Q&A with model, foodie & wellness advocate
This week for your Monday morning inspiration we spoke with model, foodie & wellness advocate Karen Koramshai @karenkoramshai. We discussed where her passion for wellness comes from and how she grew her Instagram to nearly 30k followers, inspiring others with her much loved recipes and inspirational wellness outlook.
Q1. Where does your passion for health and wellness come from?
After many years as a working model, I experienced burnout and poor health. It took this difficult period with my health to make me realise that I wanted to overhaul my lifestyle completely. I was surrounded by a party lifestyle, long days (and nights) and lots of travelling. I decided that I wanted to dedicate myself to a commitment to live well. I moved to a quieter area, completely overhauled my diet and exercise routine, I stopped drinking alcohol and I focussed on living more mindfully.
Q2. What made you begin your @karenkoramishai instagram account as an outlet for wellness and food?
After successfully making changes to my lifestyle, I felt re energised, reset and re focused. I felt empowered in my choice to focus on my wellness and saw huge improvements in other areas of my life by doing so. It was a really important part of the process for me to share my journey with others and to offer any knowledge or support that I could to others on their own wellness journeys. My online community are very positive and supportive and are an important part of my experience.
Q3: Can you tell us more about the pillars of wellness that you focus on?
Diet: Introducing small positive changes to your daily diet. A lot of the recipes I create are based on my audiences favourite dishes, reinterpreted in a healthier way. I think that this makes it easier when you're trying to improve your diet and change your habits.
Movement: I'm committed to working out 5-6 days per week and I love to try out a range of movement. Whether that be walking in nature, swimming, HIIT workouts or pilates. It's essential to our bodies and minds that we move regularly.
Mindset: We don't have to make huge changes overnight to be moving in the right direction. I truly believe that starting with the smallest change gets things in motion. Once we conquer that small change we can look at adding or extending that wellness goal.
Q4: Why is Nutrition so important when it comes to our wellness?
Nutrition is such an essential element to our overall wellness as it directly effects the way that we feel. It can change the way we look, it fuels our bodies to move, it gives us energy to complete tasks to the best of our ability, it feeds our minds. When our bodies are functioning well form good nutritious food, other areas follow. I believe it's the key starting point in our wellness journey.
Q5: What are some of your favourite wellness rituals?
Every meal time is a ritual for me. I like to properly set the table and take the time to experience and enjoy the food that I have made. Whether that's alone or with my family. I'm so grateful for that time.
My other favourite ritual is my morning routine. A key part of that is my Hail Mary RESET smoothie. It's the perfect start to the day or to resetting your wellness routine. Packed with nutritious ingredients and collagen, it leaves you glowing from the inside out and kick starts your week.
Q6: What are some of your favourite foods to eat?
My diet mainly consists of plant based dishes, superfood salads, green smoothies and protein based snacks. I do eat organic white meat and fish occasionally. A lot of my food choices are based on what gives me the appropriate levels of energy for the tasks I'm doing that day.
Q7: What does a day in the life of a model, foodie & wellness advocate look like?
Start the day with lemon and warm water
Green goddess smoothie or Hail Mary smoothie
10 minutes journalling
Morning Pilates
Breakfast
Sorting the kids breakfasts and prep for school
Engaging with my Instagram community
Working on my upcoming projects/ shooting
Lunch
Continuing with work
Ending my working day around 5-6pm
Preparing and eating dinner
Sorting the kids for bedtime
Warm bath and read
Enjoy warm camomile or matcha tea
10 minutes meditation
Q8: And lastly, what advice would you give anyone looking to begin a business in wellness?
Find your area of wellness that you are truly passionate about. When sharing your passion, people are truly invested if they can see that you are authentic and committed. I live and breathe the practices that I share. I don't claim to be an expert in everything, I simply share my lived experience, and I think others appreciate and relate to that.
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