Get Back IIN Balance with Alysia Pope, Health Coach and Blogger

Alysia Pope is an Integrative Nutrition graduate and the founder of PurelyPope in Los Angeles. Alysia doesn't believe in resolutions or quick fixes but rather that we should love ourselves and be our number one priority year-round. Her wellness philosophy goes back to self-love ‒ which, in part, is the belief that we can both love ourselves and want to better ourselves at the same time. In fact, constantly wanting to be your best self is the ultimate form of self-love!

We asked Alysia for her best tips on how to get back in balance, whether you’re just starting out on your own wellness journey, you need motivation to continue on your path to better health, or you’re looking for guidance while going through a stressful time in your life. If any of this sounds like you, IIN’s got you covered! Read on to learn more from Alysia and how you can get back in balance, right now!

What does balance mean to you, when it comes to your health and wellness routine?

Balance, to me, means being in tune with yourself. I always coach my clients (and myself) to consistently ask the question, What is going to make me feel good? I use this prompt for choosing my form of movement each day, what I’m going to put on my plate, etc.

This approach has allowed me to achieve balance, feeling my best both mentally and physically, and ensuring that I’m not restrictive in any way. Balance, to me, means living intuitively and ensuring that I’m taking time for myself each day so that I can show up and be the best version of myself for those around me.

What are some tools you use to get physically back in balance?

Movement is therapeutic to me, and I personally love low-impact workouts. I love moving based on where I’m at in my cycle. For those who have monthly menstrual cycles, it’s so important to be in tune with our bodies, and this helps me feel my best as well.

Moving consistently each day is what really keeps me in balance, whether that means a 10-minute yoga flow, a 30-minute walk, or a 45-minute Pilates session. The regular daily habit is what does it for me.

How do you find balance between work and life (that illusive “work-life balance”)?

This is an interesting question for what I do, as it feels like my work is my life in a lot of ways. To that end, I’m extremely grateful because it goes to show that I’m doing what I absolutely love to be doing ‒ and making a living doing it.

However, part of what allows me to keep this positive relationship is ensuring I’m taking time for me each day. Lately, this has been my morning movement, followed by coffee, my gratitude journal, reading, and skin care, which cumulatively happens almost two hours before beginning my day. Setting boundaries that work for me (such as social media time limits) has been instrumental as well.

How do you support others (clients) in finding balance in their own lives?

I love using the Circle of Life tool throughout the six-month coaching program to check in on how we’re progressing with balance. This is a very useful metric to see what area of clients’ lives may be getting neglected, whether it’s their relationships, spiritual practice, or physical activity. We also work together to prioritize which parts of the pie are most important to focus on first, as these will be the most impactful for improving their health.

What guidance do you have for very busy people to stay healthy, whether they have families or have demanding jobs?

That nothing has to be perfect, and nothing’s ever black or white! We truly live our lives in the gray area most days, and that’s okay.

A big coaching tactic that I find useful is to focus on creating one tiny habit (such as a 10-minute daily walk or one-minute breathing exercise) and then add on from there once it becomes so habitual that you don’t even have to think about it.

Removing rules around what your personal or familial health needs to look like has been instrumental as well, because it’s going to look different each day.

If you had to pick one thing you couldn’t live without that supports your daily balance, what would it be?

Movement, for sure! It’s the medicine that aligns me to take on the day.

Learn more about Alysia and her work on her website and her Instagram page. If you’re interested in learning how you, too, can get back in balance with IIN’s Health Coach Training Program, check out a free sample class here.