20 things you may not know about Karina
1. I love chocolate and eat it daily - usually in the evening. I just find I need a sweet hit by the end of the day! Sometimes it’s a little and sometimes it’s more and that’s OK!
2. I’m too much of a “yes mum”… my kids have it too good and I need to work on getting my kids to do more for themselves. My current goal is to get them to tidy up after themselves more - ie clear their dinner plates and put them in the dishwasher.
3. I hate scales and wish they never existed - I hate defining ourselves by a number. I hate counting calories and would never recommend it. I have a very different philosophy - one which is much more mindful and holistic
4. I’m a huuuuuuuge huge animal lover - I donate to at least 2 animal charities every month helping to reduce cruelty and give animals a voice. I’m obsessed with dogs. I recently lost Austi, my beautiful dog who loved me unconditionally. I honestly don’t know if I will ever feel the same way about another dog. We are blessed to still have his sister and she is certainly getting lots of cuddles… but I miss my little furry soul mate, my keeper…. so much.
5. If you get to know me, you realise that I don’t judge other parents and how they feed their children: People often come to see me in clinic worried that I will judge what their kids eat or how they feed their kids. I’m a mum, I get it… there is never judgement.. only empathy and support.
6. I check doors to make sure they are locked - I’ve done if for years…. and accept it as part of my personality for better or worse!!
7. My kids eat treats too….and as they get older, I find it more difficult to stick to the healthy muffins, bliss balls… as they know everything that’s out there. I love baking and do spend a bit of time with my head in the oven… but am having to add a bit more sugar/chocolate to recipes these days to increase acceptance! I still think my home cooked options are healthier than those in packages.
8. I’m not the “food police” by any stretch of the imagination! As a children’s dietitian/nutritionist many people have told me that they were worried about bringing junk food to my house or to a play date… but when people get to know me, they realise that I don’t judge. They soon stop feeling worried about feeling judged - because they know that we are the same!
9. I get dinner fatigue too - 100%… I find exhausting every day to have to think about what I’m going to cook for dinner that night…. and then go through the options that I know the family might like/eat that work for the family. Most of the time, we eat well, but there are certainly patches when we increase our intake of take away or convenience foods too…. when that happens, I just try to throw some chopped vegies on the table to compliment it!
10. I am semi-vegetarian…...as I struggle with the inhumane treatment of animals in the meat industry. We do eat organic chicken, fish sometimes and I do buy organic red meat for the kids and hubby sometimes.
11. The older I get, the less I worry about what people think of me and seek confidence in knowing I’m trying to be the best person I can be and also the best role model for my kids - I’m certainly not perfect, but who is!
12. I really wish we could strip life back sometimes and keep life simple… so we could truly focussed on what’s important…. instead of all the social media and technology “noise” that gets in the way. I think we would all benefit from “sitting in the silence” more….because it’s when do this, that we really start to listen to ourselves.. and others. As you can tell, I really value mindfulness and I wish I was more mindful myself.. I’m working on it. I’m blessed to have spent time with an amazing yogi who has taught me a lot over the years. He peacefully resides amongst nature in a beautiful part of South Australia..
13. I want to start swimming in the ocean more - I know that it will be amazing for me… I just have to buy the wetsuit and start doing it. Whilst it may sound like a simple short swim to some… my goal is to one day swim the Shelly Beach-Manly route.
14. My favourite colour is green and my favourite number is 4!
15. I exercise to how my body feels. Sometimes it’s more, sometimes it’s less. On average, I try to aim for a 5km run every 1-2 weeks and I aim for 1-2 yoga sessions a week.
16. I stuff around at night and don’t get to bed early enough- when the kids are finally in bed and I get some “me time”, I find myself mindlessly scrolling on my phone, or pottering around, when instead I should just hit the sack!!!! I know this isn’t serving me and it’s a habit I need to change… work in progress right?
17. I used to be a tennis coach - I think that’s where my love for working with children started. I learnt everything I knew from my brilliant tennis coach which I was lucky to spend time with weekly for about 9 years. growing up. A bit of trivia - he also coached a fellow Australian world number 1 tennis player with the surname Hewitt.
18. I like red wine in winter and a nice crisp white wine in summer - the best glass for me is the one when I’m preparing dinner.. There are few wines better than a good South Australian wine! I don’t like to drink after I’ve finished my meal.. my taste buds change…..ready for sweets!
19. I try my hardest to love my body in front of my daughter, use positive language and display a healthy relationship with food..….as I know that I’m up against a big fight with social medial and all the other negative influences on body image that exist these days for our young girls.
20. I wish I gardened more. My mum is an avid gardener… and I think I’ve developed her green thumb… but I don’t really get in the garden at all these days. Something that I hope to do more of in the future… one day!!