What does "healthy" mean to you?
"Healthy" means different things to different people. What an be 'healthy' for one person may not be very...healthy for another.
We love that there is no one size fits all.
We love that you all have opinions, views, ethical and sustainable considerations. We love that some of you don't have any.
We love that being 'healthy' no longer is just related to food.
We love that nutrition has become so much MORE than just food, but also how we care for our minds and how we move our bodies. And in the cases when healthy becomes 'unhealthy' we are happy to be here to to simplify it for so many people.
We have asked some of our favourite shining stars from the Feel Fresh Community to tell us what 'healthy' means to them :)
Meet Jane!
Jane is the gorgeous founder of The Yoga Connection, she is also a very loveable and clever woman with many many names; Jane Liza Emma Rachael Lowe. (We know.)
Why do you DO what you do?
I trained as a journalist years ago and until I started TYC I was freelancing as a writer, mainly for corporates, doing in-house articles, newsletters and interviews.
I started practicing yoga about 8-9 years ago and loved it from the very beginning even though I knew next to nothing about it or that there more to it than the physical side. It took me a while to start wondering why I felt so amazing inside as well and to recognise the benefits for what they were. I still had a few commitment issues and kept my gym membership for another three years 'just in case' yoga wasn't for me.
The Yoga Connection came about after being asked to join some teachers at a workshop and wondering why, as students, we didn't really know what was going on outside our regular studio. This led to a lightbulb moment and googling the google out of google to see if there was any kind of setup in NZ and there wasn't! Then I overthought it for a little while before setting up a website listing Auckland yoga studios and events, introducing teachers and writing a blog. That was for about a year and then I went nationwide and full-time last year.
And now I'm a yogi millionaire! [I'm not!]
What does healthy mean to you?
Healthy for me starts with how I feel, above and beyond anything else. And how I feel very much depends on how I fuel my body, mind and soul. My relationship with my loved ones, what I eat and moving in yoga and meditating is everything to me.
What do you do for yourself, that makes you feel good?
Taking time for myself, in whatever way it comes makes me feel good. Reading my book, having a coffee that's not for work and always my yoga. I'd love to be that person who books in regular massages/facials etc. I'd also love a Greek island. So basically, reading my book, coffee and yoga.
What are 5 things that you do in a day that you would consider ‘healthy habits’?
I drink a lot of water
I eat whole foods [I am a DREADFUL cook and have completely given up in the kitchen at the moment. I don't know when or if I'll ever actually make a meal again but I DO eat good food. Just not put together on one plate…]
I practice yoga, mostly in a studio but my home practice is getting better [and longer]
I meditate, albeit it mostly for a short time, every morning
I laugh
What are your 5 favourite foods at the moment?
I seem to have replaced my [real] coffee addiction with a dark chocolate situation. Every day
Oats always
Activated almonds
Peanut butter – crunchy, no extra salt
Roasted broccoli with coconut oil – I've acquired a taste for it to be quite dark and crunchy due to forgetting it's in the oven
Movement...how do you do it, how important is it to you?
It's all yoga. I have no desire to get all gym-bunny again or run any more marathons [not that I've actually run one on purpose]. I have started incorporating some reformer pilates in my week and I love how it works on some bits of the old bod with precision which ties in beautifully with my yoga practice. At my age I just don't feel any desire to go full-out any more and I love the inner work that happens alongside my physical practice.
Best place to eat out in Auckland (cafes, restaurants etc)
I love eating at probably the most cliché cafes for a yogi - Little Bird, The Raw Kitchen, Wise Cicada and Greenleaf Organics. But I also eat my weight in polenta chips at Coco's and always order extra nougat. So many amazing places to eat in Auckland!
How do you contribute to your community?
I hope I provide helpful information to those people investigating the yoga and wellness world and love engaging on social media them. I hope I provide support for yoga studios, teachers and the awesome NZ companies/brands that align with what I believe in and what I trust works.
Thanks to Jane for being part of the Feel Fresh Community!!
If you want more of Jane and the Yoga Connection - you can find her here:
Website: http://theyogaconnection.co.nz
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theyogaconnection/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theyogaconnection.co.nz/