I am a huge fan of Elle Fit Active, and I am very excited to be sharing this interview with Elle herself on The Nutritionista. I mean if you are into yoga then you NEED to check out her Instagram page and her Get Bendy guides! Elle is a yoga lover who is taking the digital world by storm! Not only that but Elle is a lovely down to earth girl who was kind enough to take a minute out of her hectic schedule to chat to The Nutritionista about how she started Elle Fit Active, where her love of yoga began, her favourite healthy eating spots and some top tips for stretching. I hope you enjoy what she has to say :)

1. Can you tell us a little about yourself, Elle Fit Active and Get Bendy?

My name is Elle, I’m 23, in my final year of Law at university, an entrepreneur and boss at Elle Fit Active. Elle Fit Active sprouted from my elle_fit Instagram where I have been posting my self taught yoga journey for about 18 months. People were interested in how I improved my flexibility which is how my Get Bendy stretching guide was born. It provides a bunch of stretches and handy tips to work on overall flexibility.

2. When did your love for yoga begin?

I made a New Years resolution in 2013 to practice yoga daily, then I guess I got hooked.

3. Has health and wellness always played a part in your life?

I’ve always been very active, my sister and I did a lot of swimming, running and athletics as kids. I kept the running up when I left school but the health side of things slipped quite a bit. Living out of home with no idea how to cook wasn’t the best combo. I ended up with chronic fatigue and a number of health problems. At the beginning of last year I reached a point where I was sick of dealing with symptoms that couldn’t be fixed by my GP so I decided to figure out the cause. It’s a long and bumpy road to figuring it out but I’m feeling 10x better than I was. I have still have a few things I need to improve on but being able to survive a full day without needing a nap (or 3) is SO refreshing!

4. Can you describe a typical day in the life of Elle?

Every week I have something new and different but a relatively normal day begins with a healthy breakfast, usually a green smoothie and some muesli, stretching and yoga, writing my to do list for the day, emailing (but forever catching up), sending out Get Bendy posters, uploading on Instagram, uni work, spending time with family and Klaus (my Leonberger/ bear), some sort of outdoor activity, making dinner with the family and sitting down to enjoy it, + some more work after dinner. At the moment my days are pretty jam-packed. I will be finished my Law degree hopefully by February 2015 so until then I’m just juggling work and chill time the best I can :D.

5. Apart from yoga is there any other forms of exercise you like doing?

At the moment I love surfing. I also like to mix it up with body weight exercises, which I sometimes upload on Instagram, I might head to the gym about once a week, take Klaus for a walk, or go for a run with a friend. I don’t have a strict routine at all, I just love being active.

6. What’s your favourite recipe?

Haha wellll, I have recently started a little blog on my website called Elle Kooks (I am an absolutely kook in the kitchen and the blog is all about me learning to cook). Everything is super basic at the moment so I’m not sure what my favourite recipe is. I recently got a Vitamix so I have a slight obsession with blending everything. Anything with few ingredients but lots of flavour is a tick for me.

7. Can you describe what you typically eat in a day?

I have a number of food intolerances so my diet is basically gluten, dairy and yeast free, which can be challenging but has put me on a good path to healthy eating. I take it as a blessing in disguise as I’m almost forced to eat well – unprocessed whole foods and lots of water!

8. What are your favourite eating spots?

I only moved to the Sunshine Coast at the beginning of this year so I’m still sussing out places to go. Bistro C in Noosa is delish (but that’s definitely a treat)! I have recently discovered Get Fresh in Cotton Tree which is a cool little café with a small healthy supermarket attached, lots of yummy GF options and super friendly staff. Gluten Free For Me in Cotton Tree is also great for times I’m craving normal food like lasagna or eggs benedict. Everything there is GF so it’s a nice place to go when I don’t have to worry about what I order, also another really lovely bunch of people.

9. Do you have any advice for young career women who want to lead a healthy lifestyle?

Someone on Instagram introduced me to Bullet Journaling, which has seen me organise and prioritise my life. I am a to do list addict so it works really well for me. Having a checklist every day makes me at least 99x more productive. I include everything on it – reminders to drink water, be active and it’s a way for me to get through jobs quickly and efficiently. Nothing beats the satisfaction of ticking or scribbling something off a list! I recently read The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris and that was a great read, especially for someone like me who is running an online business. My best advice would be to dive into your dream but don’t forget to look after yourself. Your health should be your number one priority! Taking time for yourself away from technology is SUPER important. Be kind to yourself :)

10. Finally do you have any top tips for stretching?

Do a little bit each day. Even if it’s just a few stretches in the morning or a quick 10mins before you go to bed. Flexibility requires persistence and consistency. It’s also a gentle and relaxing way to connect with your body and relieve stress. I found setting goals for certain poses really motivating. Stretching can be tedious but if you’re working towards something like a headstand, backbend or even the splits you’re more likely to make time for it. Stretching for me isn’t a chore anymore because I have so much fun learning new things and seeing what my body is capable of.

Check out Elles Get Bendy Guides here oh and her instagram page for some serious yoga envy…….dont say I didn’t warn you!