Tell us a little bit about yourself and how you ventured into the world of health and fitness.
Hi there! My name is Brittney Horn and I am a 24-year-old who began my journey to health almost a year ago. My journey really began once I started planning my wedding (depending on when this is posted I may be married already, Sept 2!). I wanted to feel my best on my wedding day and I decided I wanted to slowly change my eating habits to make them healthier.
I knew I didn’t want to do the latest diet fad, I wanted to lose some weight in a healthy, natural way. So far I have lost 15 pounds and I’m still going.
This lifestyle change led me to start my schooling at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to help others become healthier and live a well-balanced life.
What are a couple of your favorite recipes and why?
Another of my absolute favorites is kale chips. Can’t get enough!
What does being “healthy” mean to you?
Being healthy means having balance to me. Do I eat 100% healthy all of the time? Heck no! I like my ice cream and sweets as much as the next person, but I’ve learned to keep those as treats every once in awhile. I definitely live by an 80/20 mindset when it comes to eating.
Another part of being healthy for me is exercising. I didn’t really start a routine of exercising until almost a year ago and now I have found that if I don’t do something I feel lethargic and sluggish. Exercise makes my brain happy!
How do you continue to stay motivated to eat healthy?
I stay motivated because it makes me feel better. If I eat unhealthy or don’t exercise for a few days I really start to feel it, in my body and my mind. Eating healthy and getting in enough exercise helps me feel my best and who doesn’t want to feel their best?
As a Certified Health Coach, do you have any advice for people who want to start eating healthier?
Start small. There is no need to do a 180 and make every change at once. Start adding in new foods instead of taking out foods that “aren’t allowed.” The new, healthier foods will eventually crowd out the not so good for you foods and then you won’t even notice them being gone!
For more from Brittney, visit her blog, http://www.brittneybreathing.com/, and follow her on Pinterest and Twitter @BrittneyLHorn.
