As I’m sure you’ve noticed, I have been reviewing a number of products from Equestrian Wellness over the last several months. And while Val’s products are excellent, what you may not know is Val is a wellness/nutrition coach as well. I will be writing about our calls, homework and my results over this series of articles. Perhaps seeing my journey will help you begin your own journey to paying attention to your own wellness (either with Val, or with another coach).
Val started Equestrian Wellness to bring awareness of industry problem. Wellness is the last thing equestrians look into/spend time on. Personally, I find this to be 100% accurate in my case. And looking at my horsey friends, and the trainers and grooms I know, this is pretty well a standard problem. Unless you’re an Olympian with a team behind you making you care for yourself, you’re probably not doing enough.
She created products for her first phase of Equestrian Wellness because they are an easy change for people. When products solve a problem and are good for you, why not switch? Big companies come out with large product lines for people that don’t have your welfare in mind. The products are not being created to help keep you well. In many cases, they’re created to help perpetuate you needing to buy more and more. Her product line was created to start weaning people away from some of these products that are doing them no good.
Back to the coaching calls. I’ve had 5 calls with Val as of this writing. Each has lasted anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour and a half! These calls were no joke…
I came into the calls in the following shape. Postpartum and still breastfeeding. Physically and mentally exhausted. Low energy and always hungry. Craving nothing but sugar most of the time. A good 25 lbs heavier than when I got pregnant (surprise, I lost very little after having Derby…ugh). Aching joints and muscles and tendons. Still retaining an unnecessary amount of water. And with a killer amount of allergies going on.
So all in all…I wasn’t a complete disaster, but I wasn’t feeling great.
Our very first call was our longest. We went through a background and health form. Went covered all sorts of things…some expected, some uncomfortable and all enlightening. The first call was all about learning the process of “putting puzzle pieces together” in regards to my health and current condition. She made it clear in our conversations that they were private and my information was safe. I could feel free to get it all out there in an effort to get down to it and find what needed to change. Val said to me with quite an astute observation (when discussing my issues with food currently and in the past)…”Everyone has a story and everyone has issues with food. It’s okay.”
I had no trouble opening up to Val. I knew that if I wanted these calls to make a difference, I couldn’t hold anything back. She got it all…the good, the bad and the really really bad.
The first call was all about getting through the first layer of things.
She did give me two easy bits of homework.
1. Buying a Nasopure (a type of neti pot) to help with my seasonal allergies due to the major pollen influx.
2. Try starting every day with a glass of water with some fresh squeezed lemon to help combat dehydration due to nursing and getting my metabolism going right away.
The first call was all about examining where I was, where I had been, and what maybe needed to get fixed to make me feel my best. The home work was simple and easily achieved. She was easing me into it…
Keep an eye out for the second part of our series soon!