written by ERICA DICK. November 20th, 2020
Katerina Mangini is a student at the University of Texas, Austin studying dietetics. She is also in training to become a Health Coach through the Institution of Integrative Nutrition in New York City. You can find her on insta (@katerinamhealth) and Tik Tok (@katerinamangini) sharing wellness tips and recipes. Read our Q&A with Kat below.
- How did you get into health and wellness?
My mom is actually a health and wellness educator (and she went to culinary school), so I grew up knowing a ton about nutrition and cooking…Around middle school and high school was when I started noticing more and more insecurities about myself, which really negatively affected me. In high school I would workout to earn my food, I would try to skip meals to be “skinny,” I would do crazy detoxes or diets right before dances or beach vacations…. I hit my heaviest weight + highest level of unhappiness/discomfort in my body around senior year of high school but never really wanted to put the effort in to feel my best internally.
When I came to college I hit a super low point mentally and my anxiety was definitely at its peak. At a certain point I just got extremely tired of feeling so shitty, so I started learning about exercise and nutrition and I began experimenting with what foods/movement worked well for my body. Health is a lifelong journey with lots of ups and downs, but when I started looking at nutrition and exercise as things that would help me internally over the long term…I honestly have never been more confident in my body and felt as good health-wise.
2. Do you have a motto/mantra that you like?
Honestly I have a few, but I would say my favorite ones are:
- Food is fuel
- Look at things from the other person’s perspective
- Be kind to yourself
- Live in the moment, life is too short to focus on the past or future!
3. What’s your fave way to be active?
I absolutely love walking – I actually have such a hard time sleeping at night if I don’t get a good amount of walking in during the day (my legs get super restless). So, I really like hiking and/or super organic movement like walking around New York or on campus. As for specific workouts, I love Orange Theory, yoga and pilates!
4. Do you have a workout clothing brand you’re loving right now?
I am a die-hard fan of SETactive workout sets! I honestly have like 10 sets and live in them every single day. I also really like just the plain black LuluLemon leggings (of course, lol) and anything from Alo Yoga!
5. What does your daily routine look like (or if you’re more of a mix it-up, no day is the same kinda person why do you prefer that?)
I definitely prefer a good routine, but I am human after all, so not all days look the same for me… Included in my ideal daily routine during the school year would be a 30-60 minute workout, a shower, a cute outfit + makeup, 3 delicious and balanced meals, getting a solid amount of schoolwork done, filming a couple of Tik Toks, and spending some time with friends or doing something for myself… Even on my off days, though, I make sure to incorporate the same couple of small things into my days like making my bed, drinking enough water, and getting outside for a bit.
6. What’s are a few tips you would give someone trying to be healthier and more mindful?
For mindfulness, I would highly suggest starting a gratitude journal and/or meditating… It forces you to really feel your emotions and embrace your thoughts, but also start the day on a positive note. Live in the moment!
As for general health, I would suggest figuring out what foods and forms of exercise make YOU happy, understanding that you are not supposed to have the same journey as anyone else, and prioritizing yourself + your mental health. Also, be kind to yourself! Nobody is perfect 100% of the time, your body needs breaks and your mind needs a break- so allow yourself that.
Lastly, incorporating SMALL daily habits over a long period of time is how you can sustainably achieve a balanced, healthy lifestyle. If you try to change everything all at once, you will burn yourself out and you will constantly be going through an up and down cycle of “healthy” and “unhealthy.”
7. What have you learned the most from your Health Coaching ?
SO. MUCH. The health coaching program with IIN has honestly changed my life… They teach so much about how health is NOT just food and exercise, but it has so much to do with mental health, relationship health, creativity, spirituality, and that health really needs to be looked at from a holistic perspective. IIN has also given me a ton of confidence when it comes to my social media accounts and building my business in the future!
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