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Creating A Workout Routine For Busy Parents with Kristina Zias - E2
36 Plays1 year ago
Balancing the demands of family life and a thriving career can be a major challenge for many working parents. It means that things like sleep and stress management, healthy eating, hydration, and fitness and wellness routines often fall by the wayside. In this episode, we dive into finding that crucial balance while pursuing ambitious fitness goals, as well as how to integrate a routine into a packed schedule, prioritizing recovery, and leveraging community support. We'll share tips on how to create a balanced diet, stay hydrated, establish an exercise regime and the need to prioritize self-care.
Kristina Zias, a dynamo in the world of lifestyle and wellness, wears multiple hats as the co-host of The Confident Collective podcast and a mother of two, while relentlessly pursuing her passion for health and fitness. An advocate for balanced living, Kristina has captivated audiences with her authentic insights and purpose-driven approach, which are reflected in her recent achievements, which include an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show, as well as her venture into the world of triathlons. Beyond her social media presence, Kristina inspires through her community-building efforts, both online and in her new local town. With a keen eye on fostering wellness and a joy-filled life, her influence extends beyond mere trends, making her a beacon for those aspiring to harmonize home and career.
“Health is your wealth. If you don't have your health, you have nothing.” - Kristina Zias
In this episode you will learn:
- The balancing act between networking and working on your craft, and when to prioritize home life over career.
- The power and confidence found in saying no to social obligations and valuing support systems.
- The significance of community and the joy it brings, with emphasis on in-person events for combating loneliness.
- Practical tips for creating a good sleep environment, including the use of sleep masks, sound machines, and personalized mattresses.
- The importance of hydration, protein, and carb cycling in maintaining energy and health.
- Effective strategies for managing stress and prioritizing self-care, and the influence of a supportive family on a healthy lifestyle.
Resources
- Connect with Kristina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinazias
- Listen to Kristina on The Confident Collective podcast: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com/podcast
- Explore Kristina's brand, The Confident Collective: https://www.theconfidentcollective.com
- Hang with Kristina on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kristinazias
- Subscribe to Kristina's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvCQRLEY600MQzN29phPlkg
- Shop all the products Kristina mentions in the episode: https://alively.com/products/kristinazias
This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency:
https://www.zapods.com
Find the products, practices, and routines discussed on the Alively website:
https://alively.com/
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Transcript
Health and Motherhood: Setting an Example
00:00:00
Speaker
Health is your wealth. If you don't have your health, you have nothing. um So I kind of always just try to remind myself, like if I want to be a good mother, then I need to take care of myself. I need to be an example for my kids. What they eat is very important to me. like As a mom, like that is a big stressor daily. Is my kid eating well? Is my kid eating? If they don't see me eating well, why are they going to eat well? they were like I have to leave by example.
00:00:29
Speaker
This is the Home of Health SPAN Podcast, where we profile health and wellness role models, sharing their stories and the tools, practices, and routines they use to live a lively life.
Christina's Entrepreneurial Journey and Triathlon Training
00:00:43
Speaker
Christina, you are an entrepreneur, you're a community creator, you're an influencer, you are a creator, you're a mother of two, you're a parent. and But we met, I think what really resonated with me was you're now a soon to be triathlete as well. I don't even know where to start with you.
00:01:02
Speaker
Well, first of all, it's so nice being here. I know it's so crazy. I have my first race coming up. I just started training for it. I'm really, really excited before anyone thinks like I'm doing anything so crazy. It's a sprint triathlon. But honestly, for me, that's a big deal. So I cannot wait to do it.
00:01:19
Speaker
I mean, people hear sprint triathlon and they may jump like, oh, a sprint's like a 10 second 100 meter dash, but a sprint triathlon, it's it's more than an hour. Yeah, it's going to be long. It's going to be so good. I'm really excited for it.
Why Train for a Sprint Triathlon?
00:01:32
Speaker
So for those not familiar, can you take us through a sprint triathlon, something like 400 or 500 meters of swimming?
00:01:39
Speaker
Yeah. So I'm not actually sure the meters it's this one is a quarter mile swim. Okay. It's a 12 mile bike ride and then a 5k. So what is that? Like a three mile run? yeah Yeah. When I started training for this, honestly, like I couldn't even, I wasn't sure if I could run down the block. Um, so this is something really different for me. Yeah. And and what is it that,
00:02:03
Speaker
inspired you to do this, right? Like to do any one of those things could be somebody's goal for the year of like, hey, you know, I really want to build up so I can go do this kind of swim, right? I really want to build up to do this run, but you chose to do it all together. Yeah. So I think it was a couple of different things. One, I had two kids over the past three years. And so honestly, like my health and wellness and fitness have just taken a backseat to everything. Even if I wanted them to be a priority,
00:02:32
Speaker
I just haven't had the time. like just It's hard for me to make it a priority as a busy working mom. So I was like, I need a goal. I need something to work towards versus just being like, let's go to the gym five days a week. like No, what am I working towards? So I really wanted a goal. Second of all, my brother was like, hey, I'm thinking of doing this. He runs half marathons and now he's training for the New York City Marathon. And he was like, I want to do a sprint triathlon. And I was like,
00:02:57
Speaker
I'll do it. And I don't know why i I sometimes have this confidence in me, like, even though I've never done it, I was like, I could do it. Like, how hard could it be? So he was doing it. I was like, that's fine. I like a community aspect. I'm like, excited to have someone to do this with. And then I just moved across country.
00:03:14
Speaker
So I felt like this was a great way to meet new people, to train for something. And I just love being outdoors. And I was like, okay, like I haven't rode a bike since I was a kid, but I live in a beautiful new neighborhood. Like let me get on a bike. Let me explore my neighborhood through cycling. I love swimming. Let me run. So I don't know. It just seemed, and honestly, I think it just seemed fun. It was really fun to do.
00:03:37
Speaker
Yeah. And so with this, right? Cause it's three different disciplines and you're going out, what does your weekly routine look like? yeah How many of these do you have to touch on kind of each day or each week?
Balancing Training and Family Life
00:03:50
Speaker
I'm touching on all three each week and all in different ways. So I live on the East coast. It's still cold outside. So right now that is like for me looking at, I'm going to the gym five days a week. And I think each day I focus on weight training and then I'll choose a different cardio.
00:04:07
Speaker
each week or each day. So with, and then with one or two days off. So let's say today I'm, I'm going to the gym, I'll do my weight training routine and then I'll go and swim like 30 laps. Oh wow. Okay. Yeah. So I kind of, and honestly I'm really not following a strict training program right now cause I'm just getting into it. So for me right now it's mostly building a routine that works for me. So I stay disciplined and committed and yeah. And that works with my schedule.
00:04:36
Speaker
And is that something you've just come to naturally, right? Like some people go download a training program and then it can be like diets or anything. Once you slip off one day, like, Oh, now the whole thing's thrown out and you give up. Whereas you find somebody you say, Hey, this is what makes it sustainable and enjoyable for me. Let me stick with this.
00:04:59
Speaker
right and i have been one of those people before when it comes to working out or diets where it's like tuesday and like uh or it's wednesday in the week you went to the gym monday you skip tuesday so now it's wednesday you're like screw it i'll just start again on monday you know like i don't want i don't want to feel like that this feels sustainable for me and i am looking to specific plans and also looking to join some try clubs to join on there. Well, however, for me, like as I'm starting the race is still a couple months away. This is like a good way for me to get my body moving and prepared in a way that's sustainable for me and for my family life as well.
00:05:35
Speaker
that the consistent movement, I think is so important too, because i I mean, a lot of people, they'll set these kind of aspirations, and then they can overdo it and get injured. And then you're, you're further away than you started, you can't do anything. And that is something I'm always thinking about, because I did train for a half marathon several years ago. um And I went from running like zero miles ever to running like nine miles. And then I got shin splints and it was just, it wasn't enjoyable anymore. So I think that's really important is taking care of your body and nourishing it as you're starting a training journey.
00:06:15
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, it's it's the two sides, right? So it's listening to our bodies and there's there's a there's a good kind of soreness of growth. Yeah. And then there's a damaging pain of we've caused injury. And I think there's probably a similar on the mental side, which you've touched on as well, of there's a discomfort with pushing our comfort zone and growth versus a psychological pain where we're going past maybe and and really finding that sweet spot in both of those areas.
Workout Pains: Growth vs. Injury
00:06:50
Speaker
Yeah, totally. I mean, I know when I have a good weight training session, like I can't walk for two or three days afterwards. It feels so good. Like you know, that was great. So it's ah that is very different feeling than like the shin splits I had, you know? Yeah.
00:07:06
Speaker
Okay, so when you're training for these three different disciplines, plus you're you're doing the weight training in the gym in there, do you have any kind of go-to equipment or or clothing that you wear? Like you said, you hadn't ridden a bike since you were a child. did Did you have to go get a new bike? What would you do there?
00:07:23
Speaker
Yeah, I'm actually still shopping for a new bike right now because and that is something that I did not realize was such a complicated process. It's something that I'm taking seriously because I'm pretty sure that cycling is going to become a major hobby of mine. ah nice yeah I'm really excited about it. i'm like I just love being outdoors and this is something I know I'm going to love.
00:07:42
Speaker
Um, so I am still looking for a road bike. I actually have a fitting later on today for one. So I think that'll be really great. And honestly, right now I've just been cycling at the gym, but what I've, I found is the type of wardrobe that works for me. Um, so I actually, I've been wearing a lot of athletic. I love, and I live for their salutation tights. Like you need these.
00:08:06
Speaker
If you're a woman, like you need to get these. They are the perfect high rise. They have like pockets in the sides in case you need to put anything in them. They do not slip. I can run in them and I can bike in them and I can weight train in them. That's amazing. That's me right yeah amazing. um I have them in like probably six different colors. like I love them so much. um so That is kind of what I've been living in right now. In the tops, do you vary on the tops?
00:08:32
Speaker
I vary on the tops between like the type of discipline I'm training, um but there's the salutation and then there's the everyday sports bra that I love from them. And then I love their everyday tea because moisture wicking. So I just, it's so comfortable and it's actually like a really cute and aesthetic. like I can also wear it with a pair of jeans, honestly, afterwards if I want to as well. So we love something that has all the vibes, but is supportive and is what it needs to do as well.
00:09:02
Speaker
And do you have any go to shoes?
Training Gear: Comfort and Functionality
00:09:04
Speaker
do Can you do kind of the similar, this is my shoes for weight training plus running for plus until you get your clip-ons, I guess, for your bike. Yeah. So I just started running in hokas, which I'm trying out right now. I got a pair of hokas and then I got a pair of, um,
00:09:22
Speaker
socony I think I'm pronouncing that wrong. It's like, sicony socony I don't actually know i know what you're saying. Yeah. It's like a little nervous to say it. Um, I'm actually trying out those two running shoes that got finished for both of them because I realized what a difference it makes. I was running in a pair of APLs that I had that are, I use for weight training and I love them for weight training.
00:09:44
Speaker
terrible, terrible running shoe. They're heavier. They don't support my ankle as well. Um, so I can send you the links for the two that I got that I'm liking so far. And that's an important thing when you're going longer distances running and we're biking the lightness, you don't realize every single step you're carrying that extra weight. makes teeth Exactly. I don't need any more extra weight to carry. Like I'm good. Thank you. Flexers. And this one very, very personal to me because I grew up a swimmer.
00:10:13
Speaker
What's what are your go to swimsuit and then very importantly goggles? I literally had a text chain this morning with all the guys I swam with where we're talking about goggles this morning. I'm going to need you to send me your goggles actually, because I just had a pair of goggles. I forget the brand and they broke on me. And I am currently goggles now because of that. and But there's a high neck speedo that swimsuit that I've been wearing that I love. And then a high neck athletic one. And that is something I realized because when I first started this,
00:10:44
Speaker
I was just swimming in my high and compression one-piece swimsuits that I had. Awful. They were slowing me down. They weren't holding me in appropriately. Yeah. and it was really really It was ruining my swim. I would have to stop every single lap to like adjust my swimsuit. yeah Social swimsuits are not the same as competitive swimsuits. yeah all send yougoggles I have very different ones. you know When I was a competitive swimmer, we would wear these ones we call Swedes.
00:11:16
Speaker
did They come in this little plastic bag and you have to put them together, but they have no phone. It's just hard plastic on your eyes. And you know, they're like nine bucks. And that's what we would always do. And it was this kind of rite of passage. But then, you know, I was swimming in my third. He's like, these are uncomfortable. They hurt my eyes. Like, why am I doing this? how are you Why were you doing that?
00:11:35
Speaker
It was just a thing because you were so you know, like in the NFL, the guys that no matter how cold it is, refused to wear long sleeves. yeah I think I think there's something to it that like I don't get straps. Right. And they're so minimalist that I'm sure there's less drag. yeah the The technology out there on anti fog on all these other things. So I have if I'm doing open water, just fun swimming versus competitive swimming versus pool swimming. I have all different goggles. So I will i be sure to follow up.
00:12:05
Speaker
I really, I forget the exact brand that I was using. To be honest with you, they're like a pair that I order from Amazon, and but they broke and they were fogging up. And I know this sounds like so crazy, but the chlorine doesn't bother my eyes. So I was getting so frustrated with them fogging that I literally was ripping them off and just swimming. I was like, they were becoming such a distraction to me.
00:12:28
Speaker
So that's why I really think that like having a great pair of goggles that you can rely on just changes everything. Yeah. There's there's a company out of Denmark, I know the founder of Magic 5, where you use an app.
00:12:41
Speaker
to mold your face, and they create custom design. So it stops the leaking. You don't have to wear them as tight, very, very nice design, and not crazy expensive. And my other go-to friend racing open water, if you're thinking for the triathlon, I really like the Michael Phelps goggles. It can seem gimmicky, because it's Michael Phelps, et cetera, but I really like them. No, I try Michael Phelps. They're like, just tell me some goggles, if I'm being honest. I'm like, yeah, I can answer no goggles. You spent some time in the pool. Yeah.
00:13:09
Speaker
Yeah. So we've talked some on the the fitness side and and how you're moving. You know, what we try to do with our guests is talk through all five pillars of healthspan, you know, live a better life today, every day for all your days.
Nutrition for an Active Lifestyle
00:13:22
Speaker
And so I'm thinking as you're moving into this new way of training and moving your body,
00:13:28
Speaker
How do you think about fueling your body? how How have you had to change that and say, wow, you know I'm putting it maybe under more strain than I was before, especially having two children in three years. Things change. So how how are you thinking about that these days as you're training for this? and Well, the first thing that comes to mind is I literally have two of them right here is hydrating myself.
00:13:53
Speaker
I always have a water bottle on me at all times. I am always hydrating myself. I love my Stanley. and I love my Simple Modern. Like I think they're both so amazing. So no matter what, I always have one filled in with me. um I love Scratch. and Let's see, it's a Scratch Labs drink mix. There's the lemon lime um and that helps add more electrolytes to your water as well. How many of those would you do a day? So you always have one of those, is it always with a scratch in it or is there some with water in some? Well, it's just,
00:14:30
Speaker
water. Okay. But if I'm doing a run, yeah, or like a lot of swimming or, you know, like I have a long weight training, then I'll do that afterwards. Okay. Okay. Yeah, it's almost it. I mean, this back to the psychological side, does it become potentially like even a treat? of Like, Hey, let me get through this workout. And then I get, I get this kind of tasty lemon lime drink after Yeah, yeah, yeah, I guess it does in a way. yeah It feels like a reward because you kind of know that.
00:15:01
Speaker
you're having that for a purpose. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So then, so hydration sounds like is really big thing for you. And then as far as feeling my body, I eat a lot of protein. Okay. Um, so I think that's just, that's honestly probably like probably number one, um, for me is just making sure that I'm consuming as much protein as possible. And then I've also been starting this thing called carb cycling. Okay. Um, so on the days where I am doing more,
00:15:32
Speaker
weight training or cardio, I will consume more carbs and kind of study throughout the week. And on the protein, are there any particularly go-tos? Is it, is it mostly just animal protein? Mostly animal protein. routine Yeah. I will sometimes use, um, I forget, it's I think it's the ghost protein powder that I use. Okay. Yeah. The ghost protein powder, if I want to make a shake or have something quick, um, just to get like another meal in, because sometimes like it's hard on the go. And for me, I'd rather have a protein shake on the go than like get something that's not as nutritious. so
00:16:09
Speaker
It makes sense. Do you do any like the collagen peptides or anything? I don't do them right now. I have done them before. I like the vital proteins, collagen peptides, and I've had that. But I have to be honest, I haven't found that they made a big enough difference for me. um So i don't I'm not doing that right now. Do you do anything?
00:16:29
Speaker
I do, uh, cause I try to stay away from animal protein, but then because I swim and work out a lot, I'd need a lot of protein. So actually do two protein shakes a day. And then after tofu and edamame and everything, uh, on top of my salads, but yeah, it's, I'm always shopping and and trying different proteins to to see which one works.
00:16:52
Speaker
That's interesting. Sometimes I think about a high protein diet without animal protein and I feel like it can be really challenging. So you have to be creative and like really. Creative and deliberate. I mean, it's a thing I really kind of have to plan for of what is, whereas before I started doing this, it just happened, right? Like if you're eating enough meat, you're getting it in there. So I'm having to be more thoughtful on that.
00:17:15
Speaker
Do you do any kind of multivitamins or supplements or anything on top of what you
Supplements and Parenting Challenges
00:17:22
Speaker
eat? I do a daily multivitamin and then I do other vitamins that are more for, honestly, beauty. okay Like a hair vitamin. Yeah. Vitamins. Those are the neutrophil vitamins that I love. Yeah. Neutrophil. Okay. Yeah. How long have you been doing those? I started doing them after I had my baby if four months or five months after I had my baby. So,
00:17:45
Speaker
It'll be a year actually. Okay. Yeah. I mean your, your hair and skin look great. worthwhile Yeah. Yeah. Having met you in person, I know it's not just a screen. like i pay hear it's go thank you And then, okay, so we we talked about kind of fueling your body. What about recovering, right? You talked about you you do a tough wait session. It's hard to walk for a couple of days. Are there any specific activities you do in terms of stretching or recovering anything to to help on those tougher times?
00:18:16
Speaker
Sure. I love stretching. I actually also just joined a new gym because it has a sauna steam room, cold plunge, and jacuzzi. That sounds like a nice job. and mean Right. It's a nice gym. And I was like, you know what? Like I am really trying to work hard. Like I want that recovery. And I felt such a difference between going from oh a hard workout to a sauna.
00:18:35
Speaker
and then a cold plunge and I feel like that combo has helped me so much. I'm also obsessed with the steam room because I'm someone who struggles with allergies and I feel that helps clear my head, helps clear everything up here. So um that whole combination I think has really helped me with recovery, like a lot.
00:18:55
Speaker
Some people have a really hard time with this, but i one guy recommended it years ago, and it's been a life changer for me. Have you ever used a neti pod? I have, but I have not used it as often as I should for how congested I get.
00:19:14
Speaker
I use it. I used to use it morning and night every single day, oh but I would be sometimes go to the gym and be running in the morning and like yeah this is gross. So I can't do it. So I only will do it at night, but especially cause I would get really bad allergies i to and game changer, especially in, I don't get them as bad here, but when I was in New York, when I met you, I mean my, I would wake up and my eyes were puffy. If I'm not traveling with a neti pod. Yes.
00:19:41
Speaker
Anyone who's watching this right now, I literally don't even have eye makeup on because both of my eyes are tearing right now from the allergies. I'm goingnna i'm going to do that tonight. Influenced. I don't know if you met Taylor on our team when we were at the event, yeah but she was talking about it. That day, I ordered her and just sent them to her house. like Here's your 95. Here's your distilled water. ah you got to You got to start using this. so If you give me your address, I will be happy to send you all the things because it it is it's been a game changer for me. Well, I need to get that tonight for sure. So I've been doing those two. I also, um, use distilled water with the humidifier, which I think has helped me a little bit too. So those are kind of the things I use. And then, um, I will be honest with you. Like I feel like sleep is the number one thing you need for recovery. For sure. That is the one thing I'm lacking in my life is sleep. Well, it's hard. I mean, how how old are your children again? My children are three and 14 months and
00:20:37
Speaker
My three year old has woken us up every single night for the past six months. Like I'm not even kidding you. Like there's not been one night where we have slept through the night, but we're still, we're still making it happen. But that is challenging. But I have found a few things though, have helped me get a deeper sleep. Okay. One, I downloaded this app called app block, which blocks your, you can block anything on your phone and set it for different time.
00:21:04
Speaker
frame so for me, I blocked all of my social media from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. I found what was happening was my son would come wake us up, I'd get him back to bed, but then I was kind of up, so then I would like get on my phone, I'd like look on Twitter for a second, or I'd go to amazon or go to Instagram, and then I was up for an extra hour, or an hour and a half scrolling, and I was like, that cannot happen anymore. yeah So I got rid of that. Two, I'm obsessed with my Hatch sound machine.
00:21:34
Speaker
okay I don't. Oh my gosh. I love it. There's like a linen looking one that is so
Optimizing Sleep: Aids and Environment
00:21:40
Speaker
cute. It looks amazing on my nightstand. You can set it. It's an alarm clock. It's a sound machine. It has red light. So kind of has all these things where I love the red light. Yeah. I love the sound because I am someone who I need to hear something when I'm sleeping. So I love the sound machine. And then I love the alarm clock as well too. You can set it to all these different things like minor birds chirping.
00:22:03
Speaker
And like the little dim yellow light comes on and it's just a gentle But there are different settings. Like you can have someone like yell at you like, girl, get out of bed right now. There are all these different funny settings to it. um But I love that sound machine. Are you light sensitive? Do you do a sleep mask or anything like that? I am light sensitive, like but I don't do a sleep mask. And I think a lot of that is just because I love a sleep mask on a plane, um but I have blackout curtains. So I don't know yeah about stuff like that. Yeah. For me, it was a game changer. I didn't realize. So when I first went to law school, I was living in this kind of cheap rental and there was a street light right outside my window. And I didn't realize how poor my sleep was. I had really cheap blinds and just terrible, terrible. And someone said I was just bothering me. So I took aluminum foil.
00:23:00
Speaker
Put it over the window from the inside. And that night slept 13 hours. ah Wow. That light was keeping you up. Yeah. So the noise, I think, isn't as big a deal for me, though. I know I'll sleep with a wax earplugs, but the mask. And so I'm constantly testing masks and everything. And I do. I got it gifted at an event I went to. It's the one I swear by.
00:23:28
Speaker
um and couldn't find it anywhere and then found it, but you can only buy it in Europe. So I bought it and sent it to my in-laws and they brought it over. It's it's all silk with a little cutout for the nose and Velcro and it just wraps around your head. the There are a couple others. Manta makes some really nice ones that are more cooling. They pull it off your face so they have these eye cushions so it's not as hot. So I gift that one a lot.
00:23:51
Speaker
Yeah, so i if you have blackout curtains, it probably doesn't matter as much. you know our Our place in Atlanta, we have that, but if I'm traveling and everything, I don't. Yeah. but Have you ever used the just the silk? The slip ones, I mean the slip eye masks?
00:24:09
Speaker
What's a slip? i I don't slip is a brand. Oh, it's a brand. No, I don't think I have all silk eye mask, the silk guy low cases, silk hair ties. Um, I like your eye masks too. And then there's this brand Loonia. Okay. That's like this. It's not silk. It's this is like beautiful cotton and it feels so plush and it, I think it comes a little bit further.
00:24:31
Speaker
Okay. For your eyes. So I feel like it really does help block out the the light. Yeah. I love that when I'm traveling. Okay. I love to look at those too. And then sometimes I will take a gummy. like okay I love the Ollie gummies. I don't take them often because I hear you can like, it stops producing the melanin, the natural melanin. um So I will only take it if it's like I really need to sleep tonight. like And I freaking love those gummies. They're the Ollie Wellness sleep gummies. I don't feel like they make me groggy at all the next day. I feel like even if my son wakes me up, I can still go back to sleep pretty efficiently and get a good night's sleep. So if I'm desperate, I'll take those. That makes sense. What about, i you you have the blackout curtain. So you're thinking about your sleep environment. Do you have a particular bed, mattress, sheets kind of combination?
00:25:27
Speaker
Yeah. You know, I don't know what our mattress is, but I love it. And we got it at a store in LA. Like I feel like most people buy their mattresses online now. I'm like, how old school are we that we went mattress shopping in store? Um, but what I love about it, it's, it's definitely a little bit more firm. Um, and when we purchased it, they measured both my husband and I. It was definitely fit to us. And then for sheets, I love the parachute perical sheets.
00:25:57
Speaker
yeah Soft, I feel like they're cooling. um They just feel luxe. I love a luxe feeling sheep. If it's too scratchy, I don't want anything to do with it. When you just like curl in that bed and it feels plush on you, you're treating yourself and it feels great. When it feels like plush, silky, and cool, that's what I love. This is one area, I mean, when you talked about the the sleep as the number one thing for recovery and kind of The baseline rate some people say, you know, you're in your day with sleep Well in a lot of ways you start your day with your sleep yeah your day kicks off how you you go in people have a hard time spending some of the money on a mattress on sheets and then like Just do the math say you kept this for one year divide that price by 365 How much are you paying for each night's sleep and how much would you pay for a good night's sleep? So this $10 a night this $20 do the math you're worth it
00:26:52
Speaker
which I think is a really important thing. No, I think that's a great point. I think that maybe a lot of people will focus on a good mattress, but I don't think anyone or a lot of people don't think about their sheets. I don't think that, I think people are like, eh, like what's the difference between sheets I can get from Target or sheets I can get from, I don't know, maybe a more luxury betting as retailer. But I think there is a big difference. And I also don't think all sheets are created equal. And I think everyone has their own preference, honestly. Like it's kind of like trial and error. You have to see what works best for you. One thing I kind of wanted to move on to that you touched on a little bit in a lot of different ways is
00:27:33
Speaker
how you manage your mindset and the
Self-Care and Parenting: A Balancing Act
00:27:36
Speaker
stress management. So one one example was the the gummies was saying, Hey, I don't want to use them all the time, but I'm not going to be prescriptive that I'm not going to allow myself, right? Like if I need it, I know when to take it, or with the sheets, Hey, I need to be worth it to to take care of what I need to have a good night's sleep. How have you come to that over the course of your life?
00:28:00
Speaker
and especially having two children and trying to carve out that life for yourself too. right so So many times we get in a relationship or we have children, we can start to lose a lot of ourselves in service to others. How how how have you been able to navigate to really maintain that and and thrive the the way you do?
00:28:25
Speaker
I mean, I think it's really challenging, honestly. And I don't necessarily think I have all the answers or that I'm doing a great job at it. I will say I have a great partner who's super supportive. So I think that him continuously encouraging me to, you know, like chase my career, chase my dreams, make time for me is probably the number one, and because I don't you actually i I kind of do always feel guilty making time for me taking time for me but if that just comes in it's not like I have an outside voice making me feel guilty as well and to like literally health is your wealth like if you don't have your health you have nothing um so I kind of always just try to remind myself like if I want to be a good mother then I need to take care of myself like I need to be an example
00:29:13
Speaker
for my kids. like why if i'm trying to ah what What they eat is very important to me. like As a mom, like if you're that is a big stressor daily. Is my kid eating well? Is my kid eating? If they don't see me eating well, why are in why are they going to eat well? they're like I have to leave by example. So I think that's probably the number one thing.
00:29:37
Speaker
and Yeah, I think that's the number one thing is honestly like my kids helping me make those choices because I want to be a good example for them. It's it's true in so many ways. they They said a friend when I first had my child, the friend said, kids won't always do what you say, but they will do what you do. her And I mean, there was one example you gave with the the quality of the food, you put it like, hey, if I'm eating well, I'm modeling this. And then there's another piece of
00:30:09
Speaker
prioritizing your health and yourself as a person because you talked about i the guilt you can feel when you're prioritizing yourself and it's not from your partner.
00:30:21
Speaker
But it it can come from the society we got raised in, right? So if if your children are growing up in an environment where they see parents sacrificing everything for them, then that's their model when they get older and they feel like, wait, do I have to sacrifice everything as soon as I have kids? And I lose my identity and I do
Finding Joy and Involving Kids in Life
00:30:38
Speaker
this. So that that need to model not just healthy food habits, but healthy day-to-day living habits,
00:30:47
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I think that's super important. And I'm also someone that wants to model having a fun lifestyle, like, yeah, fun. I sometimes I feel like a kid, but like, I want to have fun. Like, I like to have fun. And that doesn't mean that can mean him a bunch of different things. But like, when my kids come home from school, I'm like,
00:31:08
Speaker
Let's have fun. We live on the water. Let's like go for a cool walk. like left I'm always like, let's go outside. I put them in their little car. I'm like, let's go drive down the block. like Let's paint. I set up easels. My son loves to paint. And i'm like that, for me, is relaxing, but also fun for him. like I love seeing him be creative. So I think, for me, it's trying to do as much as I can to continuously like live a happy lifestyle for me, but also show my kids that like little things could be exciting. Yeah. Like every single time it rains, it's like, Oh, so easy to be like, Oh my gosh, it's freaking raining again. Like this weather sucks. But I'm like, okay, it's raining. Like let's go out and like plain the rain or like as soon as the rain stops, like, Oh my gosh, you look at all the worms everywhere. Like get your binoculars, get your, get your camera. Let's go for an adventure walk. And that's
00:32:01
Speaker
kind of the way I like to live my life. And that lens, like almost romanticizing your life and romanticizing the little things and something that I'm trying to teach them as well. That's amazing. Yeah. Finding the the space for awe that is always around us if if we don't slip into cynicism or slip into the mundanity of, oh, I've seen this a million times. right You've seen it a million times, but also have you even seen it once? but Have you looked at it with fresh eyes? Young children can be amazing for that.
00:32:37
Speaker
The first time they see the leaves change, I remember going for a walk with my daughter when she was young, and the leaves are changing color. And she would want to stop and pick up each one and look at it. And you know one side of me is like, oh my god, we're never going to get to them to the end of this walk. This has taken forever. The other side is saying, wait, this actually is really beautiful. ah Maybe I should just slow down right and appreciate how incredible this color. I may have never seen, truly seen this color before.
00:33:07
Speaker
Maybe we can enjoy that. Yeah.
Structuring Time for Balance
00:33:10
Speaker
um How with everything you do, right? You're recording podcasts, you have business, you have your children, you're training for a triathlon, you go out to have fun. How do you craft your your day, your week, your month to to get all that in, to know how to get it in? It seems like so much from the outside looking in, right? Yeah, I think that I've really struggled with this for a while and what I found what was happening was that like I was on 24-7. On 24-7 I never had a chance to have any downtime and now I have really started to block times in my schedule for certain things. so like for instance
00:33:57
Speaker
Mondays are my content days. I'm trying to shoot as much content as possible on Mondays. Tuesdays are my podcast and confident collective days. So on Tuesdays, that's when we're doing our recordings. That's when we're having confident collective meetings. That's when we're doing everything there. um Wednesday what can be a personal day. So if I have any like doctor's appointments or Anything else like for instance going to get fitted for a bike. Yeah Wednesday Thursday's call so I'm really trying to structure my week and it doesn't always happen like that because a lot of times people will be like Can you actually take a call on Friday? And then of course I'm like, yeah, you know what I mean? I'm trying my best to structure my day like that as much as possible and then I pretty much try and structure my day as well. So I I wake up early and try and get as much done as possible before the kids wake up. And then by like 1.30, like I am someone who will work from like 5.30 to 1.30.
00:34:59
Speaker
Like I'm more creative in the morning, trying to do all my emails and stuff in the morning. That's how the day works for me because then I know if my kid gets home from school, like I want to be there. yeah I want to be able to play. I want to do the fun things. And then I actually, that gym that we joined, the reason my husband and I joined this gym is because they also have amazing and children's programs. So now we'll bring our kids with us. ah My son does yoga and he does arts.
00:35:26
Speaker
there. And it's so fun. And he's actually like getting excited to go to the gym too. um And you'll be like, Yeah, I did yoga, I did this art class. So trying to include them as much as possible in my life and then lock out my schedule. So from morning till my son comes home from school, it's like, go, go, go, go, go. And that I can just be a mom and have fun.
00:35:49
Speaker
I really liked that approach. So, I mean, being clear on the days and then the buckets of time, because you seem like someone that could be presented with lots of opportunities. the And so knowing if I'm saying yes to this, it's coming into this block and then it makes it clear the trade-off you're having to make, saying, okay, is that a higher priority than this thing I'm giving up?
00:36:16
Speaker
Right. Yeah. Any structure? That's hard. And honestly, I really had to start saying no to a lot more
The Power of Saying No
00:36:21
Speaker
things too. Yeah. um Like I just got invited. I wanted to go on this trip so badly with this brand. I was so excited for it. Got asked to go on it, pitched myself for, got asked to it. And then I really had to like, wait a minute, look at my schedule and be like, if I go on this trip, which will be fun,
00:36:40
Speaker
Is it worth my time because of all the other things I have? Because if I go on this trip, as much as I want to go on it, I will then sacrifice this business opportunity that I've been building for so long for this event I'm having. I will also sacrifice four days away from my family.
00:36:58
Speaker
And I had to end up saying no. And I'm like, still, I have FOMO for it from it. And it hasn't even happened yet. And I'm like, oh, I saw so many days. I'm like, I'm like, oh, my gosh, I tell them, no, actually, I can't come again. But no, I really can't. like i And having to say no to certain things has been difficult for me because I think that for the first, honestly, 10 years of my career, I said yes to everything.
00:37:21
Speaker
a I literally worked for seven years on my my career now, which was my side hustle, without getting paid for seven years. I pursued it in so many different ways because I really just wanted to make this happen. I couldn't figure out how to monetize it. and I did so many things to get me here that I'm just so used to being like, yes, every opportunity will lead you somewhere. and I really still believe that. like I am very much a yes person, but now I'm starting to realize like not every opportunity
00:37:55
Speaker
has the same weight. um So it's been difficult for me to try and balance my ambition in my career and my ambition to be a great mother and be home with my family as well. It's a really powerful point. Have you always felt that sense of agency? you know I talk to a lot of people and they can express the times things are happening to them. Life is happening to them. This this terrible thing's happening or this difficult thing where, or I don't have, that's great you do this. I don't have time to go to the gym. I don't have time to sleep this amount. I don't have time for these things. The reality is you have 24 hours. I have 24 hours. They have 24 hours and we're making decisions
00:38:45
Speaker
of what we find more important than something else in allocating that time. And so you're saying, hey, it's not that I don't have time to sleep, it's saying, I find, maybe it's social media, maybe it's Netflix, more important than that sleep. I've decided that I'm gonna prioritize that over. and And you, with these opportunities, and instead of saying, oh God, it's so sad, I can't do this, you're saying, hey, I,
00:39:11
Speaker
have the decision of, is this more important than this? And it's it's not an easy decision, but it's me making it versus circumstances putting that on me. is that Have you always had that or is that something you've come to? It's something I've come to. It's something I've come to. um Yeah, I haven't always had that because I honestly feel like up until this point, I tried to make everything work.
00:39:42
Speaker
I really tried to make everything work. And now, yeah, this is honestly new for me being like, I'm sorry, like I can't do that. And and I think i what I've learned is that because in my career as a content creator and influencer, you're working with brands all the time, there's all this opportunity to go to events and have face-to-face time and go on cool trips and like go to cool parties.
00:40:10
Speaker
And I think that scene is really important, right? Like I think networking face-to-face with people is so valuable, like you, that's so important. However, the more time you spend out, the less time you're spending in working, working on your craft or your content. and So I guess for me, I've realized that as much as I would love to have it all and do it all, like I just, I physically can, like it's not realistic anymore.
00:40:40
Speaker
yeah Um, so it's just, I think I've had to really have to take a hard look on like priorities and what they are.
Career vs. Personal Life: Confidence in Decisions
00:40:48
Speaker
And for me, having a successful career is very important. However, like being home with my kids and my husband and having a successful home life is more important to me because if I don't have a successful home life, I can't have a successful career. Like there's no point. Yeah. What was it for?
00:41:09
Speaker
yeah, what's it for, you know, and that's hard. And I kind of, it's been, that's been hard to admit, you know, and hard to deal with, but I've had to make certain sacrifices recently because of that. But I have realized that my home life, I value more than I realize I'm valuing my home life more.
00:41:32
Speaker
Yeah. And I think it's okay to say that. And also like, honestly, like I think I used to value sometimes like my friendships more or like my social scene more. And now I'm like, no, I don't want to do that. Like I, and I found power and confidence in saying no and not feeling bad about my decision to say no. Not only is it okay to say that,
00:41:55
Speaker
But I think it's okay to say the opposite of that. And it's okay to say in three years or five years or 10 years, something different than that. Because there's there's not a right answer. There's your right answer at a point in time. right And you only you get to decide that. No one else is even thinking about that for you. And they're never going to prioritize what you want because they're not you.
00:42:20
Speaker
Right, and it's also hard for people to know what you're thinking or what's going on in your life unless you tell them. yeah And it's also hard, and I wonder if men feel like this as as much as women do, but a lot of women, like we wanna be included, right? We wanna be invited to all the things.
00:42:36
Speaker
So it's hard when you want to be included, but then you maybe don't necessarily want to do it all. right great But still, please invite me. like right if If I turn you down, no, it's like not a personal thing. It's just, I can't do it right now. But what I've also realized is,
00:42:55
Speaker
People don't care, people understand. And everyone is, if you have good people in your life, they're growing with you. And they'll still be there once you get through this next phase.
00:43:09
Speaker
Speaking of the people being there and and around you, you know the the fifth pillar that I think doesn't get the attention it necessarily deserves is that social connection and purpose. sure and I mean, this is something you're you're incredibly strong with. right You have a purpose.
Community and Persistence
00:43:26
Speaker
You were doing this for seven years before you monetize it, as you said, ah in terms of social connection right with the Confident Collective, with what you're building and creating. This is very much what you do. Can you say a little bit about that That purpose, what was it that was getting you for seven years to put the time and energy into this to to get to where you are? Well, I think I just believe in myself and persistence and I believe in community. I honestly really think if you don't have a community, you don't have anything. I think at least for me, like being around other people truly brings me joy. It makes me happy. I feel like
00:44:07
Speaker
When I look at, I'm from Greece, that's where my family's from. And when I look and go back to Greece, I'm from ah an island called Limnos in a tiny village called Platy. And you look at the Platy, which is the town square, the village square, and there's all the old people sitting there together, talking, chatting, having their coffees. These are people in their 90s, hundreds, like, we,
00:44:32
Speaker
are still going out every single day and having this social connection. And if it wasn't for that community, like would they even be there? I think community is what makes you thrive. It's what what keeps you sharp. It's what keeps you happy and joyful. And that's just something I've always been like hyper aware. And I just honestly like love being a part of a community and I love having people around. And when I was in I was like, in seventh grade, my family went to Turks and Caicos on a vacation. And we met this Italian family out of Milan. And they become our best family, for instance. And we see on like, multiple times a year, um when I was 18, my family sent me there for my graduation, I stayed with them, their son came and stayed with my parents. And they
00:45:27
Speaker
are masters of friendship. they have They have friends all over the world. Their community is something that I strive for. And I think I modeled my life and what I want my friendship to look like after them, um or at least I'm trying to. They just seem to have such a beautiful, fulfilled life because I think that's something they've really focused on is their friendships.
00:45:51
Speaker
It's a huge point in that, I mean, one, like the in Lemnos and in the square and everything, you're saying with the blue zones, that that social connection, the being part of the community. um And then two, they've crafted their life. It's not a passive thing. You have to prioritize and work at it.
00:46:09
Speaker
Yeah. And the other thing I think that really jumped out to me with you is people talk about communities and they can have online communities and you certainly do, but you do in-person events, right?
The Value of In-Person Connections
00:46:20
Speaker
Like you, you bring these people together. So it's not just this theoretical community. It's, we know each other. We meet each other. We can engage at this different level when we see each other in person. Oh yeah. I think, I think in-person events in person in person,
00:46:35
Speaker
connection is so important. I think we're in an epidemic of loneliness in this country. And there's nothing like face-to-face interaction. For my brand, we actually have four events planned for the year. They're all a little bit different. and They're around the country. And i'm just so excited to I'm genuinely so excited to meet people and bring people together. And I just moved from Los Angeles to New Jersey. I'm in a new town.
00:47:01
Speaker
and I honestly feel like I can't help myself. like i'm Every single week I have like a new play date with a new mom in town. like I was just at this coffee shop and they have a cute little back area and I was like, hey, do you throw vents in here? Because I was like, it'd be really cool to have a mom's of our town networking event here for everyone to get together and meet like we all live in this town we have young kids like let's all meet each other and be friends and they're like no sorry we can't do events here I was like okay but like I'm literally just having a coffee and this is where my brain is going I'm like this would be a great way to get people together
00:47:37
Speaker
so How do they say no to that? How do they say, hey, I want to drive a ton of foot traffic to your business. for people so They said they tried the town won't allow it. And I was like, so that's where I was like, could we kind of talk to? I was like, I feel like that's ridiculous. um But that they wanted to. I know. but I think it's just honestly like instinctual for me. like I just like being around people.
00:48:02
Speaker
um And i I do work hard to craft that because I think it is easy just to like sit home and it's hard to put yourself out there. It's hard to put yourself out there and I do it and and I really make a point. i I really make a point to reach out to someone new all the time to continuously, not necessarily network, but just meet new people and try and build a foundation and the community for myself.
00:48:32
Speaker
I think this is a really important point in that you know your purpose is this community building, community engagement. and it Just because that's your purpose doesn't make it easy or comfortable. It can still be uncomfortable, but it makes the reward worth it, and so you go
Building Community Through Events
00:48:48
Speaker
pursue it. who and For other people listening, that may not be your purpose. You may have a different purpose that drives you But don't assume if it's not easy that it's not your purpose. Or it's not fulfilling. Yeah. Sometimes that can make it more rewarding. but It was the effort that led to that in the end, maybe like this triathlon. It's the work you're putting in to say,
00:49:12
Speaker
man, yeah, that each day it hurts. And after man, I'm going to be exhausted. But man, it feels so good. It's like the the IKEA effect, you know, when they say if you build something, you just appreciate it so much more than if you just bought it off the shelf. And so if you're building this life, you're building this community, you're building this body that can go do a ah sprint triathlon, then you appreciate it at a different level. Yeah, I agree with that 100%.
00:49:39
Speaker
Well, Christina, this has been so fun. It was great seeing you. You've referenced the the four in-person events this year. Anyone listening, having had the pleasure of meeting Christina in person, I would not recommend any more highly. Please go to one of these events, if not more. Meet Christina, and I'm sure the community she's building, people that resonate with her, must be amazing people as well. Anything you want to share before we sign off, where people can find you, we'll certainly put it in the show notes as well.
00:50:08
Speaker
You can find me across my social channels at ChristinaZias, it's with the K-A-K-R-I-S-T-I-N-A, Z-I-A-S, and then follow The Confident Collective, that's my podcast, that's my brand, and we also just launched a Patreon, which I'm really excited for because we have our four monthly podcasts, but then we we're doing four additional podcasts on there every single month.
00:50:32
Speaker
And what I love about it is just a greater way to have access to me and to my business partner and for us to talk to our community. So I'm really excited for that. And there you can find out all of our events as well. Wonderful. Thank you so much, Christina. Thank you, Andrew. Thank you for joining us on today's episode of the Home of Health Fan podcast. And remember, you can always find the products, practices, and routines mentioned by today's guests, as well as many other healthspan role models on the lively.com. Enjoy a lively day.