Anna Foletta Jamtaas here š You might have known me formerly as Powered By Foletta. Since then Iāve gotten married, had a baby and generally grown up a bit so I thought Iād give things a face lift, including the blog where I vow to be much more active than my previous non-existence ā hah!
A bit about me: I graduated from the University of Washington (Go DAWGS!!!) with a bachelorās degree in science. From there, I dove into the fitness industry for over a decade, working with athletes all across the spectrum of fitness. In that time, two themes pervaded. The first: most individuals – even the most dedicated of athletes – eat without customization to their body type, goals, gastrointestinal and digestive patterns, etc. Second: regardless of how strategically athletes were training, the end of each day was almost always marked by physical discomfort. Fortunately, I was able to serve as my own guinea pig. A three-sport athlete in high school and a member of the UW Crew team, I turned to distance running and triathlons as I moved into more traditional adulthood. So I started tinkering with my diet in phases (dairy-free, caffeine-free, gluten-free, and so on) but knew I needed more information when it came to nutrition to close the wellness gap for myself and those I worked with. Thus, I embraced continued education.
In addition to a formal education from Bauman College, life threw a few lessons my way too. My personal athletic journey has evolved over time. I fell in love with running on a treadmill (Iāve since moved almost exclusively outdoors) and coupled it with my love for weightlifting. I began to dabble in triathlons and eventually ran an epic ultra-marathon (epic because of the sights and friendships made during training). Yoga also became a mainstay of mine as I looked to find my post-college way in 2006. Some of my previous activities and remedies had worked for my bod, and some not so much. Iāve suffered from low hormones, amenorrhea, hypothyroidism, and a tiny gut issue known as Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. FYI ā there is nothing SMALL about it!
But as Gabby Berstein correctly noted, āobstacles are detours in the right direction,ā and I was able to locate 4 prime areas that formed my foundation of health.
Nutrition: I view food as fuel. If you fuel your body right, it can take you places. I love all 3 macronutrients and donāt demonize carbs or fat. I believe fat should be full. I think fruit is great and veggies are even better. I have primal roots with the ever-present wiggle room for customization.
Movement: This one is pretty simple for me. In general, I believe in the āmove it or lose itā mentality. BUT, I also believe you need to be intentional with your movements, emphasizing building, not ball-busting.
Recovery: Recovery is too-often undervalued, especially by the workout-addicted who claim they can do without. Sleep, nourishment, self-love and human contact are powerful beyond words, and something no one should go without.
Mindset: Mindset may be the hardest prime to articulate, but it is also perhaps the most important. Yes, mindset includes mindful eating, but also underscores a healthful relationship with food. It includes the environment which we chose to live in and surround ourselves with. It includes a flexible approach, knowing there is no single dogmatic approach that is right for all, or even right for one person for all seasons of their life.
As a new mom, I have found the topics of fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and motherhood, in general, to be foremost of mind and thus the topics of focus for me. If youāre interested in hormone balance (including the thyroid and gut connection), fertility, pre-conception, prenatal, pregnancy, and postpartum (FYI ā this one is forever) ā¦Iād love to stay in touch!
If you decide to never stop by again, let me leave you with this food for thought (I guilty of using corny puns with great frequency): in a world where perfectionism is touted, perhaps progress is enough, or, even optimal.
After all, Progress, Not Perfection.