Latham Thomas

Holistic Health Counselor • Yoga Instructor • tendershootswellness.com

Yoga Class Video Clip

Please share your philosophy about health, wellness, and nutrition.

My philosophy on health and wellness is that all people should develop an authentic relationship with food. We all have a right to live a healthy and happy life, so we need the tools and information necessary to achieve that end. If our lifestyle, exercise, career, passions, family life, spiritual life, is in balance, then we make health supportive choices when it comes to what we eat. When we have imbalance in any area of our life, it affects how we eat and the food choices we make. We must strive towards balance in all areas of our life and we will notice a shift in our bodies, the way we think, and our spirits. I help people find this balance through optimal nutrition, yoga, and empowerment through affirmation and support.

Describe the work that you do.

I work with mostly expectant and new mothers offering culinary services, nutrition counseling, and yoga sessions. This includes workshops, menu planning, chef services, one-on-one consultations, as well as private and group yoga classes. The work is intended to empower and inform mothers and mothers-to-be so that they have all of the necessary tools to experience abundant pregnancy and motherhood- feeling good and looking their very best. I do work with teens and young mothers as well.

What do you see as the greatest barrier for women of color living their healthiest life possible?

I find the challenge with women of color is that there is a certain attachment to ancestral tradition with food that can be unhealthy. Traditional high calorie diets that might have sustained our ancestors are harmful in today since we live a more sedentary lifestyle and consume larger amounts of food. We can still eat well and celebrate our culinary heritage by choosing better quality ingredients and eating balanced- my good friend Bryant Terry developed a vegan cookbook that honors the legacy of Southern cuisine. We need to actively create our own legacy of wellness, so that our children will develop healthy habits as well. I find that consistent exercise on a whole is another great challenge that many of my clients face in the beginning. Its about being disciplined and committed to yourself so that you can live a fruitful life.

What tips can you share with busy professional women who struggle to find time to exercise and eat right?

I suggest to my busy professionals to: start up a sister circle- a buddy system, identify your cheerleaders and supporters, your friends who really want to see you shine and succeed. Maybe you have some friends with similar goals, team up with them. Maybe you do workouts together, or just have them their to support you during this process. When you have friends that are motivated to do the same thing, you see results much faster. Your girlfriends and loved ones help you to be accountable to yourself, and remain true to the intentions you set.

Keep it Fresh- I mean two things here: 1. eat the fresh seasonal foods that are available, and 2. introduce new and exciting dishes, and methods of preparation to your culinary repertoire. It gets boring eating the same old thing, prepared the same old way all the time. With the changing season try incorporating some new techniques and recipes that will inspire you to eat healthy and celebrate this new shift.

Pack a Mobile Pantry- It can be challenging to eat well when you are constantly on the go. Places that serve healthy lunches and snacks are scarce compared to the plethora of fast food joints out there. One way to set yourself up for success is to pack a mobile pantry. Pack a selection of easily transportable foods that you can munch on throughout the day when you find yourself hungry. This will help keep you away from the vending machines, and help to regulate cravings. Pack fruit, nuts, seeds, crackers, cheese, a dip with sliced veggies, and don't forget bottled water.

Get up and Go!- Exercise during the mornings whenever possible. When you work out at the start of your day it decreases your appetite and stimulates the thyroid to burn calories all day long. Try power walking, jogging, swimming, or spinning in the mornings to start off your day, add some resistance training at the end of the workout to further stimulate the fat burning process. This might include push-ups, pull-ups, crunches, and squats.

The Small Stuff Counts- Don't underestimate the power of very small changes. Walk or take stairs whenever possible. Walking stairs activates the gluts which lifts your butt and keeps it firm, who doesn't like a firm back side. Park your car further away than normal so you can walk more. Incorporate yoga or stretching, and aerobic work into your daily activities. Little short workouts spread out throughout your day can have a big impact on your waistline overtime.

Final take-home message and words of advice

We must love ourselves first, take care of ourselves, because we can't effectively give what we are not giving ourselves. Take small steps towards big changes in your life and you will gain the confidence and momentum to stretch beyond any self limiting beliefs and become your very best self.

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