It took corporate lawyer turned “funtrepreneur” Sarah Davidson — aka @Spoonfull_of_Sarah — a decade to discover that rigid dieting and exercise were not producing the result she had hoped for.
The host of popular podcast, Seize the Yay, says she now realises that her body and mind need different things at different times to be her best self.
“I think I spent a lot of my younger years largely ignoring the feedback my body was giving me about what it needed to feel the most energised and vital, choosing instead to stick rigidly with whatever eating or exercise regime was on-trend at the time,” she says.
“It’s ironic that sometimes you can even overachieve at wellness and burn yourself out by trying to tick too many boxes or make yourself quite unwell by doing otherwise healthy things that just don’t suit your composition.”
“Now, I’d say my approach to staying healthy is based on broader guiding principles like moving my body regularly, in lots of different ways, giving my brain enough downtime, getting enough (and good quality) sleep, and eating nourishing, wholesome foods that are balanced and not processed — most of the time.”
Mindfulness and downtime have also become crucial to her overall well-being.
“Mentally, I really benefit from meditating regularly but also just making space in the week for time without my phone where I indulge in forms of play like reading, puzzles or Wordle,” she says.
“Some people feel their best when their physical needs are taken care of, but I think my mental health is probably more important. I used to have so much guilt around “non-productive time”, but now it’s such a crucial part of feeling balanced.”
Sarah’s philosophy is that life is too short not to enjoy to the fullest! Here are her top three ways to relax and recharge.
