In this uplifting book Melissa provides a blueprint to help us overcome the challenges our ego constantly throws up and create our own version of a “kick-ass life”.

Please watch my interview with Melissa and enjoy the gold nuggets she shares.

You can connect with Melissa here:

Website
Facebook
Instagram

Jen’s mission is to assist mums in reclaiming their health and confidence through exercsie, no matter what stage of motherhood they are at.

Her  programs cater for women who are at the pre-natal and post-natal stages,  and also for mums who are ready to take it a step further. These are her “Tough Mums” !

I hope you enjoy getting to know Jen and learning about the work that she does as much as I did

Tell us a little about yourself

I am proud mum to Marley (5) and India (3) and I am married to Ben, who is a Gaffer in the film industry. I’m a Personal Trainer and I run a business that has developed specialist exercise programs for mums.

Under my personal brand umbrella sit’s my three programs; Body Before Baby, Body Beyond Baby and Tough Mums.

I am also a keen obstacle racer and have had some great results recently with placing’s at Tough Bloke Challenge, Urbanathlon and the Spartan Race. I’m currently training as part of the first Australian team selected for the Spartan World Championships in Vermont in September.

I have also just published my first book “How to Love your Body as much as your Baby”.

Tell us about your business and what it’s about?

My business is almost 5 years old – it was ‘born’ when my son, Marley was 3months old and has grown from one program and just a couple of sessions a week to what it is today.

Our programs offer the complete solution from pregnancy, through the postnatal period and way beyond that.

What makes us unique is that I am a mum, all of our trainers are mums and we only work with mums. We’ve helped hundreds of women achieve their best ever body and really find what it means to be themselves again after having a baby.

Our Body Before Baby classes help to prepare new mums for what may possible be the most physically demanding job they have ever done, in the most deconditioned state they have ever been in. Remaining strong through this time and knowing what exercise is safe and effective is very important.

We provide nannies at all of our Body Beyond Baby sessions to really help mum to take some time out after having her baby. We equip her with the best postnatal exercises for rebuilding from the inside out and flattening her tummy again.

And our Tough Mum training sessions really push to the next level. We train for an action packed schedule of obstacle races and team runs – by this stage many of our mums are stronger and fitter than they have ever been!

What are some of the things you value most in life?

I value the health and wellbeing of my family and myself. We are so lucky to lead healthy lives and I believe we should nurture and look after our body so it is able to help us do and achieve everything we want to.

I value close family, friendships and support systems; in a world where many of us live far away from our extended family, forming a group of key people around you that will support you in different areas of life is important.

I also value alone or ‘me’ time – as we grow older we become more comfortable with ourselves and taking the time to just be, and to accept yourself for who you are is very important. Then the sooner we can pass this quality onto our children the better!

What is your favourite quote?

“Make it Happen”  – short and sweet but I believe everyone has the power to create their own destiny.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

My top tips to staying happy and healthy:

• Take regular time out for yourself – many mums put themselves at the bottom of the list after having children. I believe it is vital to take time out to nurture yourself, then you can be the best mum you can be.  A tired grumpy mum makes grumpy children.
• Move every day – human beings were designed to move and energy creates energy.
• Eat clean 90% of the time – there is always room for a little indulgence but it should be now and then not part of your daily routine.
• Pass on what you know – I believe that mums can change the health and wellbeing of their whole family and we have a responsibility to teach our children great habits.
• Know your purpose – there’s nothing more powerful than knowing what you are here for and what you want to achieve in life. Knowing and connecting to your ‘why’ makes everything you do in life more meaningful. Whether this relates to being the best mum you can be for your children, pushing through your fitness goals or taking the next step in business.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I am very selfish with my training time – it just has to happen and it is locked into my schedule everyday.

I also try to take moments to check in with my week. If I am feeling overwhelmed or that I have too much on my plate I am becoming very good at taking things out. I will cancel a meeting that isn’t absolutely necessary on that day and take a little time to work through whatever I’m feeling.

I think checking in with yourself regularly is important. Whether it’s in life at home with children or in business taking a moment to think about how you are feeling, connecting with it and then figuring out how that will effect your decision making and reactions at that time is important.  It is very easy to charge through life and disregard your personal feelings just to get things done. I am learning to respect myself and my needs more and STILL get things done.

What does healthy eating mean for you?

I’m one of those boring people who eats for fuel rather than for enjoyment. Of course I love a great meal at a great restaurant with my husband or friends but it’s not essential for me to cook elaborate meals every evening.

Healthy eating is about eating clean, unprocessed, fresh food wherever possible.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Although healthy eating is really important to me I am not a massive cook so the most important items for me enable me to make simple, quick and healthy meals. My top 5 essentials; almonds, tins of tuna, coconut water, salad and chicken.

What do you indulge in?

I am an all or nothing girl – chocolate is my weakness, if it’s in the house it won’t last long!

What do you and your family like to do on the weekend?

Sunday is generally our family day. I like to take the children out to experience things and go places with them but it doesn’t have to be fancy; having breakfast at a café, going to the beach or the park and seeing them playing is great. India and I spent time just sitting watching the ocean and chatting last weekend which was really nice – the most important thing is taking time out to really ‘be’ with them.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

I’m all about healthy kids snacks. I don’t believe in giving my children sugar so I am often coming up with inventive ways of giving them treat foods but making sure they are good for them:
Healthy Iceblocks

• 1 Banana
• 1 can coconut water (I love Nakula)
• 10 strawberries

blend

pour the blended mixture into the mould and then add the chopped strawberries

Freeze and enjoy!

Here are all the different ways you can connect with Jen

www.facebook.com/ToughMums

www.facebook.com/bodybeyondbaby

https://www.facebook.com/jen.dugard

Instagram @JenDugard

Twitter @JenDugard

Youtube @JenDugard

www.jendugard.com

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a mother to a baby girl (7 months) and step mum to two daughters (12 and 14) I also own a business and juggle between family life and the business which to be honest is an ongoing challenge!

Tell us about your business The Organic Cook, why you started it, and what it’s about?

I started it after helping a sick dying parent, and realised a personal chef service is what a lot of people need to help them at different stages of life.

I was also inspired by the holistic chef movement happening in New York and America and had previously cooked in a vegan café and restaurant when I lived in Toronto, and was trying to figure out what to do with my life. The past 13 years  has all been an ongoing journey of food,  health, and formal study in order to get me to this point. And I’m still evolving. I also did a lot of self study and tried fasting, macrobiotics, vegetarianism and was also a vegan for two years.

Now,  I mostly follow the Weston A Price eating and nutritional model, and am mainly concerned with nourishment rather than fasting and detoxing. My clients mostly need nourishment, particularly those trying to conceive and improve their fertility

At the Organic Cook we do a lot of specialised food as medicine based cooking, but also work for busy professional individuals and families who desperately need healthy organic meals. I have also done quite a bit of teaching but am now so busy with the personal chef service and private clients that, I don’t have time to continue teaching for the moment.

What are some of the things you value most in life?

My beautiful family and friends, working with such interesting clients, my gift for cooking and nourishing others, yoga and stillness, and living by the beach.

What is your favourite quote

This one comes to mind from buddha

‘Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.’

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

Practicing mindfulness meditation has always been something that keeps me emotionally in the present and therefor happy and healthy. I am an advocate that you arewhat you eat, so home-cooking is the basis for everything I do in my family life and work life in order to keep healthy. It’s the simplest thing we can do but unfortunately it’s becoming a lost art form in modern society!

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

At the moment with a small baby, hectic family life and busy business the answer is no.  I’m working on reclaiming it from the persistence of my partner but food is all I can manage right now, and walking, and when necessary acupuncture helps with my frayed nerves!  I’m well aware you can’t have everything you want at one time and so am in a cycle of life that is sometimes overwhelming but it will shift again as life does…

What does healthy eating mean for you?

It is the template for everything I do, after cooking for 13 years I understand the level of nourishment ones needs to be healthy and to also help prevent onset of disease.

What are five of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Oh, this is difficult to narrow down to five!

Homemade chicken broth, tamari, biodynamic brown rice, coconut oil, ghee.

What do you indulge in?

Baking healthy desserts and making ice cream from scratch for summer. And I love art, music and cinema.

What do you and your family like to do on the weekend?

We go to the organic markets in Frenchs forest every Sunday and we also love to go for a walk at the beach, and I sometimes take my older daughters to a yoga class.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

Here is a special little soup I created for a client who needed nourishment  and recovery foods for a long stint in hospital. Pulling in all my food  as medicine notes and experience cooking for different medical  conditions, I came up with this little gem that the family also enjoys.

*** Note for this recipe it helps to have chicken broth already premade, I make mine well in advance and freeze in portions and freeze for later use. ***

Nourishing Chicken Soup with Fresh Shitake Mushrooms, Broccoli and Corn

Ingredients

800g organic chicken breasts
8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced finely
1 teaspoon fresh ginger grated
1 lemongrass stick
1 fresh lime, juiced
1 litre home made chicken broth
300g organic broccoli, cut into florets
1 fresh corn husked
2 tablespoons tamari
Method

In a large pot add hot water and the lemongrass stick, infuse for 5  minutes, add the organic chicken breasts and poach for approx 12-15  minutes, checking at 12 minutes and making sure the thick part of the  breast is cooked through.

Once done drain the chicken and lemongrass into a spider/sieve and reserve the water for use later.

Leave the chicken to cool slightly then when not to hot to handle start to  shred into manageable pieces, the chicken should be very moist, that’s  why overcooking is not advised you need to check at 12 minutes when  poaching.

Using the same cooking pot add the chicken broth and  start to gently simmer, add the fresh shitake mushrooms and ginger and  cook for 3 minutes until shitakes are softening. Add the corn cobs,  fresh lime and tamari, taste and adjust for your palate. Simmer for a  further 5 minutes, lastly add the shredded chicken and the raw broccoli  and cook for a further 5 minutes. The add some of the reserved poaching  chicken water to get the right consistency.

Enjoy by itself or with some biodynamic brown rice

Nutritional note about shiitake mushrooms – They are 6000 years old and have been  used in asian countries as food as medicine for centuries, they are also sustainable as they are forest farmed, although you will hard pressed  finding certified organic ones in Australia. Used frequently for cancer  patients to boost immunity. Shiitake mushrooms contain all 3 b vitamins  (b2, 5 and 6) vitamin d and maganese, and are a good source of dietary  fibre. They are very soft to handle and to retain all there  phytonutrient properties make sure you don’t over cook them. We like to  add them to soups and also gently fry in coconut oil for stir fries and  fantastic with scrambled eggs!

You can connect with the gorgeous Belinda here:

www.theorganiccook.com.au

Facebook

Tell us a little about yourself.(family, work, etc)

I feel like I am leading a blessed life at the moment! I have a gorgeous two year old son, a beautiful partner, and two Barre Body studios. We seem to have created a pretty wonderful life, where I’m lucky enough to truly love what I do.

Tell us about your business Barre Body and what it’s about?

Barre Body is a fusion of yoga, pilates and ballet. It’s a total body toning exercise system that gets some pretty amazing results in a short time. I started incorporating ballet barre work into my yoga practice after Xavier was born and I got the most amazing results very quickly (body in better shape than before pregnancy!) so I decided to develop Barre Body and here we are! We have two gorgeous studios in Melbourne, with a Sydney studio coming very soon (but I can’t tell you much more than that at this stage).

What are some of the things you value most in life?

My family, freedom, travel, gratitude, friendship, living a healthy lifestyle with food and exercise, the beach, Barre Body.

What is your favourite quote?

“After the darkest night comes the brightest day”

This is a beautiful quote that gives hope during times of sadness and struggle. It’s a reminder that life is full of rich experiences and challenges and being able to make it through the hardest times gives you an appreciation that you wouldn’t necessarily have otherwise had, of the beauty and positive things in life that follow these times.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

Eat well and mindfully.

Exercise almost every day in a way that brings you pleasure so you want to keep doing it.

Give more love and energy to your family than work.

Devote time to your self development.

Do more of the things that bring you joy.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

Not as much as I’d like, but I am working on this right now! I would like to find more time for my yoga practice and more time to bake and more time to read books that expand my consciousness.

What does healthy eating mean for you?

I subscribe to Michael Pollan’s food philosophy. “Eat food. Mostly plants. Not too much”, which basically says, eat a wholefoods as close to their natural state as possible and don’t overeat.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Quinoa, raw cacao, spinach, berries, coconut oil.

What do you indulge in?

Healthy baking! I love to bake healthy sweet treats.

What do you and your family like to do on the weekend?

Xavier is 2, so we have lots of little family adventures; to the zoo, to the park, to the beach, for bike rides. I just love spending time with my family and we devote pretty much the whole weekend to hanging out together.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

My Famous Healthy Chocolate Brownie

1 cup wholemeal plain or spelt flour

1/2 cup raw caca

o 1/2 cup almond meal or LSA

1/2 cup coconut

1/2 cup sultanas

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup milk of your choice

Mix dry ingredients and then add wet ingredients, except the raspberries. Spoon into a baking paper lined square baking tin and then press raspberries into the top.

Bake for 30 mins at 180 (fan forced).

I hope you enjoyed this interview. You can connect with Emma here:

www.barrebody.com.au

www.facebook.com/barrebody

www.vimeo.com.au/barrebody

www.instagram.com/barrebody

Tell us a little about yourself.

 I am a very proud mum (foremost) to Bella-angel (6) and Phoenix (2), founder of successful fashion label Otto Mode and have 10 years’ experience in sales, manufacturing, import and export of both local and international fashion. I am completing a Masters of Project Management at UTS, an aspiring athlete,  an ambassador for the Red Cross Blood Centre and the Heart Foundation, Founder of Micro Miracles Matter – a platform created with the intention to aid causes I believe in by spreading awareness, educating people on the power of positive thinking, acts of kindness and the rewards of a healthy balanced life.

Always striving towards having a holistic work-life balance incorporating health and wellness is the foundation for all I do. Career driven I have worked my way through the ranks of the scuba diving industry as a dive master, the T.V and media sector of the advertising industry and an extensive love affair with the rag trade. Combined with an athletic drive that started in school with track and field, state netball, competitive surfing then later in life boot camp, interval training and to now becoming an Ultra-marathon runner.

Most recently I have embarked on a new career role in public relations and new business development in events.

Nutrition and optimal health are always at the forefront of priorities, the love for my children and passion to inspire others to be the best version of them motivates me to stay focused and lead by example.

Tell us why you created “Mirco Miracles Matter” and what it’s about? 

They say timing is everything. For me it’s time to start giving back wherever I can. That is, use my resources to pay homage to causes that have touched my life, and to pursue my acts of kindness on a greater scale toward those less fortunate.

Micro Miracles Matter is an organic extension of myself and has been created as a platform where I can add a greater purpose to some of the wonderful things that I do in my life and to encourage everyone to become more conscious of the small ways in which they can contribute, thus making a huge difference in someone else’s life.

I have been forever inspired by the miraculous fight and survival of Bella-angel, then the incredibly divine experience of going on to have a near term, healthy second baby in 2010 and finally, last year, going through one of the most confronting chapters of my adult life.

I have become aware of the destructive effect of fear, the damaging effect of inaction, the  transformative power of action, the necessity for purpose and that when united we can make a difference; micro miracles matter.

Through my running and the Micro Miracles Matter platform my intention is to aid causes I believe in, spread awareness, educate those around me on the power of positive thinking and acts of kindness, the rewards of a balanced healthy life, believing in oneself, the joys of giving and the difference we can make together.

This year mmm  is all about spreading the word on the need for blood donors and heart disease awareness. I have just completed my first 100km ultra marathon. My purpose for the run was to raise awareness for the need of blood donors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgmO6NzJC78. The race was amazing, the determination to never give in to the pain was fuelled by the love for my children, the desire to be the best I can be and in doing so inspire others.

What are you passionate about?

Everything!!

Life, positivity, health, nutrition, fitness, my family, friends, food, wine, travel, adventure, the outdoors, kindness, truth and dreaming.

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Time, my children, freedom, friendships, choice, sunshine, living close to the ocean, living in Sydney, daily exercise, quality food, clean water, travel, education.

What is your favourite quote?

As you think, so you are. As you imagine, so you become.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

Be positive, make it a way of life. Find what you love and do it. Add purpose to all you do. Stay consistent, persistent and dream big.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I make time. It involves doing what I love and what makes me happy, such as running, reading, writing, creating, rejuvenating my body with massages, yoga, meditation and time alone.

As a single mum of 2 this requires good time management, giving myself the gift to continually evolve and learn, knowing when to be selfless and selfish and staying true to myself regardless of the cost.

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Everything!! I see food and what you fuel your body with as an investment. Investing in your livelihood, your future, how you will function 10, 20, 30 , 40, 50, 60 or more years from now.

Like most things in life, health and wellness are a choice, but most importantly they are a way of life. When you find what works for you and what aids your being to be the best you can be the choice is not difficult. The secret is to make it a way of life, integrating health and wellness into all areas of your world.

Having an abundance of energy, positivity, health and fitness flows into all areas of your life and enables you to thrive in all that you do.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Only 5….mmm Chia, Chinese 5 spice, Coconut oil, Sunwarrior Protein Powder, activated, raw or roasted mixed nuts

What do you indulge in?

Me time, exercise, super foods, fine wine, organic coffee and fun 😉

What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

Go on adventures, rock climbing,, swimming in the pool or at the beach, scootering, cooking, arts and crafts.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

I have so many! I am, and always have been, a foodie and health junkie! To keep it simple let’s go with my latest healthy recipe discovery that is a hit with my children, has converted my view on ‘pancakes’ and got me through a 42km run – mmm super almond meal and coconut pancakes!

The recipe and nutritional break down is posted on my site under mmm recommendations, mmm recipes.

mmm super pancakes discovery

Ingredients

• 1/2 large ripe banana

• 2 egg whites

• 25 gm almond meal

• 2 5gm desiccated coconut

• 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence or if you can ground fresh vanilla bean pod

• 1/2 tsp of baking powder (gluten free)

• Coconut oil for cooking

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon -or if you are like me to taste…I love spice you can even use all spice another fave of mine.

To Top

Serve with frozen mixed berries that you have defrosted so get the treat of berry juice accompanying the berries, a dash of agave syrup for those of you who have a sweet tooth and a dollop of your favourite yoghurt combined with 2 teaspoons of Sunwarrior protein powder

YUM!!!!

• Mixed frozen berries defrosted

• Agave Syrup

• Yoghurt (I love Jalna Vanilla)

• Sunwarrior protein powder choc or vanilla

Method

1. Mash the banana into the egg whites

2. Add the spices and dry ingredients mix to form a batter

3. Pre heat the fry pan on a medium – low heat  with coconut oil

4. Add spoonfuls of the mixture to the  pan forming pancake size to your liking, when you see bubbles surfacing turn over

5. Cook the second side untill golden

6. In a seperate bowl combine Sunwarrior protein powder and yoghurt

7. To serve place pancakes on a plate and top with desired toppings!

You can connect with Kerrie through  her website

www.micromiraclesmatter.com

or on her  Facebook Page

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a mother of three… Kelsea, Kade and Fletcher. I have been a mother for over 20 years now which sounds so long, though at the same time it just seems like yesterday that I had my daughter. We live in The Hunter Valley in NSW. My favourite colour is red, I’m made for Michael Buble and chai tea..oh and my husband too 🙂

 How was Additive-Free Pantry born?

My middle child Kade is asthmatic. One day I discovered food additives in what he was eating (which caused asthma). I went home, cleaned out my pantry and never looked back. My business evolved as friends asked “What do you eat”,”Why” and “Where do you shop at”? This started my venture in talking to mums within their homes while they enjoyed “additive free” morning tea as I explained what was really in their pantries. The more confident I got the bigger my audience became, really.

 How do you service and educate children and parents on the dangers of additives?

Additive Free Awareness Presentations are what I LOVE to do. I get to inform parents, help empower them with all of the hidden information about  harmful food additives and hopefully inspire them to make the changes that could make a significant difference to their children’s health and wellbeing.

What do you enjoy about your work?

I enjoy hearing success stories of parents who made changes and got to see the benefits first hand. I love knowing that someone heard my story and made changes in their family pantry. I love working along side other mums that believe our children are worth it. I really LOVE that I get to work for myself. This allows me to fit work in/and around my family…and most of all I like to think that I’m making a difference….no matter how small 🙂

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Eating clean, real, additive free foods. Local (when I can), fresh, organic (were possible), ethical, wholesome and nourishing.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Chai tea ( you don’t want to know me when I have run out of chai), chia seeds,  miso paste (instead of vegemite), greens and fruit for my green smoothies and an organic chook for “Chicken n Chip Night”

 What do you indulge in?

Toasted sourdough and miso paste…I can’t stop!!

What are some of the things you value most in life?

A good sports bra (seriously, need I say more), my husband’s ability to love me for over 12 years now, laughter, my bed and of course my three beautiful offspring.

What is your favourite quote?

“Be the change you wish to see in the world”

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

Be you! Stop comparing, competing or trying to be like somebody else. Love what you have, be grateful for what you have and give to someone who may need something more than you…it feels so very good to see someone else smile because you did something nice, unexpected or thoughtful for them.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I am learning to SLOW down. Do what I can without rushing everywhere. Breathe. Chai tea, going to the movies and a good old trip to the shops never hurt anyone.

 What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

We love going out for Sunday breakfast. Breakfast is my favourite meal of the day, and if I don’t have to clean up it is even better. Or a weekend pyjama day is always a treat too.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

Tanya invited me to choose a recipe from her website & this one caught my eye. A nice hearty one for winter methinks!

Massamam Potato Bake

What you need!

• 1 sweet potato
• 5 large potatoes
• onion, diced
• garlic clove, crushed
• sea salt & pepper
• 1 capsicum, diced
• 3 large mushroom
• 1 can coconut cream (I used Woolworth’s Select)
• sprinkle of herbamare (an organic herb seasoning found in health food section of most supermarkets)
• 1 tablespoon massaman curry paste (I used Valcom)
• dash of oil
• paprika
• Parmesan cheese (optional)

Check out Tanya’s fabulous books which you can buy from her website:

Connect with Tanya here:

www.additivefreepantry.com

https://www.facebook.com/additivefreepantry

Instagram: additivefreepantry

Tell us a little about yourself.

I am a single mum by choice and have 1 daughter Betsy and she is 11 months old. I had Betsy in my late forties with assistance from an IVF clinic in Sydney and in Greece. She is my only child and had I have started the journey into motherhood earlier, I would have had more children. I run my own business called A Balanced Life and provide conception coaching and counselling to adults.

What is a conception coach?

Conception coaching is an idea that I turned into a reality in the last 12 months. It wasn’t until after I had my baby that I started to think about adding a service to help others who are in assisted reproductive/fertility programs and decided to add conception coaching to my business. I had been in and out of these programs for 4 years and what I found was there were a lot of services out there for preconception care for the body, Such as naturopaths, acupuncturists, massage, herbalists to name a few, but no one was looking after the emotional and thinking processes for anyone in the programs.

Being in the assisted reproductive/fertility program such as IVF was a lonely process. I had stopped telling people I knew that I was undergoing treatments to have a baby. Most were too opinionated and judgemental, some tried to talk me out of it and most of all I didn’t want to keep reliving the grief and loss by telling people when a round of treatments had not been successful. I was lucky that I had a couple of friends who had been through the programs before me and they were supportive and understood how I was feeling.

My beliefs and values about being a woman, a mother, starting a family later in life, being single, being judged by everyone including my family and society at large was all being tested, turned upside down and inside out.

I had not been through an experience like this before and felt I needed a qualified therapist that could understand it all and had been through the same or similar experience as me who could help me to understand what was happening and how to make sense of it for me. When you are in these programs, you feel out of control most of the time as your life is dictated by blood tests, taking artificial hormones, having internal scans, begin prodded and poked every other day. I felt, and so did many others, that they had given over their bodies and lives to the process of IVF and normality of their lives had faded away.

I spoke to many women who I had met in previous years (from swim classes, to mothers groups, and acquaintances I had met along the way) that had also been in the various programs like I had. I asked many of them how they felt going through these programs and who they had to help them emotionally and psychologically along the way. I was surprised to learn we had the same or similar experience and some had seen counsellors and felt they were not helpful at all. Mostly because they couldn’t assist them in a way they needed. So I decided that as I was a degree trained counsellor and coach I would start offering conception coaching to help others navigate their way on their journey too. I came up the name of conception coaching myself, as I had not heard of it before. I then started to develop how I could take my own experience and help others that were also in these programs.

What do you enjoy about your work as a Life/Conception Coach and Counsellor?

I have always loved people’s stories and each story is unique and interesting. I really enjoy working with people and helping them get back to what is important to them, that being; work life balance, relationships and living congruently with their values and beliefs. My conception coaching is so full of hope for a future and bringing acceptance and balance back into the lives of the parents to be is such an honour to work with them on their journey.

What does healthy eating mean for you?

Healthy eating is paramount in my home. Having good quality produce that is organic and pasture fed meat and fish feeds my families body, mind and spirit. We need our body and brain function to work optimally in this busy world and when it is healthy it works much better for us.

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Organic Coconut oil

Organic olive oil

Organic Quinoa

Himalayan pink salt

Good quality nuts and seeds

What do you indulge in?

Good quality food

Beautiful hand made teas from Ovvio

Chocolate coated macadamias from Byron Bay Coffee Company

A nourishing face cream

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Family, health, loving supportive friends, living in a vibrant city, being free to live life to the fullest and grab any opportunity that is available to me.

What is your favourite quote?

I have 2 if I can share both with you.

When the first baby laughed for the first time, the laugh broke into a thousand pieces and they all went skipping about & that was the beginning of fairies. J.M. Barrie

And

And the day came, when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I don’t have a lot of time these days with a small baby. I grab a few minutes each day to breathe deeply and quieten my mind with meditation. I love to cook and this helps to relax me. I take long baths and get a good night sleep most of the time.

What are your tips to staying happy and healthy?

I believe that good health encompasses, mind body and spirit. I can target all 3 with good healthy food as I am nourishing myself from the inside out. I go for walks each day with the baby and the dog. I laugh a lot and find a positive in all my challenges. I am grateful every day and don’t take myself too seriously.

What do you and Betsy like to do on the weekend?

We love to walk in Centennial Park and go to the duck pond and feed the ducks.

We play with her toys and our dog Maudie

Visit friends

Go for long walks

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

Slow cooked leg of lamb in a cast iron pot.

Ingredients, all organic

A leg of pasture fed lamb

Coconut oil

2 lemons cut in half

2 bay leaves

4 large ripe tomatoes, heirloom if possible, chop into small pieces. Or use 1 can of organic chopped or crushed tomatoes.

2 tablespoons of Ovvio Grecian Herb & Spice Blend

Home made stock

Handful of black olives

Salt and pepper

Method:

Brown off the lamb in the cast iron pot with a few tablespoons of coconut oil on the stove. Takes about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, lemons, bay leaves, and olives and cover the lamb about 2/3^rd with the stock.

Add salt and pepper to taste. I sometimes put in whole pepper and then take them out when serving.

Cover with the lid and put into the oven on 120 C for up to 6 hours. I have many times cooked it for 12 to 18 hours on 90 C. The liquid can be spooned over the meat every few hours. Sometimes I add in sweet potato to the mix too.

I serve with vegetables; either roasted or steamed and if you like to add quinoa, serve it on the side or under the lamb.

Email:  Vanessa@abalancedlife.net.au

Website: www.abalancedlife.net.au

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Balanced-Life/168993066499834

Linkedin http://www.linkedin.com/pub/vanessa-roworth/1b/a26/999

Twitter: @balanced_life

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m a mum of two, an 8 year old boy and a 2 year old girl. I’ve been married to the most amazing English man for just 4 months now and we’ve just welcomed our 5^th member of the family, Suki the cat. I love being creative and enjoy playing with food and am passionate about helping parents move away from heavily processed foods and on to simple home cooking.

Tell me more about how/why you started your company Neat 2 Eat?

My son had always had issues with food which meant feeding him became a real struggle (we’ve since found out he is autistic). I ended up just feeding him some pretty crappy processed foods just to get him to eat something…anything! One day I came across a product called the Lunch Punch (a sandwich cutter that removes the crust and leaves you with a cute shape) and thought I’d give them a try. For the first time in a year my son ate bread and more to my surprise he actually asked for the same thing the following day! I started to look for other fun products out there to get him eating, which is when I found bento (the Japanese art of cute packed lunches).  There were really no places to buy from in Australia however,  which is why I decided to create Neat 2 Eat to be able to supply all these awesome products.

Who benefits the most from using your products?

I think parents do. It gets them back interested and excited about preparing food for their little ones. It also takes the tension out of meal times because they become fun and exciting. It really helps with children trying new foods too.

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Definitely my faith and my family.

 What is your favourite quote?

“Good things come to those who work their arses off and never give up” (not sure who wrote the quote).

I just love this quote as it’s so true, you can’t just wait around for good things to happen. You have to get out there and make them happen and when things don’t go the way you had hoped, you need to stick at it.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I don’t really, which is a bad thing. Neat 2 Eat has become something I enjoy doing and working on however, so I sometimes use it to escape the business of being a wife and mother.

What are your tips for staying happy & healthy?

I think it’s important to have a good balance in all areas of life, make sure you spend time with your family and look after yourself. It’s pretty simple stuff.

What do you indulge in?

I love cooking, so naturally whipping up tasty treats (homemade cherry ripe bites or homemade bounty bars are my current fave!) is definitely something I indulge in.

What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

The usual stuff, cooking, go for a walk down the beach or having a play at the park. Or just chilling out at home and snuggling on the couch while watching a movie or two.

What’s next for you and Neat 2 Eat?

I’ve just launched my first ebook full of easy, fun bento ideas & tutorials

We’ll be bringing out more ebooks over the next few months in our
Fun Lunches for Kids series, these will then be compiled into my second printed
book toward the end of the year.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

COCONUT DATE BALLS

You will need:

2 cups of desiccated coconut (plus 1/2 cup for rolling)

200gms pitted dates (I soaked mine for 2 hours before using them to soften them, making them easier to vitamize)

Method:

Place dates and coconut into your food processor and process on high speed for 2-3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as need.

Roll the mix into small balls (I measured mine to be 15gm each which should give you 22).

Roll the balls in the 1/2 cup of coconut until evenly coated.

Pop them in the fridge to chill for about 1/2 hour and serve.

You can keep them in an air tight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Web: www.neat2eat.com.au

Ebook: http://neat2eat.com.au/24-ebooks

Facebook: www.fb.com/neat2eat

Instagram: neat2eat

Email: info@neat2eat.com.au

Tell us a little about yourself

I was born and raised in Northern California before relocating to Australia in 1993 after marrying my husband, Paul. We have two sons and currently live in Sydney. I have a degree in International Commerce (BA), and spent my third year in Spain to further my Spanish studies. I completed an MBA in International Commerce, before discovering meditation in 1999. I have embraced the practice of meditation ever since, which led me earning a PhD in Parapsychic Science from the American Institute of Holistic Theology in 2007. My dissertation focused on the beneficial effects of meditation. I began teaching a developmental course in meditation in 2003 and continue to do so today. I also run weekend workshops and have become more involved in speaking to the corporate sector about meditation. I co-authored my first book with my Paul, Sport is Life, Life is Sport in 2009, and my second, The Gift: Presence to power, in October 2012 (as an eBook).

How did you become interested in meditation?

A friend of mine had attended a Deepak Chopra Primordial Sound meditation course for a week and swore it was life-changing.  There was a weekend workshop being offered not long after and so I went along with Paul.  Learning to meditate was a defining moment in my life. The positive changes that I started experiencing individually encouraged me to further my studies and follow my passion.  Meditation gifted me with calm and contentment, the development of inner awareness and more joy in each and every day.

What do you enjoy about your work?

I love that I am helping people discover a practice that helps them to find balance in their life.

What would you say are some main benefits of meditation practice?

Meditation reduces stress, clarity of thinking improves, and it increases your overall sense of well-being.

Now that we know how you nourish the spirit, how do you approach your diet? 

I’m mindful of healthy eating.  As a vegetarian, I try to eat those foods that provide a lot of protein and energy.  But as a general rule, food is all about eating in moderation.

What do you indulge in? 

I love my soy cappuccino each day and sometimes twice a day!

What are some of the things you value most in life?

I value my family and friends, my health, my meditation practice as it has had such a profoundly positive impact on my life, and I love to travel for the experiences that it provides.

What is your favourite quote? 

Choose to Be!

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

Everyday I nurture myself with my meditation practice.  I allow myself ‘time-out’ for at least 30 minutes a day – it is the best gift anyone can give themselves.

What do you and your family like to do on the weekend?

Paul and I love to watch our sons, Dylan and Tyler, play basketball and football and if it fits our schedule we enjoy going out to breakfast together.

Our family is very active and we enjoy being outside. I love going for a run or a walk along the beach.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes? 

The beauty of the recipe below is that you can choose the nuts and fruits that are your favourites.  Have fun with it –

Melinda’s Homemade Granola Recipe

2 cups rolled oats (not instant)

1 cup peanuts or toasted almonds  (sometimes I use walnuts)

¼ cup sesame seeds

½ cup toasted sunflower seeds

½ cup coconut (I always use unsweetened)

¼ cup toasted wheat germ

½ cup raisins

½ cup dried fruit (dried apricots, cranberries, and dried apple are all delicious choices)

¼ cup coconut oil, melted

½ cup honey

Mix the oat, nuts and grains in a large bowl.

Mix warm  coconut oil with honey then pour over oat mixture & toss everything until evenly coated and then pour out into a baking pan. (  I use a large roasting pan, as it keeps everything contained)

Bake at 160 degrees for 30 minutes, turning it with a spatula every ten minutes or so. You want everything to be an even golden brown.

When it is finished cooking, return the baked granola to the mixing bowl, add the raisins and fruit and stir to combine.

Stir gently several times as it cooks, so that it doesn’t clump together too much. Enjoy!

Here are the different ways you can connect with Tami.

Webpage: http://www.tamiroos.com/

Facebook Author page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tami-Roos/111694655646662

How to purchase Tami’s ebook : http://www.amazon.com/The-Gift-Presence-Power-ebook/dp/B009TAMNSE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365307866&sr=8-1&keywords=the+gift%3B+presence+to+power

By responding to a personal challenge with an open heart, she’s managed to build a business that helps not only her own family, but many others as well.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m very blessed to be married to my best friend for the last 13 years, we are parents to two very spunky and lively little ones ( a boy and girl) who came to our family through intercountry adoption.

I am also the owner of an online children’s lifestyle store called Lime Tree Kids www.limetreekids.com.au  which keeps me busy! My son has some needs that require him to be gluten, dairy and “numbers” free .

This is a huge part of our lifestyle now, sourcing great food for us all to eat that doesn’t affect his behaviour or health!  I’m also an avid believer in play and that all great things start with fun! Bonding, learning, growing in all areas are so much easier when it’s in a relaxed manner.

Why did you create Lime Tree Kids?

Basically I started Lime tree kids as a way of bringing all of the products I had searched and located for using with my son and his play therapy. When he first came to us he had some attachment issues and needed help learning to trust and bond with us as his main caregivers (parents).

We did this by spending hours of time playing with him every day and developing a relationship through fun and eventually laughter! He learnt to trust us as we developed a relationship through play and meeting his needs continuously.

When I was searching for toys and items to play with it was so hard to find toys that were wooden and long lasting rather then plastic and flimsy. I found that things like sleeping bags and baby carriers and anything else I needed like sandwich cutters to help make eating fun etc where spread all over the internet and that no one store had everything I needed .

So I decided to start a “hobby” out of my bedroom and opened an online store that sold most of these products. It pretty quickly grew into what it is today. We just turned 2 and  have just moved into our first office warehouse facility , have over 250 brands and 1500 products lines. I’ve bought on board my brother as a business partner and he looks after the warehouse and packing of orders , my niece is in charge of Customer Service / Admin and we have another lady , Louise as well helping out doing accounts .

Why is play important for kids?  

I believe that children learn through play and it’s all they need for that stage in their time.  Play is like children’s work, they learn skills like interacting, sharing , communication , how far their boundaries can go , that they are safe or unsafe , encourages fine and gross motor skills which in turn help them with every day skills we use as adults every day.

There are so many reasons why just playing is important. Its impossible to list them all!  I remember being shocked when I learnt that the reasons that things like chalk boards and children using them and painting and  drawing on a board using up and down strokes, actually taught them to use the strokes that they use when learning to draw and write .. things like that amaze me !

What does healthy eating mean for you & your family?

Healthy eating to me and my family generally revolves around my sons dietary needs. We have managed to keep him off behaviour medication and turned around his ASD diagnosis by tweaking his diet.

We eat organic when we can, fresh vegetables and meat. We don’t eat anything with preservatives or additives if we can help it. I’ve learnt to cook a lot better and search the internet for resources ! If there are skin issues we address what food he has been eating and try adding or deleting that food.  It’s a constantly evolving thing as I wasn’t raised thinking of food as a source of nutrition and goodness.  I’m also a terrible cook so those skills are being tested as well !!

What are 5 of your kitchen pantry essentials?

Coconut Oil

Almonds (for flour or cooking)

Coconut milk

Rice pasta

Rice cakes for snacks

What do you indulge in?

Coffee – I’m trying to give it up at the moment but I just LOVE coffee !!

What are some of the things you value most in life?

Some of the things I value most in life are my husband and our marriage and relationship. My children and their needs, my good friends who are always ready to hear my crazy stories! My family, and creating memories with them as well as my friends. And SLEEP !!!

What is your favourite quote?

Everybody is a genius but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it is stupid !  – Albert Einstein.

Do you find time to nurture yourself? What does this involve?

I am very, very bad at this. My idea of nurturing myself at the moment is to take a bath, to go to bed early with my son (whom I lie down with each night and listen to sleep music) . I am about to start Yoga though so I can take some time out from everything !

What do you and your kids like to do on the weekend?

We lead a very busy life, so generally on the weekend, we will hang out around the house and just chill out, staying in our pj’s and slothing around. We will also go to the market and get some fruit and vegetables and do grocery shopping (woot woot!) . Every second weekend we catch up with extended family and have lunch and a play together.

Would you like to share one of your favourite healthy recipes?

One of our favourite family recipes is from Quirky Cooking Jo’s blog. http://quirkycooking.blogspot.com.au/2009/08/thermomix-fried-rice.html

I hope you enjoyed getting to know Shelley as much as I have.

You can connect with Shelley here:

www.limetreekids.com.au

www.facebook.com/limetreekids

www.pinterest.com/limetreekids