second coffee.
1PM I have lunch with Samara at home and put her to bed.
1-4PM As soon as I put Samara to bed I do 20 minutes of guided meditation. And then I try and get as much work done as possible during this time! I am pretty disciplined when it comes to my work. I don’t get distracted easily. I listen to brain.fm which is binaural beats that help your brain to be uber efficient. They help me to get into that flow state.  If I can achieve the 3 things I set out for myself that day, I will also try to do around 15 minutes of Barre style toning workout.
4PM We walk to pick Leggy up from kindy.
4:30PM The girls and I play. Or sometimes they are happy playing together without me and I do a little reading or have a cup of tea for as long as they are happy playing without me. Which is normally around 4 minutes max!
6:00PM Start getting dinner ready. Do the whole dinner + bath routine.
7:30PM Start getting my and Ryan’s dinner ready. Ryan generally gets home around this time.
8:30PM Samara goes to bed! Exhale! We watch a bit of TV. I am loving Big Little Lies at the moment!
9:30PM  Leggy generally falls asleep around this time. I have a cup of tea and do a little night time routine of yin style yoga stretches and rubbing essential oils on my temples and wrists to start to wind down.
10PM Bed. I try to read a bit of my book. I normally get one page done and then I’m fast asleep!

What drove you to create your Instagram account/business @kimmysmithfit?

I guess for all the reasons I mentioned above. But also because, to me, Motherhood is a time of huge change. Our bodies change, our work arrangements change, our relationship with our partners change and often our values change. Many women take the view that amongst all of this change, they should try to feel and pretend like nothing has changed. They should get their body back straight away. They should exercise the same way that they used to, they should have the same values and push themselves to work as hard as they used to and achieve as much as they used to.
I want to help women to understand that this is an incredible time for growth. I want to empower women to begin to step into their strength and femininity. To step into their roles of mothers and begin to create an amazing life. Not try to get their old life back, or their old body back, but to create a beautiful, fit and strong new body and a happy and healthy new life as a family and mother.

What do you think attracts women to your site?

Motherhood is an incredibly demanding time. It is easy to lose our sense of self amongst all the obligation. In some ways those early days of motherhood are like the perfect storm.

We are sleep deprived, our bodies are exhausted from the process of giving birth and growing a whole human. Our bodies also still look around 6 months pregnant which doesn’t do wonder for our self esteem. We have all this change going on around us, we have huge expectations of what motherhood should be like and we have zero time to really reflect on all the changes that have occurred. We also have all this mother guilt seeping into everything we do.
I try to speak really openly and honestly about the difficulties of motherhood but also about the joys of motherhood. It is an amazing time and I feel so special and privileged to be able to raise my girls. Sometimes we feel guilty saying how awesome it is to be a Mum. We feel like we are showing off. But I think it’s great!
When I am writing about a challenge I have faced during my journey as a Mum, I always try to include a takeaway. Something practical that each woman can take away and incorporate into her own life.
At the most basic level, this is often a workout that they can do in their living room or at the local park. A simple series of exercises designed specifically for the post natal body that will help her to feel better about her body, shift some energy and hopefully get into a better mental state.
But I also want to help to open women up to a whole new level of self enquiry. Finding exactly what it is that makes her happy and then having the self-worth to go out and make that happen.

What is your favourite quote or mantra?

I have so many. I am constantly saying little quotes mantras to myself.

I constantly say to myself “I am love” We always have a choice, to act out of love or to act out of fear. Fear sounds really dramatic, but it can be as simple as gossiping about someone because it makes us feel included. It can be as simple as keeping an argument going because we are too ashamed to admit we are wrong. It can be something like not ever taking a break because you are scared of what will happen if you aren’t always ‘doing’. So this helps me to come back to myself and chose to act in a more kind and loving way.

Not that I get it perfect, I often am acting from a  place of fear. The work one is a huge one for me!

How important is it to you that you find the time to move your body?


You know what I’m going to say here right!! Super important!  Movement is one of the most simple things you can do to feel good. Moving your body, even if just for ten minutes a day can have such a significant impact on your mental health and your emotional health. And if you are after physical results, it really does just take 10 minutes a day of consistent exercise.
Consistency is the key.
I think we have been duped into believing that movement needs to be really complicated or hard core. It doesn’t. The best movement for you is what you enjoy. The Fit Mummy Project and my website seek to take away all the excuses that normally come up for Mums. Lack of time, lack of motivation, not sure what to do, not sure where to start, no equipment, no energy.
Whilst we are recovering from birth (which for most women is generally a 6 month period although we normally only give our bodies 6 weeks!) there are definitely some forms of exercise that aren’t good for our bodies. The postnatal period isn’t a time to prove a point or push our bodies to the extreme. It is a time to honour the incredible job our bodies did to bring a child into this world. That is why I always recommend to see a Women’s Health Physio who can assess your beautifully unique body and help you to learn what exercise will be best for you during that postnatal period.
Can you tell us a little more about The Fit Mummy Project?

The Fit Mummy Project is the complete online guide to post natal fitness and wellbeing. It is broken down into two guides, the Exercise Guide and the Nourish Guide.

The Exercise Guide helps Mums to return to exercise in a safe and positive way. It contains over 50 post natal exercises with step by step instructions as well as over 20 safe and really effective post natal workouts. You can start the workouts from as early as 48 hours after a natural birth and then progress all the way to around 18 months post partum. There is heaps of great info from Women’s Health Physio Lyz Evans on pelvic floor and core repair as well as a lot of great tips on how to return to exercise in a way that is going to energise you rather than exhaust you.
The Nourish Guide is a recipe and wellbeing book rolled into one. It is all about taking really good care of your health in a very simple way. It has over 40 simple healthy recipes that Mums can make really quickly and with pretty basic ingredients. It also has tips for surviving and thriving as a Modern Mum. Little life hacks such as meditation for the modern Mum, dealing with sleep deprivation, how to stop competition with your partner over who is more tired!
The Fit Mummy Project is the Guide that I wanted after I had my girls, and I couldn’t find exactly what I was after.
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Favourite active wear label?

Dharma Bums for Yoga Tights.

The Upside for Yoga and just general amazing active wear.
Lululemon for really functional clothing.

Hello Monday Active  for post-natal activewear that makes you feel effortlessly chic.


What advice would you give to other people out there wanting to start a blog/Instagram page?

If you are setting it up to grow into something more than a hobby then I would really recommend being crystal clear on your “why, how and who”.

Why is it important to you to share this message? Why are you so passionate about this topic?  How do you want to feel when you are writing and sharing? How do you want others to feel when they are reading your words. Who do you want to read your stuff? Who do you want to touch or inspire with your words?

This will help you to become very clear on the type of messages your share and it will also help you to be authentic and consistent.
I think that starting a blog / instagram page is a really empowering process. It is like starting a micro-business. You can test things out, see what resonates and what doesn’t. You can find your voice and really start to develop your message. The more I write, the clearer I get on exactly what my message is.
Also, I think that it is important to remember that online relationships are just like real relationships. You need to give them time and you need to be respectful.
Oh and one other thing – don’t compare yourself! You can definitely get a lot of inspiration from the people and accounts you admire, you can respect the work that they have done, but if you start constantly comparing yourself you are going to lose all the joy you get out of creating and sharing your work.

What is something you practice every single day?

Yoga and meditation. I do some form of yoga and meditation every single day. I can feel myself becoming more and more the person I have always wanted to be and it because of my yoga and meditation practice. Some days are amazing and I feel such a shift in my happiness and my stress levels. Other days aren’t so good. I spend my whole meditation thinking of things I have to do. But I think it all counts – it all adds up.


What does self love mean to you?

I think it means a lot of things. I think that the precursor to self love is self acceptance. Being able to accept our whole self. The good and the bad. Our light and our shadow. Once we can accept all of ourself, then we can being to really show ourselves the love and respect that we deserve.

To me a few of the things that self loves means include slowing down enough so that I can hear the messages my body is sending me. As women, I believe we have a deep intuition. We know deep down exactly what it is we need, but often, we are so busy achieving and getting things done, that we don’t ever stop and listen. When I slow down, I realise what it is that I truly need right in that moment. Self love is also then hearing those messages and then valuing yourself enough to follow through. So self-love might mean realising that you need rest, and then valuing yourself enough to cancel a night out, or say no to an opportunity so that you can give yourself exactly what you are craving.

Perfect date night with your man?

We don’t get too many date nights! We had a night away by ourselves earlier in the year. It was our first night by ourselves in 3 years, so that was pretty special. I’d do that again for sure! But not too soon, I miss the girls too much! Such a shocker.

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Can you share with us a perfect #mumlife moment you have had with your gorgeous girls?

The other day they both refused to have a nap. I was exhausted, so I took them both upstairs and we lay in my bed together and watched Beauty and the Beast. Allegra loves gentle tickles and Samara was tickling her leg. I would have bottled that moment if I could have. Seeing them be kind and loving toward each other just makes me feel like we must be doing something right.

 

One struggle you would like to share as a mumma with others?

Oh gosh, so many. My biggest struggle was probably finding my sense of self as a Mum. I felt really lost after I had Samara. I think I finally realised that I was a full on Mum. I spent a lot of time really discovering what it was that I needed to feel happy and fulfilled as a woman and as a mother. And then I spent a lot more time trying to find the balance between taking care of myself and taking really good care of my girls.

Day to day the biggest thing I struggle with is being present for them. I am working on putting in place better boundaries so I’m not constantly ‘mashing’.
P.S. Mashing is a term created by Jacqui Lewis in the book Mothers’ Mind Cleanse. It’s an amazing read and when she refers to mashing she means when you try to multi-task but actually you just lack presence and awareness in everything you do.
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What did you have for dinner last night?

Chickpea fritters and a super simple salad of rocket, feta, walnuts and avocado. Plus a few little treats!  A glass of RosĂ© and some raw chocolate brownie! Amazing!

Thank you so much for sharing Kimmy! I look forward to what you have in store in the near future. Want to get to know the gorgeous Kimmy a little more?

Website www.kimmysmithfit.com

Instagram @kimmysmithfit

Tahlia Fiedler #showtherealyou

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I am so grateful to have Mrs Tahlia Fiedler as my first #showtherealyou feature for 2017. Tahlia and I crossed pathes a few years ago as we went to the same gym, but we never bonded closely to we had our little babes. I always love being surrounded by Tahlia’s positive energy and creatitivity. You can see it rubs of on her beautiful little girl Sunny too. Tahlia is a woman that preaches living a grateful happy life. I feel she sees the light in most things. 

Besides being a busy mumma to Summer, a wife to Jesse, Tahlia is Wedding Coordinator three days a week and she runs not just one but three beautiful Instagram pages filled with stunning images you will love looking at in your daily feed. 

So I introduce if you aren’t already following her on one of her accounts … “Tahlia Fiedler”


Favourite cold drink?

This is a hard choice its definitely a tie between Kombucha and iced latte. I generally drink about 3 Kombuchas a week. When I first started drinking Kombucha I found it tasted very vinegary but I think I have definitely got used to the unusual taste. My favourite flavour is hibiscus or blueberry. However when I am working I can’t go past an ice latte ( 2 shots of coffee, vanilla almond milk – when possible and lots of ice ).

Can you tell me who the REAL Tahlia Fiedler is? 

Behind all the beautiful Instagram photos is just a every day regular mum. I grew up on Brisbane bayside with my beautiful mamma who raised me all by herself along with help from my wonderful grandparents.

When I was 14 years old I met Jesse and instantly fell head of heels for him ( I totally adored him and he wasn’t even interested in me – haha) . After a couple of months of teenage flirting he eventually decided to ask me out over msn. We have been inseparable ever since. I remember my grandpa used to pick me up from school and ask who’s that wooly haired boy ( Jesse had a big fluffy blonde hair ) and I would reply ” just a friend”. The rest is history, Jesse asked me to marry him at “Schoolies” when we travelled to Fiji together and we got married a couple years later.

As a teenager I worked in cafes and restaurants before receiving a scholarship to a hospitality and event management school. Once I finished my scholarship I went into working in hotels around Brisbane. After a few years of working in hotels I landed my current job of wedding coordinator which is what I am doing still to this day! Its so amazing being  apart of someones special day. I was I was to sum myself up in 3 words It would be – determined, hard working and a little bit shy.

Tell me about a day in the life of Tahlia Fiedler?


Every day is just so different but heres a little overview of what my days look like when I am off work… because work days a pretty well just filled with work haha.

4am – Alarm goes off

5am- HIIT 1 Hr Muay Thai Class

6.30am- Get home and shower

7am- Sunny wakes up for cuddles and generally we start our day with music and a little boogie –

7.30am- We make breakfast together, sometimes we have smoothies, oats or eggs.

8am- Shower or bath and get ready for the day ahead.

9am-10am- I normally use the beautiful morning light on my days off to shoot some pics of Summer while she plays for my Instagram content. Summer used to rep for a lot of gorgeous handmade/ Aussie brands. Since I have gone back to work part time I have really cut back on the amount of companies I take on because….. photographing a toddler is hard work.

10am-12pm- I normally head out to my local fruit barn every Monday to do our grocery shopping. We save so much money by shopping at our local fruit barn. I used to go to the produce market every Saturday but now I am working I can’t make it there. The fruit barn we go to even has a sweet little juice bar attached that makes the yummiest smoothies ( snack time summer and I love banana and cocoa smoothies ). We also grab our meat for the week from the butcher next door. Its a great way to avoid buying pre packaged food as we only need to go to the main shops to buy things like paper towel and cleaning products.

12pm- Summer goes down for a little nap, which allows me plenty of time to put the groceries away. I will also prep her lunch and plan our meals for the week. We have a thermomix which we invested in before I had Summer and its really amazing it has helped so much with giving us variety to our meals.

1pm- Summer wakes for lunch

2pm- We might go visit my mamma or grandparents. We may go for a swim or play some games in Summers room.

3-4pm- Jesse gets home and we normally take our puppy Luna for a walk.

4pm-5pm- I might have photo session booked in and I normally photograph between 4-5pm at the moment.

6pm- We all have dinner together before the bath and bed routine starts.

7.30pm- Summers goes to bed and I usually will unwind by watching some Kardashians,  Creative Live ( photography tutorials ), editing photos or weaving some wall hangings before heading to sleep by 9/10pm.

What drove you to create your Instagram account/business? I know you have three now, superwoman staying on top of them all girl!

Each of my accounts was inspired and came about differently. My personal account @thefiedlerfolk_ has become a place where I can share the beauty of motherhood. Its a place where I can share my style and fashion inspiration for mostly Sunny but sometimes I will post a sneaky pic of myself. I share sneak peeks into our adventures, our home and sometime our meals. I take pride in creating beautiful photos and capturing the beautiful parts of our days together.


@willowandthewoolves is a project I started a couple of months after having Summer. I get a lot of creative inspiration off Pinterest and found woven wall hangings kept popping up so I started making a couple for our home. They received such a great response from family and friends that I decided to open up a shop. I now spend my evenings weaving up a storm while watching TV I find it very calming. It has also given me so much joy creating unique pieces for peoples homes.


@wyldefolkstudio_ has been a long time coming. Photography is something I have been passionate about for a very long time.  I had my first photoshoot with Studio 4 Photography back when I was 17 years old and I have had about 6 sessions with them since. it is so special to be able to look back at photos and love what you see, having professional photos taken is such a treat. Its my goal to have a professional photo shoot each year as a family. I hope that I can shoot families and make them feel as special as I do when Studio 4 captures my family There is something so special about about capturing peoples memories. I am so happy I have come out of my shell and opened up to photographing people other than my own family. I can’t thank everyone enough for the amount of support and love people have shown towards my work so far. A big thank you to you Alice for collaborating with me each month and allowing me to photography you.

Oh honey stop it, I love our catch ups!! You are too kind Tahlia!  Xx


What do you think attracts women to your site?

I think the majority of my followers are generally mums who share similar values and interests. I share a lot of baby/ toddler fashion inspiration, healthy natural living and snippets of our home life.

What is your favourite quote or mantra?  

“A Sunday well spent brings a week of content” Jesse and I get one day off together with our crazy work schedules so we are big believers of spending that day together doing something fun, adventurous, or productive. We love going on road trips to beaches, flower fields, or Byron Bay. If we are not out adventuring we are at home working on our little home.

How often do you find the time to move your body? 

I work out 3x a week at HIIT. I love doing Muay Thai kickboxing and I am so happy I have found an exercise I really enjoy. I also love walking along the waterfront near our house.

Favourite activewear? 

Lululemon definitely has the most comfy active wear. I own one pair of their tights and they are my absolute favourite luxe buy, every time I put them on a feel so confident and happy. I Also love love love Cotton On Body at the moment. Cotton on have such a cute range of active wear that’s great quality and really affordable.

Favourite clothing brand for your little babe Summer? 

There’s just so many gorgeous handmade clothing out there for children now its hard to just choose a few. We love @two.darlings@little.a.handmade and @yoli_and_otis.

Go to healthy recipe? 

I love cocao and banana smoothies I just toss in the below ingredients (different amounts of each every time because I am a bad recipe follower:

– 1 x banana

– approx 1/2 cup of almond milk

– 1 tablespoon of peanut butter

– 1 spoonful of cocao powder

– 1 spoonful of LSA

– 1 spoonful of pumpkin seeds

– Ice

– Blend

Your ultimate date night with Jesse your husband?

We are super grateful when my mum watches summer and we go on a date night. Its normally something really casual like a movie or dinner. Coming from a Restaurant background I love trying new cafes and restaurants. I have even written a few cafe blog posts on my blog recently.



What advice would you give to other people out there wanting to start a blog/Instagram business? 

I would say just be yourself, write about things you are passionate about and that make you happy. Having an Instagram business can be super time consuming definitely schedule in time to work on your business and time manage. You don’t want to miss quality time with your family, its super easy to get stuck on your phone for longer than you planned.



You are a mumma to the gorgeous little Summer who is beautiful by the way. Just like her mumma. Can you please tell us about one of your favourite #mumlifemoments? I’m sure there are so many!

hehe I am not sure which one to share. I can say Summer rolled off the bed one time when she was about 6months months old. We have a low bed but I still completely panicked and called the ambulance ( crazy over protective first time mum over here ) They paramedics were so lovely and took her for hospital for monitoring. The mum guilt still haunts me to this day.



Could you share one of your struggles as a mumma? 

I really struggled like a lot of other mums to breastfeed. ‘I had bleeding, cracked nipples and a very bad case of mastitis but came through in the end as I was very determined to breastfeed. I was lucky enough to be able to feed Summer for nearly 18 months I have only just weaned her off the last couple of weeks.

Favourite meal to cook for Summer?

Summer eats the same meals as Jesse and I each night but at the moment she is loving my Thai Basil Chilli Chicken with rice. She also loves corn on the cob.

You recently started sharing your photography hobby with the world! Might I add you are so talented girl! You have your own style and I admire your work as you make it your own? How long have you loved photography or is it something completely new for you?

Its something I have loved for a really long time however since having

Summer it has definitely encouraged me to pursue it more from a professional side. Last year I was lucky enough to save for a professional camera and a couple of lenses. I have been working really hard the last few months to put together a portfolio of work. My style is very light and bright. I love clear, soft natural light.

I am overwhelmed with the response to my work so far and my heart just bursts with happiness when I people love the photos I have captured of them. It’s a really rewarding job.



Want more from Tahlia? 

http://www.instagram.com/thefiedlerfolk_

http://www.instagram.com/wyldefolkstudio_

http://www.instgram.com/willowandthewoolves

Thank you for tuning into this weeks #showtherealyou feature. If you would love to share who the real you is with myself and others I would love to hear from you. aliceinhealthyland@hotmail.com xx 

#showtherealyou @_nadinemuller

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 NADINE MULLER AKA @_nadinemuller is you follow this gal on Insta. Remember her name beauties, because this gorgeous woman is a #gamechanger. She is a true inspiration and I LOVE watching this lady chase her dreams and smash some of her biggest life goals (and she is not finished yet). I started following Nadine when I gave birth to Cruz, her little boy Madden is the same age as Cruz. We both shared similar passions, we both preaching our love for nourishing foods, fitness and our boys. We are both also Registered Nurses. I have always found Nadine so easy to relate and connect with to as this she totally  keeps it real! 


I got to meet this beauty earlier  this year, we did a workout together at F45 and then had a cute brunch date with our babes. Such a fun day chatting about motherhood, training and life in general. 

I know you will love Nadine as much as I do. Sit down, pop your feet up, have a cuppa tea and enjoy this weeks #showtherealyou feature @_nadinemuller. 

Thanks for sharing Nadine.. big love always girl!  

Favourite hot drink?

Ohhhh as I type away on this I’m currently sipping on a lemon infused green tea, but there is also nothing better than a warm hot choccie to unwind before calling it a night
 In daylight hours I’m a Cappuccino girl on almond milk! 

Can you tell me who the REAL Nadine Muller is?

I was born in Melbourne, but grew up on the gorgeous Sunshine Coast in Queensland. I come from very humble beginnings; my family didn’t have copious amounts of money growing up, but in saying that there were no shortages of LOVE in my household. My parents did their very best and worked extremely hard to provide for my older brother and I and whilst I didn’t think it at the time, looking back now we had everything we needed and more, much more. I wouldn’t change a thing.

In true family tradition, I joined the military (Air Force) soon after graduating high school. I’ve been enlisted in the military now for almost ten years and my experiences and exposures have truly been second to none. I’ve made some everlasting friendships and have had a number of career highlights and memories that I hold so very dear.

Despite health and fitness being a cornerstone to my personal and professional life, in my early twenties saw me diagnosed with advanced Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia and Severe Dysplasia to Carcinoma Insitu; in simple terms Cervical Cancer came knocking on my door. When the word ‘potential hysterectomy’ was brought up during one of my many specialist appointments my entire world had come crashing down. When I look back on this testing time I see that I truly am one of the lucky ones who get to share my story, and whose dream of becoming a Mum came true, despite theodds that were stacked up against me. This health scare was a very testing time and it allowed me to re-evaluate my outlook on life and was a real game-changer. Like anything battles are there to be fought and in my case won, and getting the all-clear and becoming a Mum was the utmost silver lining to my journey. (Which reminds me to REMIND YOU who is reading this – If you are due for a papsmear please book in an appointment to get it done).

Anyhow a lot has happened since then, most significantly was meeting the love of my life, my best mate, (also the one who grinds my gears like no one else can) but truly my life’s accomplice – My king -Dane.

We met and hit the ground running
.Why wait? We couldn’t have been more sure! After 6 months we were engaged, married a year later (we were 9 weeks pregnant at our wedding) and then just like that the littlest love of our life Madden James entered our world and boy did he expand our hearts and continues to do so everyday J

SO here I am sharing my journey particularly surrounding my chaotic little juggle of mum life, work life as an RN and a PT, my health and fitness, and spreading self-love, confidence and positivity through my social media platforms. Why – because empowered women, empower women (One of my fav quotes!). I genuinely want to prove that absolutely anybody can achieve their fitness, personal and professional dreams, goals, hopes and aspirations despite any challenges that they may encounter along the way. Likewise that what we see everyday in social media isn’t always how it truly is, that raw and honest will always prevail! 


Tell me about a day in the life of Nadine Muller?

Well whether I like it or not my little one is much like his Mumma and likes to seize the day and be up at the crack of dawn. To make for a smooth morning, the night before I’ve packed the car, breakfasts and lunches (thanks to weekend meal prep), have everything laid out to a T so our morning rush is ‘less-rushed’ for the lack of a better word. I usually jump in for a morning session at my PT workplace (F45) at 4.45am or at my local 24hr gym and am back home no later than 6am, I quickly trade parenting with hubby so he can then head to work the second I’m back in the door. I breastfeed Madden, I then sneak in as many kisses and cuddles in whilst feeding Madden breakfast and getting us both ready before dropping him into daycare by 6.30am in order for me to get to my nursing shift in the Emergency Department by 7am through to 1530hrs. After that, depending on what day of the week it is, 2 nights a week I put my PT hat on and start at 4pm and work til about 8pm, the other arvo’s/night’s I head straight home from my nursing shift, pick up Madden from day care and have family time until lights are out and we do it all over again for the working week!! Weekends are very much about my boys and I and we try to keep relatively active but with the main focus on quality time together and catching up on housework, grocery shopping and food prepping so we can go in prepared for the week ahead! Days are hectic and nights are short, and I guess I’m very much still finding my ‘balance’, if there is ever such a thing, I’ve sought advice and support from my other working mumma friends on IG and its so nice to not feel alone on the days that I’m JUST keeping my head above water!

Congratulations on becoming a personal trainer! Go girl! What drove you to do the course?


I’ve grown up keeping fit and healthy from a young age and being in the military means fitness is at the forefront of what I do, but particularly since becoming a mum my true passion for health and fitness reached new heights, I saw the strength and tenacity of the human body through pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum which allowed me to wholeheartedly appreciate just how remarkable the human body is and how thankful we should be each day for it. Now as a PT, nothing excites me more knowing that I get to meet, interact with and connect with so many people everyday. I get to apply my ability, knowledge, experience and my sheer love of fitness to help enrich somebody else’s life and that is something I am immensely proud it. I’ve always believed that amazing things happen when your passion, purpose and professions come together and its for that reason that I find it so incredibly uplifting to be a part of someone’s journey in creating positive changes in living a stronger, healthier, happier life.

Since becoming a mumma to that handsome little Madden what have you learnt most about life?

I knew that having a child was going to be life changing, but wow is that an understatement, it’s the most positively life-altering experience one will ever go through – is it not? I cannot agree more on the saying that when a child is born, a mother is too; I’ve loved watching myself evolve as a person and finding myself lifted to new heights and achieving personal goals I didn’t see possible. Over the past year, through my son I have experienced more adventure than I ever thought imaginable. It truly is love beyond measure and with it my priorities have completely changed, my outlook on life and what truly makes me happy, and what matters most has been such an eye-opener for me. Motherhood is not only my life; it’s wholeheartedly my happiness, my passion, and my greatest achievement.


(This photo truly connected me to Nadine! Arghhh I love it). 

A favourite #mumlife memory so far?

Oh my gosh, there are so many. I have no idea where to start. I really don’t think I could narrow it down to one favourite
 I’d be lying if I said one of the funniest was when Madden decided to rip his nappy off and took a number two in his cot with this most evil laugh to follow – whilst I was trying to teach him to self-settle as I was talking to him via the monitor from another room
. Thank goodness it was the consistency and shape of a soggy chicken nugget (I kid you not!) But no really!! In all seriousness though, one to mention out of many would be Madden’s kisses! How good are kisses from our babies??? When I was pregnant I used to dream of kissing his lips, and during scans I would say over and over ‘I cant wait to smooch those tiny lips’. I remember so vividly the day he was born when I kissed him for the first time – F*** it was a zillion times better than I had ever dreamed of
Now we have this thing where I say give mummy a kissy-wissy, and he does the biggest ‘mwwwwwwahhhh’ as he leans in then it is followed with an open mouthed, super slobbery, super slimey lip-smacker
Nawww!! I treasure every single one, and I literally hang out for one of his kisses after a long day at work especially!!



What do you think attracts women to your social media platforms?

I’m simply sharing my health and fitness journey in relation to my life as a first-time mum, a full-time working mum as a Nurse and Personal Trainer, a devoted wife, how I juggle a career in the Armed Forces, all whilst trying to have somewhat of a social life and attempt to keep SANE as best as I can haha. I pride my social media on being a positive and supportive network and a communication hub to uplift, encourage and motivate other likeminded women – and not just those who are mothers.

I genuinely enjoy sharing my honest experiences and as I said whilst I aim for my page to be mostly motivating, positive and a fun hub, I likewise haven’t hesitated to share it all; the good, the bad and the indifferent. Honesty truly does lead to authenticity and I believe there is something to be said for those who demonstrate courage and strength in telling things how they really are.

It is important for us women to remind ourselves that not all images we see on social media are ‘real’. With the technology we have now so readily available, digital alterations and manipulating images can be done at the drop of a hat. We all have to remember that our reflection in the mirror DOES NOT define our worth and continually comparing ourselves to potentially unrealistic ‘perfect’ bodies, ‘perfect’ mums, ‘perfect’ lives can be toxic to our mental health. I want us women to band together and to feel confident and secure within ourselves, and to know that there is more than enough room for us all to make it in this world!!

I want us all to say goodbye to our inner critics, to be kinder to ourselves and our bodies. To gain a heightened sense of self-worth and self-respect regardless of what ‘ideal bodies’ are thrown in our faces everyday. It’s not about comparing ourselves to one another or about being better than anyone else but being proud of our own journey, owning our own unique story and improving ourselves (in whatever capacity) each and every day.

I’ve made some incredibly meaningful connections from social media and have been fortunate to meet up with a handful of instamums. I’ve been incredibly uplifted and inspired by so many of them (you know who you are!). Like me, they are simply everyday mumma’s, grounded with humble and realistic attitudes to match. I admire women who similar to me get a kick out of seeing other women do well and live by that quote I mentioned ‘Empowered women, Empower women’. Can I get an Ahhhh-men!

What is your favourite quote or mantra?

One of my favourites is ‘Exercise is as much as a gift to the mind as it is to the body’. As a first time mum, especially in those early days, training had been my coping mechanism whilst I adjusted to motherhood and got our routine down pat and my post-partum hormones had leveled out – mine were all over the shop, poor Dane!! It was then that I had also recognised that not only was exercise re-conditioning and re-strengthening my body but it was a total game changer (and free therapy!) when it came to my mental health.

I ensure that at least one session a week I leave my phone/ipod in my gym bag and leave my mind and body to train with no interruptions, in a world where we are so attached to our phones, dare to strip it back and be truly present with your training – just YOU and your mind! Do it – I highly recommend!!

How often do you find the time to move your body?

Anyone who knows me would know that training is an essential part of my day and has been for many years! I’ve found it to be crucial for my physical (and mental) health and overall wellbeing. My passion for keeping active and staying fit is something I do for ‘me’ but ultimately for my family too. I know I am a far better person, mum, wife, (PT and Nurse) when I have invested time in making my health and wellbeing a priority too. It honestly provides an outlet from the ongoing pressures of motherhood and any general life stressors that we all encounter along our journey. For me, it brings about a heightened sense of accomplishment and pride. It allows me to sweat out any of my days worries, makes me feel more energized, and overall has a positive effect on various facets of my life including my relationship with hubby, my family, my career, my goals and aspirations. It’s not about how you look (that is just a bonus side effect); it is about how it makes you feel – stronger, confident and well centred J Plus working in the busiest Emergency Department in Australia means that I witness some fairly ‘heavy’ medical emergencies so to shake off a tough or confronting day with my physical training is a must for me. You could say more than ever, my physical fitness and mental health and wellbeing is a necessity as I juggle motherhood and my professional working life.


Favourite active wear piece in your wardrobe?

Oh I wouldn’t be able to choose just one piece, what I can tell you though is that there are absolutely no shortages of Lorna Jane, Lululemon, Nike and Rockwear in my wardrobe
 As a breastfeeding active mumma and one who supports home grown small business I’m also digging activewear by the incredible @mummactiv! Jo is another awesomely fit, humble, hard working charismatic Mumma who inspires me beyond words – Check @mummactiv out!!!

Do you and your man get time to go on a date? If so where do you both love to go?

To be completely honest, if we get to squeeze in a gym session together, I feel like that’s a smoking hot date for us! Haha
. Training together everyday is one of the things that I miss the most, he goes hard and I’m pretty competitive so training together is extreme! So when it does happen, I’m on cloud 9! On the flip side of the coin, it is somewhat embarrassing to even say this, but it was only a few weeks ago that hubby and I had our first ‘proper’ date since Madden was born. Surprisingly it wasn’t until we did this that we realised just how much we had become disconnected for the lack of a better word, not at all in a bad way, we have simply been so love struck with our baby Madden that we just didn’t take the time out just for each other and we realised the importance of bringing ‘us’ back. I’ll be completely honest in saying that since becoming parents, our relationship has taken the back seat. Although having a baby has meant a lot of changes for US as a couple, I’ve learnt that incredible things can happen when you learn to change and grow ‘together’. We might not get the time alone as often anymore, but I know that 9/10 times we’d choose family time altogether first, because that is when our hearts are truly at their fullest. Despite that, since that date at the races and a night to ourselves while Madden slept over at his grandparents for the first time, we’ve made a pact to one another that we will take time once a month for ‘date night’
 We genuinely love family time with the 3 of us, so once a month seems very reasonable for us both for now J We are next planning a dinner at our favourite restaurant followed by a movie at the cinemas, we may even step it up a notch and go gold class! Go us! Mind you, bedtime is quite early for me usually, so I’ll probably be a DUD! (
..Dud date, Is definitely what you were thinking right?!) Haha



Thanks so much for having me Alice, and if you are still with me thank you to those that have taken the time to read my #showtherealyou feature!

Spread Love, Nadine xo

Want more from the gorgeous Nadine? 

Instagram: _nadinemuller

Snapchat: Search by name: _nadinemuller

@chontelduncan #showtherealyou 

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Chontel Duncan a name that many of you have heard of in the media for changing people’s lives, teaching them to live a healthier and more active lifestyle. She is a social media superstar, but to me Chonnie is so much more than that. She is a gorgeous friend of mine! 

Over 12 years ago I befriended her husband Sam, we were good friends for years and he used to tell me all about the love he had for his girl which was Chontel. My best friend Maria also was good friends with Chontel too. After a few months passed I got introduced to her from our mutral friend Maria. We got along and we shared lots of memories together with our mutual friends. Years later I was grateful to watch my two beautiful friends Sam and Chonnie marry each other. I could be happier for Sam to find such a beautiful, kind hearted soul to marry! 

It wasn’t until Chonnie opened Hiit Australia though that we became closer. I completed one of her 8 week challenges and turned my life around for the better. Chonnie and I shared similar interests with health and fitness and she is an absolute ball to be around. She sings at the top of her voice, she is a genuine to her close friends and is an absolute rockstar at being a mumma to her son Miah! If you need Chonnie no matter how busy she is she will always try make time for her friends and clients and that’s what I love about her! Very blessed to have such a beautiful friend in my life. 

A little secret.. I started Alice In Healthyland because I was inspired by  Chonnie and HIIT, she inspired me to want to live this healthy lifestyle and because if that I  created the account to keep me on track with my training at Hiit and my healthy eating and cannot believe what became of it! So Chonnie I have you to thank for introducing me to my world of Healthyland! 


Anyway enough about Chonnie and my love story hahaha. Sit back and put your feet up and enjoy this weeks #showtherealyou feature…

CHONTEL DUNCAN 



Favourite hot drink? 

I’m torn between two. First one being my warm water with slices of freshly cut lemon which I drink every morning religiously due to its amazing health benefits. Second being a Long black (coffee) hot or cold it doesn’t matter, but I just absolutely love the taste of coffee.

 

Can you tell me who the REAL Chontel Duncan is? 

Someone who considers others feeling before her selves, finds pleasure in seeing people succeed & still has to pinch herself every morning because she is exactly where she wanted to be in life.

 

Tell me about a day in the life of Chontel Duncan?

The day starts when Jeremiah wakes up around 4:30am for his first bottle, into a 5am HIIT Australia workout, I shower & begin getting ready for my day, I pack the car with a full day’s worth of clothes, toys, nappies, food & bottles for Jeremiah & head back to HIIT Australia. I’ll be in at the office working from 7am to 5pm, at 5pm I will head into the HIIT gym to run a class. Jeremiah will usually go in a baby bjorn carrier with our receptionist where he 9 out of 10 times sleeps. Straight after the class (6pm) I take Jeremiah home, he’ll have his solids, a bath, a bottle, read a book & then straight to bed by 7-7.30pm. I’ll then cook my dinner up, put on a load of washing from HIIT, repack Jeremiah’s bags/bottles etc, prep my breakfast, lay out my supplementation & clothes for the following days session, do some house work, clean what needs doing in the house, feed the dog, shower & head to bed which by this time is usually 9:30-10pm, I then catch up on some social media platforms, run over all my branches reports for the day which are sent to me roughly around 8pm, check my calendar for the following day, update any final task in mine & my staff’s “to do” program & then I usually go to sleep at 11pm.

 

Jeremiah does limit the amount of work I get done throughout the day, but sometimes Sam’s Aunty will look after Jeremiah for 1 full or half day a week which does help us out a lot.

 

What drove you to create your Hiit Australia business to being with?

I simply just wanted to be a personal trainer, never in my wildest dreams did I think that I would be running an empire like HIIT Australia. It simply all just evolved the harder we worked & slowly we added more & more into our services.

 

Since becoming a mumma to that handsome little Miah what have you learnt most about life? 

That I didn’t truly have a purpose in life until I became a Mum, it was then that I felt like I had found where I belong.


 

A favourite #mumlife memory so far?

When Jeremiah did his first real giggle. I remember Sam & I absolutely lost it laughing our heads off which then caused Jeremiah to pause and stare at us.

 

What do you think attracts women to your social media platforms? 

I truly believe it’s because of how real I am, 99% of the time when meeting my followers this is what they say. I don’t have someone doing the work for me, I am a full time mum & full time business women. I came from nothing, don’t bash others to get myself to the top & my passion is genuine.

 

 What is your favourite quote or mantra? 

It’s not a quote as such, more a way in which I focus & that is to everyday work towards being a GOOD PERSON. My second is The Secret otherwise known as The Law of Attraction. Focus positively & vision everything you want in life, reminding yourself of the direction in which you are traveling so you never lose sight of those goals.

 

How often do you find the time to move your body? 

At least 5-6 times a week.

 

Favourite activewear in your cupboard to date? 

It’s 90% Lorna Jane

Favourite beauty product? 

My skinjex facial cleanser 


What advice would you give to other people out there wanting to start a blog/business? 

First know what your message is, ensure your every move always relates to that message & be aware of the down side to snooping. What is snooping? Following loads of other influences accounts
 I prefer not to research absolutely everyone purely due to the fact that subconsciously people do naturally copy & lose their authenticity. They will never realise but it also can prevent you from continuing to produce original ideas.

 

Do Sam and you get time to go on a date? If so where do you both love to go? 

My favourite date would honestly be scoring a training session together; he is the best partner & motivator. But if we had a night without Jeremiah (which is rare) it’d honestly be for an event only. We cannot get enough of our son & find we get the most enjoyment together when our time is spent with Jeremiah.



Want more from Chonnie? 

www.instagram.com/chontelduncan

www.facebook.com/chontelduncan
Snapchat – chontelduncan

http://www.hiitaustralia.com.au



Interview by Alice Bingham AKA Alice In Healthyland 

Sophie Benbow AKA @sophieluxe – #showtherealyou

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Sophie Benbow is one very inspirational lady. With one look at her Instagram @sophieluxe you can see that she is super fit (girl look at that bod), loves to share her creative healthy recipes and has an absolutely amazing wardrobe of activewear and she knows how to style it! 

I met Sophie at the Rising Social Star finalist party, she was very welcoming and humble. She gave me some great tips on how to explore are home city, Sydney. I love going on a journey with her on her instsgram feed and snap chat, she welcomes you into snipets of her daily rituals and health an fitness lifestyle. I just know you will all love her too. She inspires me to work hard and chase my dreams no matter how big they are. Thank you Sophie.

I am so honoured to have the gorgeous Sophie answer some questions for us all for this weeks #showtherealyou segment. Sit back, sip on a macha latte and take 5 to read her interview.

Can you tell us a little bit about who the real Sophie Benbow is?

Deep down I am a complete tomboy at heart! I grew up in the Welsh countryside generally having quite an active/outdoorsy upbringing! I was in every sports team at school except for Netball (hated Netball) and I even used to compete in rifle shooting in my teens!

I moved to Sydney 8 years ago and started my Law degree, which I completed nearly 2 years ago. At the start of my degree I met my husband Trevor and now we have been married for just over 4 years.

I’ve got two older brothers one lives in Spain and the other in the UK along with my parents and the rest of my extended family. I LOVE living in Australia but of course I miss my family in the UK, I try and get over to see them around every 18 months!

I love living and breathing a healthy, active lifestyle and I really enjoy other people feeding off my passion. I try my best to come across as genuine and honest on all of my social channels but I’ve learnt that regardless of your true motivation and intention you will always get the occasional critic. There is nothing I can do about that other than just to know deep down who I am and what I am trying to achieve.

I could not live without my blender and recently I’ve been making the most epic frothy matcha lattes.


What inspired you to become a blogger?

After my Law degree obviously the expectation was that I became a lawyer. I really struggled with the reality of this after working in a law firm and experiencing the daily grind and stress. That’s not to say it’s not for everyone, I know many people who revel in this kind of work, I guess it’s just not for me right NOW!

In my final year I had really upped my fitness and healthy food regime and started my own Instagram to help myself stay on track and stay accountable for my goals. Before long I was getting followers asking me for recipes and where I bought my activewear from and so on. So my blog was a way for me to take my Instagram to the next level, to have a deeper connection with my followers and give myself a greater identity that (hopefully) people can relate to.

I notice that you love to stay fit and try new workouts, what inspires you to move your body?

I love trying new things and learning new ways to stay fit! I just really enjoy challenging my mind and my body and I think I’m addicted to the endorphins..haha! Also it’s such a great way to have a laugh and to meet new people. I’ve found the health and wellness community on the whole such an awesome, friendly and welcoming bunch who are all thriving on the same thing
health and fitness! I just don’t think you can beat it!

Favourite natural beauty product on the market?

So
since I launched my blog I’ve been able to work with Swisse Skincare. I don’t want you to think I am obliged to say any of this but their skincare range is so nice. I love their sea salt body polish, micellar make-up remover and their Rose Hip Oil. Incidentally Rose Hip Oil is something that really helped with my Rosacea so I just think it is the most miraculous stuff!

 

Your favourite active wear piece in your current wardrobe? 

Bonds have just sent me their Swimwear range which they are launching this summer. It’s not really ‘active’ but they have got a few rash vests and tops in there which I love and will be perfect for stand up paddle boarding! Also the prints are amazing and they have done styles to suit everyone.

You go to hot drink?

Oh this is constantly changing. Currently I’ve been making hot Turmeric milk. You just pop some nut milk, ground turmeric, cinnamon, grated ginger, star anise and a cinnamon stick in a pan. Heat and enjoy!

 

What do you think draws people to your social media platforms?

Haha
it’s funny I sometimes get so caught up in my website, producing content and so on I forget what it’s all about. I guess I just really enjoy what I am doing and I hope that resonates with all of my followers. As I said before I try and come across as a ‘real’ person and I want my followers to feel like they are coming on a journey with me. I am constantly falling down, picking myself back up again and growing with health and wellness. I’m no expert and nor do I profess to be so I hope that my platforms come across as down to earth and approachable. I want us all to be healthy, fit and grow together.

 

Congratulations on winning the Rising Social Star “Fashion” award, where to now for you?

Thankyou!! It was so overwhelming to be recognised as an influencer in such a short space of time so I guess I’ve had to roll with it a little bit. I don’t think I can just do what I’m doing forever so I’d like to add another element to my ‘brand’. Possibly start a business channeling all of my health and wellness dreams.

Dream job?

To have a successful business in health and wellness doing something I LOVE! OR I am a BIG animal lover
I would love to work with and help the baby Pandas in China!

Favourite mantra?

“The greatest wealth is health”

Want to get to know Sophie more? Check out her platforms here…  

Instagram here (https://www.instagram.com/sophieluxe/),

Website here (http://sophiebenbow.com),

Facebook here (https://www.facebook.com/sophiebenbowblog/)

Twitter here (https://twitter.com/Sophieluxe)

Youtube here: (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaKL8NhkecGAoiBNUY8zEFQ)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steph Pase AKA justanothermummyblog #showtherealyou

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I would love to indroduce  you all to the beautiful Steph Pase  from @justanothermummyblog. Steph shares daily Instagram posts of delicious healthy recipes, her gorgeous little daughter Harper, her #mumlife moments and also shares some fantastic make up tips. She has recently created a blog for her followers to share in more detail the topics mentioned above. 

Steph is a mumma that is open and honest about what she really feels. This is a quality I love and the reason I enjoy watching her jouney. 

Sit back and enjoy a cuppa or a class of wine (just like Steph hahaha) and check out this lovely ladies #showtherealyou interview. 


1. Can you tell us a little about who the Steph Pase is? 

I am a 25 year old wife/ makeup artist and new mummy to my baby girl Harper Rose. I am your everyday Aussie chick who loves health and fitness. Years ago I was quite unhealthy and gained over 20kgs in a year from not moving enough and eating junk. I decided to turn my life around and lost 25kgs and went to compete in Fitness model competitions and even managed to be featured in a couple of magazines and calendars. Since then I have continued a healthy lifestyle but now I have found a balance and still manage to let my hair down and enjoy life. My baby girl is everything to me and I’m just like every other mum surviving on coffee and learning day-to-day.

 

2. What’s the story behind your Instagram and blog? Why did you get started?

 

I started up my mummy blog for a few different reasons. Firstly, because I love being able to connect with other women who have the same interests as me. Also as a new mum I felt I really needed to share my experiences with other mums so we can all feel reassured that we aren’t the only ones going through different struggles and so we could relate to each other. Knowing there are other women out there who understand you really makes the tough times a little easier.

 

3. What do you think attracts women to your page?

 

I think some women enjoy my page as I don’t sugar-coat my experience I am very honest with how I describe my life as a new mum. I think it is so important for mummy bloggers to share not only the good times but also the hard. It isn’t all sunshine being a mother but it is truly an incredible gift that sometimes we need to remember what a blessing it is. But it is also important to know it’s OK to have hard days where all you want to do in stay in bed and eat chocolate. I also think women enjoy my page because I show them it is possible to lead a healthy lifestyle with a baby.

 

4. You openly share your first time mum stories with your Instagram, do you think this also helps to support you too?

 

I think social media is such a blessing for us mothers as I know somedays it can be so hard to even leave the house with a baby attached to you, so being able to reach out to other women and talk really helps us get through the tough days. Sharing my life with other women definitely helps me feel supported and not alone. We can see other women on the same journey and connect in this big mummy community.

 

5. Being a mum, we know it’s hard to make time to stay active. How important is it to you to continue to move your bod?

 

I suffer from anxiety so exercise is so important for me to keep a calm and clear mind especially now that I’m a mother. I find when I managed to even go for a 30-minute walk in the morning I’m so much more productive. Exercise really is the most underused anti-depressant. Since having bub I am unable to get to the gym as much as I used to so now I do most of my workouts at home whilst bub is napping or she just watches me (which I’m sure she thinks is hilarious). There are many ways to get your body moving with a baby. I feel like the lack of sleep feels even worse the days I am not active. It is also just as important to know your limits too. Even acknowledging that every small health/fitness goal you achieve is just as important as fitting into your pre-baby clothes. Don’t push yourself too hard and expect to back to the same fitness level right away. I’m nowhere near as fit as I used to be but I try to look at it as a new journey. I haven’t gone backwards but rather I’ve gone forward with my life and this is just a new chapter for me and my body. You have a new life now and you need to factor that in but also not use it as an excuse to not be active.

 

6. Favourite activewear?

 

I love Lorna Jane but I prefer just black leggings none of that fluro to highlight my cellulite (haha) I also love Cotton On Body and Kmart (yes I am a huge Kmart Lover).

 

7. It’s hard to keep out S%#t together sometimes, can you share with us one meltdown moment, that you thought how the hell am I going to get through this?

 

I’ve had a few of those especially in the first couple of weeks where your sore, exhausted and somehow misplaced your phone in the fridge (yes I did that more than once). The hardest moment for me was when I was 3 weeks postpartum and had milk supply issues and I couldn’t satisfy Harper. At the time I had retained product and that was why my supply had significantly decreased, It felt like the end of the world and that I had failed (even though obviously I hadn’t). My husband really had to take the reins and reassure me that as long as Bub was fed that is all that matters. I ended up getting an operation to get it removed and Bub had to have a bit of formula. Which I then realized wasn’t bad at all and I learnt to relax a little. This taught me a valuable lesson about being a mother. That sometimes things don’t pan out as you’d like but that’s just part of being a parent. As long as your baby is loved and fed that is all that matters. Unfortunately, we all put a lot of pressure on ourselves to be perfect but in reality no matter how you raise your child YOU are the BEST mum for YOUR child. Don’t ever doubt yourself and always follow your gut.

 

8. Share a positive #mumlife moment?

 

There are so many positive mumlife moments! But my favourite is when bub was first born and I was in hospital. I was so surprised how confident and what a natural mother I was soon as she was born. The midwives kept asking if she was my 2nd baby as they said I seemed to know exactly what I was doing. This totally surprised me as I was always the awkward lady who would make babies cry when I held them. SO if your currently pregnant with your first don’t doubt those amazing natural mumma instincts! Another one of my favourite mumlife moments was when I was sooo utterly exhausted from being up most the night with bub and then the next morning I brought her into my bed and I was thinking to myself “how the hell can I keep doing this I’m so tired” and then Harper looked at me and smiled at me properly for the first time. My whole heart jumped out of my chest and it totally changed my entire day it was so beautiful and it reminds you that it is all worth it.

 

9. Mantra or favourite quote you live by?

 

My favourite quote to help me with my anxiety and life is “A year from now you won’t stress about what you are right now”. My favourite mantra for health and fitness is “The day will pass anyway whether you eat healthy and exercise or not. Use your time wisely”

 

10. What is your favourite go to healthy recipe at the moment?

 

I’ve always loved a good protein ball recipe to help keep my sweet tooth at bay. But I am loving zuchinni lasagna lately it’s such a good meal to have in winter and honestly tastes so good! I slice it up and it lasts me for lunches for the week.

 

11. Where and who do you look for inspiration?

 

Instagram! I find other beautiful mumma’s and inspirational healthy women everyday and they truly help me pull my finger out on the days I couldn’t be bothered to move my body or eat well. Social media really can be used for so many positive things. Some of my favourite women I look up to is of course Alice, Ashy Bines, Sophie Guidolin and Chontel Duncan. All amazing real women who manage to live a healthy life with a baby!

 

Blog: www.justanothermummyblog.com

Instagram: @justanothermummyblog

Snapchat: justanothermum

Feeling Like a Yummy Mummy in my Lingerie.

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When Cruz was 6 months I decided I would do a little #selflovephotoshoot when I was 10months postpartum. So now Cruz is 10 months, here they are. During the last 4 months I have been working on a little self love project with myself. To teach myself to be proud of my body and its achievements. I no longer want to waste my breath on self hate chat in the mirror. Instead I will preach love. The rules of the photoshoot was to no make up, just a little lipstick, just a home camera  job (nothing fancy), no photoshop or filters. I have nourished my body with good foods, moved my body in some way everyday since the birth and rest when I need too. So hey why not be super proud of my body and my son.

I contacted Robyn from @yummy_mummy_lingerie to be apart of the shoot as I absolutely love her underwear she sells. It’s comfortable, its fits my new mum shape and I feel good in it. She has been wonderful and so supportive of my mum journey. I think its only fair that I share some love in return and tell you all about the woman behind  Yummy Mummy Lingerie?

Why did you decide to start Yummy Mummy Lingerie?

Hubby and I decided to become foster carers in 2013 so I gave up my career in health to become a full time mum, but knew I’d need to find a family friendly business to work in as well. We had tried for many years to have a family and had only been blessed with one son, who is the light of our lives. We decided that we would like to grow our family and we knew that there were so many little ones needing a loving home so we decided to embark on the fostering journey.

It was a serious commitment to make, as caring for a baby would mean that one of us would need to give up our current career and be home to care for bub and allow for the vital bonding to occur. However, once bub settled in with our family and I had time to think about work again, I starting looking for opportunities. The first day I looked for an online businesses to buy I found what I was looking for in Yummy Mummy Lingerie.

It was meant to be! I just loved the idea of offering beautiful and practical maternity lingerie to new mums and mums-to-be in a super convenient way and helping make their pregnancy and breastfeeding experience as comfortable as possible. We were lucky enough to be able to purchase the business and now I happily work from home doing something I love, whilst being able to be there for my boys.

Best selling product on the website?

My best selling range at the moment would definitely be the Cadenshae Maternity Activewear range. The best selling style in this range for Yummy Mummy Lingerie is the Ultimate Nursing Bra which is designed for larger busted mamas. They have literally been running out the door J

The other range that sells really well is Cantaloop. They are really great quality and super comfortable as they are seamless. They are also well priced which makes them in reach for the many mums who hesitate or are unable to spend too much money on themselves.

What is the most common question you get asked  by women when buying underwear?

It’s more of a statement than a question but the most common thing I hear from my customers is– “I am not sure what size I am”. This is not surprising is it as our bodies are undergoing the most amazing transformation J  So don’t be worried if you don’t know – you are not alone J My response is to ask a few simple questions so that we can work out together what size would be best for them now and some styles that would suit that particular mums needs.



Maternity and Nursing Bra – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Bra and Underwear – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Maternity Brief

Maternity and Nursing Bra – Cake Blush Cotton Candy Underwear – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Maternity Brief

Maternity and Nursing Bra – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Bra and Underwear – Cake Blue Cotton Candy Maternity Brief