A lifestyle makeover for good health

Published Jan 3, 2016

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Cape Town - As a ballet dancer for many years, healthy eating has always been a part of Cara-Lisa Sham’s lifestyle.

But the pressure to be thin and the scrutiny that comes with being a performer led to her developing eating disorders. Now Sham runs a wellness and fitness blog, Caralishious, that promotes healthy eating and exercise. She talks to us about her wellness journey and blog.

 

Why did you start a health blog?

My knowledge and deep passion for health was cemented along my own personal healing journey to overcome eating disorders. Being under constant scrutiny on stage, I used to feel tremendous pressure to be thin, and so restrictive eating, sadly, became part of my life.

Through proper nutrition, perseverance and loving support, I was able to heal my body and mind. My newfound energy sparked a keen interest in me about healthy living, and so I began engaging in plenty of research on holistic wellness, nutrition and exercise.

I want to encourage people to nourish their bodies, to appreciate themselves and to look at food not as something bad, but as something that nourishes and heals. So many people out there have distorted perceptions of themselves, coupled with an unhealthy relationship with food – one that is filled with deprivation and anxiety. People are so bombarded with mixed messages about what they should be eating that they end up feeling confused, overwhelmed and helpless. My aim is to help spread the right message – one of balance, nourishment, self-appreciation and healing.

 

Why did you choose a health and fitness angle for your blog?

I have come to learn so much about well-being, nutrition and fitness through my own journey of health and healing. I have sampled many different fitness crazes and diets, so I know first-hand what works and what doesn’t. I am also a fervent believer that the key to true healing is through nutrition. Nutrition is the most infrequently turned to and underrated cure for disease, yet it is so readily available to us. I want to teach people how to eat again – not just for pleasure, but for their vitality and longevity.

 

 

When did your interest in fitness begin?

Having been a dancer for so many years, I have always had a keen interest in leading an active lifestyle. I love to be active and get my body moving, and I love the endorphin rush a good workout gives me. Over the years I have tried just about every form of exercise out there. I enjoy experimenting with new fitness crazes to see which ones are effective for my body type. It also makes things fun and interesting. And most of all, it makes me feel great and keeps my stress levels really low.

 

What are the main benefits of practising Yoga?

Yoga is both strength-building and restorative, which makes it an incredible way to get your body moving while bringing about focus, calmness and clarity. I lead a very busy lifestyle and yoga really provides me with that time to just de-stress, quieten my thoughts and relax both my mind and body. It is also incredible for posture, it detoxifies the system and tones the entire body. I have found that yoga has taught me mindfulness of my body, my muscles, my general state of being and my thoughts.

 

 

Who are your cooking inspirations?

I absolutely love Jamie Oliver, and Ella Woodward of Deliciously Ella. They have really disrupted the culinary world by placing a huge emphasis on food ingredients and wholesome meals that are super-healthy and packed with nutrients.

 

 

What do you like to snack on and drink throughout the day?

I really do believe that each individual is completely different – from the way we perceive the world to the way we process and assimilate food into our bodies. This is why nutrition, as with any individual difference, is very personal – something we ought to take the time to figure out by listening attentively to what our bodies need.

On waking up, I drink a large mug of hot water with lemon, apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper and cinnamon to cleanse my system. I also take a probiotic to promote healthy digestion.

For breakfast I usually opt for rolled oats or chia pudding If I am feeling a little flat, I will add a scoop of vegan protein powder to my oats/chia to give me a protein kick. In the afternoons I tend to stick to a salad of some sort – the more veggies, herbs and seeds, the better! More often than not I will add chickpeas, quinoa or lentils to my salad to keep me satiated. I absolutely love tahini, so usually my salad is drizzled with some delicious tahini dressing. To snack on, I am very big on dates – they curb any sweet cravings and are fantastic before a workout. I also enjoy a handful of pumpkin seeds, raw nuts and raisins or a fruit – usually apples, plums or soft citrus.

Dinner usually consists of fish with steamed veggies, vegetable stews/curries, vegetable bakes or quinoa-stuffed veggies. I drink loads of water with lemon slices, at least two litres per day. I love my herbal teas, and occasionally I will have a coffee. I am not a big fan of red or white meat, so I don’t often eat these – although there is absolutely nothing wrong with eating them – I just personally prefer vegetables and fish. I do enjoy eggs occasionally and prefer not to eat dairy.

 

What is your favourite indulgence?

Given my Italian roots, my favourite indulgence definitely has to be a good, hearty pasta… you can never go wrong with that.

 

 

Tell us about your Caralishious wellness plan and who it is aimed at?

My wellness plans serve to guide and advise people who are looking to make long-term, sustainable lifestyle changes. My programmes range from detox and weight loss, to muscle building or maintenance plans. These are created for people who are looking for an affordable way to change their lifestyle and apply healthy habits.

My wellness plans also include a comprehensive nutrition and lifestyle guide, which is literally a “how to” of everything you will ever need to know about leading a healthy lifestyle and eating the right foods. I have also developed a mind-body guide, which is an interactive activity based e-book that breathes life into understanding the connection between mind and body. I also offer comprehensive lifestyle consultations, personalised monthly plans, report-backs and ongoing support for clients who are looking for a more intensive approach to their health.

 

What’s the best way to motivate oneself to get fit?

It is so important to have a good think about what really motivates you as an individual and then apply that to getting fit. We are all unique.

 

 

What’s the biggest mistake that fitness newbies make?

Getting caught up in quick fix fads and blindly following what everyone else is doing can do more harm than good. When starting a health journey, it is so important to acknowledge that this is a lifestyle change. It should never be looked upon as a quick fix.

 

* Check out the blog – www.caralishious.com – for healthy and delicious recipes and fitness tricks.

 

Caralishious Protein Pancakes with Cashew-Coconut cream

Makes approximately 10 pancakes. Preparation time: 20 minutes

Coconut-Cashew Cream

165ml can coconut milk

1 cup activated cashews (activated means soaked in water overnight)

4 tsp sweetener of your choice

1 tsp vanilla extract

Pancakes

3 tbsp almond flour

3 egg whites

1 egg yolk

1 heaped scoop of brown rice protein powder (I use Lifematrix)

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp stevia (or sweetener of your choice)

1 tbsp coconut oil – for frying

Pinch salt

Place egg whites and egg yolk in a large mixing bowl and whisk for a minute. Add remaining ingredients (except the coconut oil) and whisk for a further three minutes until mixture becomes lighter in colour. Place coconut oil in large frying pan on maximum heat and allow to melt. Using a soup ladle, spoon crumpet-sized amounts of the mixture at a time into the frying pan. Fry until you start seeing air bubbles form on the top on the pancake. This will happen within 10-15 seconds of pouring the mixture into the pan.

Once you begin to see these air bubbles, flip the pancake over and cook on the other side for 10 seconds. Once cooked, place pancakes on to large plate. Repeat until mixture is finished. Remove coconut-cashew cream from fridge. Create a pancake stack and top with a generous amount of cashew cream.

* Serving suggestion: Top with sliced strawberries, cacao nibs and maple syrup.

Cape Argus

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