Meet Alyse Co-cliff, Model, Holistic Health Coach, Speaker, Blogger and founder of An Apple a Day Holistic Health.
About Alyse…
Despite what you might think, Alyse isn’t your typical health nut; her approach to health is refreshingly simple, extremely effective and highly contagious: no diets, no fads and absolutely no BS.
Alyse knows how to have fun and enjoy whilst maintaining that all-important balance. Her zest for life and passion for health and wellbeing is contagious.
“For far too long, we have been lead to believe that ‘great health’ is a matter of trading all those things we love in life, for carrot sticks, stomach crunches and sweat bands. I want everyone to understand that this is simply not the case. I want to empower people to take back control of their health and create a healthy lifestyle they enjoy. Because if we don’t have happiness, what chance do we really have of maintaining it?”
Through her live events, recipe collections, coaching clients and online community, Alyse is beginning to change our understanding of what it really means to be healthy.
Share your top 3 tips for optimal health and wellbeing…
I can never do this in 3!
- Eat real food. As a model working on the international stage, I spent so long trying to avoid this concept – I was always looking for the lowest calorie alternatives. What I didn’t realise at the time was, that by putting these “faux foods” into my mouth, I was only feeding my body substances it wouldn’t recognise and hence, I was causing all kinds of problems like weight gain, inflammation and digestion issues. Since switching to nothing but real foods, my health has come leaps and bounds.
- Drink more water – Before I kick-started my real food journey, I (like so many other people) I suffered from dry skin and lips even when I used the best moisturisers on the market. What I didn’t realise was that these were signs of dehydration! Since then, I increased my water intake and haven’t once used a moisturizer or body lotion. Water is essential to our survival and most of us don’t get enough! By opting for clean, filtered water we avoid nasty chemicals like that of fluoride and chlorine that can damage our health and even slow our metabolism.
- Move with love. Choose happiness – This is the biggest lesson I have learnt. Don’t force yourself to move daily, move with love. Choose the activities you love to do rather than those that are going to test your commitment. I used to hate the gym and would force myself to travel there daily; it wasn’t until I realized that I was putting myself under so much unnecessary stress (and guilt when I didn’t make it) that it was doing more harm than good. I now switch up my routine daily; I love to run outdoors, hike, bike ride and practice yoga and Pilates. I am also dabbling in a bit of kickboxing! Trust me when I tell you that each and every one of these activities beats the treadmill 10 fold!
- Listen to your body – this is the most important thing. Too often we get caught up in the latest fitness craze or food fad and we completely disregard how we are really feeling. Everyone is different; no two bodies are the same, what is good for you, might not be good for the next person. Your body is your biggest teacher and when you stop and listen, that is when you will really achieve optimal health and wellbeing.
Share your song, mantra or affirmation that you live by…
“Everything happens for a reason” – I honesty believe there has never been a truer word spoken. I find this saying incredibly empowering, even when you feel like nothing is going your way.
Share your favorite foodie moment…
I have had so many amazing ‘foodie moments’ and each one of these experiences happens when I travel.
I think any moment where the food is prepared with love; it creates a special moment that you will remember forever.
One such experience was on our recent trip to Turkey; here we were invited to a traditional Turkish feast by one of the local families. The family’s gorgeous grandmother prepared the entire feast by hand, the food was incredible and the experience was unforgettable.
Share your signature trait, the weird and the wonderful are welcome…
I love to learn! I am always researching, listening, reading and expanding my knowledge base and I absorb facts like a sponge. I’m often one of those people at a party that is full of both useful and completely useless information 🙂
Share your favorite most delish recipe with all of us…
Choc Chia Zucchini Bread! This loaf would have to be my most popular. It uses zucchini instead of flour and is gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free AKA Paleo! It’s incredibly moist and full of magnesium rich chocolaty goodness. It also contains the nutritious chia seed, for added fibre and omega 3’s. Due to the fact that his recipe doesn’t contain any raising agents, it does remain relatively flat however, this does not affect the delicious flavour! This recipe (alongside many others), can be found in my Health, Happiness and Wholefoods recipe collection.
Sending hugs and high fives to Alyse and you can get her delish Paleo Choc Chia Zucchini Bread right here!