Antoinette Bodeau
Your Health & Wellness Coach
This is how it all came together…
I grew up in Southern California in the ’60s and ’70s with a single, working mom who did her best with the recipes she knew. They ranged from round steak with Campbell mushroom soup, hamburger and tuna helper, creamed tuna on toast and tacos. One of her specialties was “Woodly’s Chicken”; take boneless chicken breasts and put an inch of sour cream on top. Crunch up a load of Ritz cheese crackers and sprinkle on top and then slather that with about 1 1/2 cubes of melted butter. Bake and voila! It was a coronary waiting to happen.
Our vegetable consumption consisted of an occasional salad made with iceberg lettuce, tomato (maybe carrots) and canned green peas or corn. Not the most nutritionally rich meal, nor very tasty…sorry mom.
I left home when I was 18 and moved to San Diego to attended San Diego State University where I received a Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education, Teaching and Coaching. While in college, I lived on Top Ramen, boxed mac n’ cheese and quesadillas. I did eventually venture into making my own spaghetti sauce and making salads (still iceberg lettuce).
The ’80s was the big “fat-free” craze where everything became low-fat or fat-free and more and more processed. I was totally on board with the idea. If food was fat-free it was okay as long as I didn’t know it was loaded with sugar, which continually fed into my sugar cravings.
The big changes in my life came when I finished undergrad and moved to Colorado in 1992. I fell in love with the mountains, the four seasons and all that Colorado has to offer; especially outdoor activities and healthy living.
My daily trail runs in the foothills of the Rockies eventually turned into training for marathons. I also found amazing yoga teachers in Boulder who inspired me and so I became a yoga instructor to share yoga’s life-changing discipline with others.
I truly was learning more about myself and what it takes to have the energy and desire to live an active and fulfilling life. I was learning what it means to be “balanced” in all aspects of living.
I excelled at my running and yoga endeavors and could easily see the correlation between healthy eating and lifestyle. I grew my first garden and went to the farmers markets nearly every weekend. I was busy experimented with food by preparing different vegetables and learned I loved kale. I became known as “Salad Girl” to my friends. Even today I am known as Salad Girl.
Before moving back to California after 20 years in Colorado, I took a round-the-world trip that included visiting countries in Europe, Great Britain (Scotland, England, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, Morocco to name a few) and also Asia (Thailand and Cambodia), Bali, and New Zealand. Side note…you can check out my travels on my travel blog at: antoinetteswalkabout.blogspot.com
Traveling the world was fascinating. I learned all about the foods of different cultures, took cooking classes and frequented outdoor markets and farms to sample to local produce and food treasures. I also recognized the way other cultures had such a spiritual component to their everyday lives and while they often didn’t have a lot monetarily, they were wealthy in so many other ways and apparently happy! It really made me think, and it deeply changed the way I look at life.
When I returned I knew I had to teach and inspire others to live a more balanced life. This included incorporating nutritious food and just as important, looking at how we can be happier through lifestyle choices.
It was finally time to take what I had learned through my travels, yoga, cooking, self taught practices and experimentation, and learn all I could in my second formal education. I attended the Institute of Integrative Nutrition where I learned different techniques, theories and modalities to help others. I applied most of what I learned in my own life and my personal choices continue to evolve.
For the past few years now I have been helping others with all my learned talents; especially as a Health, Nutrition & Wellness Coach and to that end I created Kaleidoscope Wellness by Antoinette. My goal is to help everyone learn how to live a happier life with more vitality and energy. I want you to be part of it and experience the magical transformation of making healthy food and lifestyle choices. Coaching people like you is very rewarding and I’ve come to to find this is my special talent. I am still teaching Yoga and have trained and have been teaching QiGong as well. I have been a massage therapist from way back before moving to Colorado and continue today.
While I miss Colorado, I have to say that the weather in San Diego is amazing and I can go to a farmers market nearly everyday of the week, and all year round. I visit farmers markets regularly and I have a CSA box (local and seasonal produce) delivered to my home every other week. I love trying out new and different locally grown produce in healthy culinary delights and sharing these with my family, friends and clients. Oh yea, and I have a wonderful box garden of seasonally fresh organic fruits and vegetables I grow right at home and use in delicious and nutritious recipes for everyone.
I have a wonderful group of fun and supportive friends, family and love meeting new people all the time. I have to say that I am beyond blessed and am so grateful each and everyday.
I am so excited to share, educate and inspire others to live with energy, vitality and transform the way we all look and feel, including our outlooks on life. I want to thank you for visiting my site and would love to invite you to become one of my treasured clients too. Whether you want to join me with friends and clients on a hike, sign up for Yoga or QiGong, need a cooking instructor, nutrition guidance, or any of my Health & Wellness Coaching expertise, you should reach out to me. Please read and comment on any of my blog posts, or email, or call me from my Contact page. Please share your experiences and lets get to know each other. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Antoinette Bodeau
Your Health & Wellness Coach
Kaleidoscope Wellness
(303) 886-6018
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