Kristel de Groot on Focusing on Nutrition, Prioritizing Rest, and Keeping Active During Pregnancy

Kristel is an IIN graduate and founder of the brand Your Super, and she is passionate about sharing her enthusiasm for holistic health with her community on her Instagram and website. We had the opportunity to speak with Kristel about her health journey, including how she focuses on nutrition, prioritizes rest, and keeps active during pregnancy.

We know you are preparing to be a mom! Is there something you can share about how you’re preparing emotionally, physically, and spiritually? We're sure there are many moms-to-be reading this who will feel connected to your story.

I have been reading so many books and am enjoying learning new things again. Some of my favourites are: Natural Mama, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and the Montessori Baby. I think you never fully can prepare for what's to come during and especially after birth, how I will change as a person, but I try to be open and see this as a transition. And probably just as important - this is also a time where I can’t control everything (masculine energy), but actually have to let go and embrace my female energy.

From a physical standpoint, I have been eating a healthy and varied whole food plant-based diet. Super Green and Forever Beautiful have been staple in my diet and otherwise mix things up from smoothies, oatmeal, sometimes a savoury breakfast, lots of fruits, staying hydrated with water, for lunch enjoying either big salads with cooked carbs, beans and tofu added or sometimes fully loaded sandwiches and dinner always looks different - curry, roasted veggies, tacos, veggie stir fries, soba noodles, pasta - it's always different. Funny enough, I haven’t had much of a sweet tooth during my pregnancy and have mainly craved larger meals!

I try to move my body every day - whether it's going for a walk outside, a quick Melissa Wood Health Pilates class, or some pregnancy HIIT classes on YouTube.  And on days where I feel tired and don’t feel like doing anything, I listen to my body and do exactly that. I'm really trying to listen to my body whether it comes to food or movement.

Congratulations on all of your success as a health coach and with your company, Your Super! We love your mission: Good nutrition, and information should be available for everybody. At IIN we agree and believe that the world will benefit from more health coaches. How do you spread this message to your audience and clients?

Yes - being healthy and eating healthy doesn’t have to be that complicated. I always like to say if I can do it, you can do it too! Leading by example and sharing my knowledge with others is what I love doing. I hope by creating products that make adding more wholefood powerful nutrients to your diet easier, showing different recipes, educating on these powerful so-called ‘superfoods’ that have been used for thousands of years across the world already in other communities. I truly believe that it is time to take ownership of our own health. The information is out there!

We’d love to ask you some quick-fire questions; don’t think about it too long!

What's your favorite Your Super product?

Forever Beautiful - super delicious high-antioxidant mix that is loaded with powerful berries and contains a full serving of vitamin C. Makes any smoothie or oatmeal taste better!  

Breakfast or lunch?

Breakfast - especially being pregnant I wake up hungry and can’t wait to dive in. Also, I feel like a healthy breakfast gives you the energy for the day and sets you up to make healthy choices along the day as well! 

Smoothie or cold pressed juice?

Smoothie - something I love making in the morning. I love that it is loaded with fruit and veggies with all the fibre and everything good still in there - and how you can add superfoods, nut butters to make it filling enough to be a truly quick meal.  

Cardio or strength training?

Strength and not necessarily lifting heavy weights but doing Pilates or a gentle HITT is something that makes me feel really good in my body. 

Favorite travel destination?

There are so many beautiful places in the world. One of my favorite countries I have been to is Jordan - swimming in the Dead Sea, diving in the Red Sea, see world wonder Petra, enjoy the delicious food in the vibrant city of Amman and sleep under the stars in the desert Wadi Rum.  

Season you feel the healthiest and why?

Any season the sun is shining - good weather makes feeling healthy and good just so much easier for me. I have to say I pick my places where the sun is mostly shining so I can always feel my healthiest.

What are your best tips to... 

Practice mindfulness everyday

Be okay with being bored. If you are waiting for something or somebody, or just have a moment you have nothing to do, just sit with your own thoughts, breathe, look into the horizon - instead of grabbing your phone or finding something else to do right away. Sometimes it feels like we lost the art of not doing anything - and I think that that’s where mindfulness comes forward. 

Beat fatigue?

Prioritising sleep is number one for me now – I'm very curious how that will be when I am a mom. Otherwise, my rituals in my morning routine are something that I swear by to feel awake and fresh. Get up and hydrate with two big glasses of water. Moving my body - it can be as simple as a short walk or some Pilates or HITT class at home. 

Get restful sleep?

Make your bedroom a place where you can truly disconnect and rest. Invest in the furniture that makes you feel good, like a super comfortable mattress - just think about how many hours you spend laying there. A place where you try to keep your phone out of the door, make sure it's truly dark and quiet at night. And most important for me has been to really prioritise sleep - and seeing it as an investment to feel mentally and physically better when I am awake.