Individual health

In my twenties

I would eat everything, no restrictions, and maintained my weight without difficulty.

I could go out at night and go to work the next day. A bit sleep-deprived, yes, but nothing serious.

My back never ached, even though I spent many years sitting at a desk while studying for a university degree.

In my thirties

After the pregnancies I went on a diet and recovered my previous weight, but I realised that, in order to maintain myself, some sacrifices had to be made and some foods had to be cut down.

I started exercising to help me control my weight and sometimes to have some quiet time alone, I confess.

As a parent, I had terrible sleep hygiene. I slept with a lot of interruptions, but it didn’t affect my daytime performance too much.

Balancing my work and childcare became increasingly difficult. I lacked the tools to manage stress. I barely had any free time.

In my forties

I struggled to maintain my weight, even without overeating.

My sleep quality worsened, and I became hypersensitive to noise, light and stress. I entered a vicious circle: lack of sleep affected my mood, my patience with my children and my energy levels, which were severely depleted.

I did exercise, but I was easily injured. I would get tired earlier, which led me to reduce my sporting activities.

I started to have symptoms of digestive discomfort and perimenopause.

Finally, a professional break gave me the time I needed to learn new skills, take charge of my health, discover what my life purpose was and focus on achieving it.

Thanks to my training as an Integrative Health Coach I learned:

• To adapt my schedule to my sleep requirements and not the other way around.
• To train my muscles in addition to my cardiovascular exercise.
• Mindful eating.
• To use meditation and self-care as tools to cope with my stressors and deal with my emotions.
• Time management. To identify the “time-suckers” and to cut out everything that does not nourish my soul and is not aligned with my personal and professional goals.