#BEYOUROWN MEETS LEAH GOLDGLANTZ

Health enthusiast Leah Goldglantz lives in South Florida with her husband and one-year-old daughter. Her blog www.leahsplate.com focuses on embracing whole foods to nourish our bodies. Keep in mind that Leah creates great recipes that are quick and easy to make proving that eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated.

Can you share a typical 24 hours with us, Leah?

I wake up naturally around 6:30/7am and immediately make myself a warm water with freshly squeezed lemon. This revs up my digestive system and is also detoxifying. Then I workout – now it’s just a long walk since I’m really pregnant, but when I’m not pregnant it’s a kickboxing, spinning or yoga class. I then come home and shower then make breakfast for myself, husband and daughter – always something healthy and nourishing like a smoothie or oatmeal.

I then get my daughter off to a preschool run any necessary errands. I then return home to get some work done. I’m creating and photographing new recipes, writing blog posts or responding to emails and messages. I pick my daughter up around noon, so it doesn’t give me much time to work, but I finish up anything important during her afternoon nap. Her nap time is my sacred time of peace and quiet and I try my best to finish up any work quickly so I have time to just chill out on the couch and sip on some herbal tea. Once my daughter wakes up from her nap I dedicate my afternoon to ‘mommy and me’ time. I put my phone and computer out of sight and give her my undivided attention for the next few hours.

We like to get outside and head to a park or just play in her playroom. I begin cooking dinner around (I love to eat around – it’s much better for my digestion and I hate going to bed on a full stomach). Then it’s time to get my daughter to bed which means bath, books, snuggles and in her crib by . My husband and I then get to catch up for a little. I then finish up any blog posts that may be going out the next day and respond to any emails I didn’t get to earlier in the day. After that it’s time to chill out – I watch TV or read a book and I pass out by . I’m someone that definitely needs 7 – 8 hours of sleep to feel my best.

Can you talk to us about your career prior to launching Leah’s Plate? 

I used to work in the commercial real estate, which was never a passion of mine. It always felt more like a job than a career. I always knew I needed to make a change and do something I loved and was passionate about.

You started back in 2015, as healthy living was something you felt passionate enough about to want to share it with others. How did you get started?

I enjoyed reading health and wellness blogs, so I always had it in my head that I wanted to start my own. I finally decided to make the leap and began creating and photographing my own healthy recipes to share with the world in hopes it inspired others to change the way they ate. I wanted to show others that eating healthy doesn’t have to be complicated which is why I create recipes using minimal and clean ingredients. Purchasing my domain name and creating my Instagram account was one of the most exciting moments because it became real to me!

How much research did you undertake prior to launching Leahs Plate?

I spent months watching online tutorials about food photography and blogging prior to launching my website. Looking back, I was still clueless when I launched it, but I’m so glad I started when I did. If you wait until everything is perfect you’ll never do it!

Can you talk us through the recipes that you offer that are tailored to specific dietary needs?

I don’t follow a specific diet – I just eat clean, healthy food and avoid processed food or any ingredients I don’t recognize. However, I create vegan, paleo and gluten-free recipes since I know others follow those diets and it’s fun for me to create and enjoy the recipes!

You also have a daughter, on a scale of one to ten, how easy is it maintain a healthy standard of living as a mother?

For me, it is very easy (a ten) to maintain a healthy standard of living since I make it a priority of mine. I always make sure my fridge is stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables and also spend a few hours once per week prepping some food (roasting vegetables, making a big batch of sprouted brown rice, etc) to have on hand. This way if I get hungry I can easily open the fridge, toss a bunch of healthy foods into a bowl and have a meal made in less than 5 minutes. I also have some very quick go-to meals like avocado toast so I don’t have to reach for anything unhealthy. I’m also lucky to have quite a few healthy restaurants around me so in a pinch I can get delivery! I also make my daughter a part of my healthy living, so she enjoys cooking with me and getting involved in the kitchen! When I’m always prepared with lots of healthy snacks and fresh fruit and veggies.

You originally lived in NYC before packing your bags and moving to Florida in a bid of a new environment that would enable you to live a physically/mentally richer in a healthy life, surely that wasn’t an easy decision?

It was an extremely difficult decision. My entire family was based in the New York area, so leaving them was the toughest part. However, I didn’t have a career that I loved in New York and I was single at the time, so that made it much easier to pick up and leave. I told myself to spend a year in South Florida and if I didn’t love it after one year I could always move back to New York. It gave me a lot of comforts knowing that my move didn’t have to be permanent.

What about any challenging times you have had to overcome? When were they and how did you learn to overcome them?

Food photography has always been extremely challenging for me. I’m not a photographer and it is my biggest weakness. So many bloggers these days have beautiful photos so I always feel like mine need to be just as good. I do the best I can by always trying to learn from online courses and practice. With time my photography has definitely improved, but it’s still something I struggle with. I’d love to eventually take a class!

Have you ever had to deal with any doubts of contention or lack of support from relatives or friends? If so how did you push through?

Thankfully my entire family and friends have been so supportive throughout this entire process. They’re constantly telling me how proud they are of me. I feel lucky to have such wonderful people surrounding me. However, I think at first people didn’t quite understand that I truly could make this a career, so I’m glad I proved them wrong! 

Did you have a wellness coach that advised you whilst getting started?

No, I spent hours reading and researching all by myself. There’s so much valuable information on the Internet these days – you just need to be really careful about what sites you read and make sure they’re reliable.

What outlets do use to market Leahs Plate?

Social media! I promote each and every blog post on Instagram and Facebook. Instagram stories have been great ever since getting the ‘swipe-up’ feature since I can link to my posts directly there.

What methods are you using to build your audience and expand your network?

I try to engage with my readers and reply to all emails and questions I receive. I realize that my audience is what allowed me to turn this into a career, so I truly value them! Lately, I have also been collaborating with others in the wellness space, which is not only fun but can help expand your network.

What is the best piece of advice you have received to date?

Do what you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. It’s so true – I never feel like what I do is work since I enjoy doing it so much!

Best advice you could give to others out there wanting to launch a career in the wellness industry?

Don’t wait until everything is ‘perfect’ to get started. Now is as good of a time as ever! Also, try to make genuine connections with others in the wellness space – I’ve actually made some of my best friends through Instagram!

Are there any particular coaches that inspire you?

Not coaches, but some dieticians – Rachel DeVaux and Lisa Hayim – they’re both so knowledgeable and inspiring. 

What Youtube or online space channels are watching currently?

I love doing Melissa Wood Health’s online workouts – they’re easy to do from home, which is perfect for me since I’m a stay-at-home mom. She’s also a mother with a child around the same age as my daughter so I feel connected to her.

What is a good article or book you have read recently?

How To Be Well by Dr Frank Lipman. It’s an amazing book that will motivate you to live a healthier and happier lifestyle.

What does success look like in your eyes?

In the wellness industry, I feel successful when others reach out to me to tell me I impacted their life in a positive way. If I can inspire others to change their lifestyle in order to live a happier and healthier life then that is everything!

Can you give us 3 tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle?

Drink lots of water, get plenty of sleep and eat real, unprocessed food from the earth.

Lastly, what is next for you throughout 2018?

I’m having another baby girl in about a month, possibly less, so for the next few months I’ll be slowing down and taking this sacred time to enjoy and bond with my new daughter. I didn’t relax and soak the moment enough with my first child (I felt rushed to get back in the kitchen and create new recipes right away). This time I plan on not even checking my emails for a few weeks and just live in the moment. After a few months, I plan to slowly get back into the swing of things!

www.beyourown.org