Health & Wellness
Sarah Warren
Kansas City, M0
In 2013, after years as an established journalist and a long-time blogger, Sarah Warren became a certified Holistic Health Coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. She helps her clients achieve optimal health, mentally, physically, and emotionally. She does this through individual sessions, group programs, workshops, and webinars. She inspires and motivates each of her clients to become their best self. To add to her influence, Sarah is a teacher and a motivational speaker on various health-related topics, and recently she finished her first novel, boasting 100,000 words. “It was finally when I began taking my own advice as a Holistic Health Coach that I truly had the confidence and the drive to work on my writing,” shares Sarah. She believes, “For me, creativity and health hold hands, they are partners.” I Admire U Sarah, you make a difference in your clients’ lives, you spread your knowledge on important wellness topics, you don’t feel guilty about self-care, you’ve completed your first novel, and all while being the incredible mother of four kids under the age of ten.
Nominated by: Kara Pike-Inman
Nominated by: Kara Pike-Inman
Sarah in her own words...
1. What is a certified Holistic Health Coach, and what do you help your clients achieve?
A Holistic Health Coach is a unique kind of health professional who works as a mentor and coach to help people make lasting changes to get healthier and feel their best, mentally and physically and in all aspects of their lives. I’ve trained and am certified with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the world’s largest nutrition school, and I work with individuals, host and lead private group programs, teach workshops and webinars on various nutrition and wellness topics, and am also a motivational speaker. I generally work with clients one-on-one for a 6-month period, with scheduled one-hour calls twice a month. As a holistic health coach I view my client’s health on a full spectrum, emotionally, mentally and physically and work with them to achieve their best self yet. For some this may mean career or relationship counseling, for others it’s teaching new habits and new recipes, for others it’s teaching mindfulness, positive body image, self-care activities, and exploring new physical activities. Whether the goal is weight loss, achieving better sleep, or a career change, I coach and tailor my work for each individual.
2. You were a journalist and a blogger before you became a Holistic Health Coach. What inspired you to seek your certification? Why do you work with your clients for a 6 month time period opposed to 1 month or 3 months?
I began my blog when I was pregnant for the first time over ten years ago. It really gave me an outlet to discuss what I was learning in terms of having a healthy, holistic family. I had worked full time since college so when I went on maternity leave for the first time I FREAKED OUT. What have I done? Now I’m a Mom? And I don’t have a job? Writing the blog and having a creative outlet saved me, and finding other bloggers, both those in the same boat and “mentor” mom bloggers who had older children and had been through some of this was so helpful. There was a great, encouraging blogging community.
My blog got bigger, I had more children, I had more commenters and followers but after a while the blogging community got a little stagnant. We got fewer comments, less discussion and it felt that unless you really worked hard to GROW your blog and become SUCCESSFUL at it, by getting big name sponsors, book deals, etcetera, it wasn’t relevant. I felt like I was having to compete for readers with my peers and I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to be false. I felt like I was spending a lot of time writing out into this void and, though I could see statistics, I knew I had readers, there was little community. I wanted to continue to do what I was doing, teaching and inspiring people, posing questions for healthy change, but I wanted to be closer to the people I was helping. A friend came to visit for a few days that had just, in her thirties, decided to go back to school to be a doctor. I thought she was so brave, trying something new after she’d been away from college for nearly a decade. She asked me what I wanted to do and I said, “I don’t know, if there was a way to be a life coach kind of person that helped people with their health, but not be a nutritionist, that’d be pretty cool.”
A Holistic Health Coach is a unique kind of health professional who works as a mentor and coach to help people make lasting changes to get healthier and feel their best, mentally and physically and in all aspects of their lives. I’ve trained and am certified with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, the world’s largest nutrition school, and I work with individuals, host and lead private group programs, teach workshops and webinars on various nutrition and wellness topics, and am also a motivational speaker. I generally work with clients one-on-one for a 6-month period, with scheduled one-hour calls twice a month. As a holistic health coach I view my client’s health on a full spectrum, emotionally, mentally and physically and work with them to achieve their best self yet. For some this may mean career or relationship counseling, for others it’s teaching new habits and new recipes, for others it’s teaching mindfulness, positive body image, self-care activities, and exploring new physical activities. Whether the goal is weight loss, achieving better sleep, or a career change, I coach and tailor my work for each individual.
2. You were a journalist and a blogger before you became a Holistic Health Coach. What inspired you to seek your certification? Why do you work with your clients for a 6 month time period opposed to 1 month or 3 months?
I began my blog when I was pregnant for the first time over ten years ago. It really gave me an outlet to discuss what I was learning in terms of having a healthy, holistic family. I had worked full time since college so when I went on maternity leave for the first time I FREAKED OUT. What have I done? Now I’m a Mom? And I don’t have a job? Writing the blog and having a creative outlet saved me, and finding other bloggers, both those in the same boat and “mentor” mom bloggers who had older children and had been through some of this was so helpful. There was a great, encouraging blogging community.
My blog got bigger, I had more children, I had more commenters and followers but after a while the blogging community got a little stagnant. We got fewer comments, less discussion and it felt that unless you really worked hard to GROW your blog and become SUCCESSFUL at it, by getting big name sponsors, book deals, etcetera, it wasn’t relevant. I felt like I was having to compete for readers with my peers and I didn’t like it. I didn’t want to be false. I felt like I was spending a lot of time writing out into this void and, though I could see statistics, I knew I had readers, there was little community. I wanted to continue to do what I was doing, teaching and inspiring people, posing questions for healthy change, but I wanted to be closer to the people I was helping. A friend came to visit for a few days that had just, in her thirties, decided to go back to school to be a doctor. I thought she was so brave, trying something new after she’d been away from college for nearly a decade. She asked me what I wanted to do and I said, “I don’t know, if there was a way to be a life coach kind of person that helped people with their health, but not be a nutritionist, that’d be pretty cool.”
"Being a holistic health coach is EXACTLY like what I told my friend I wanted to do! So, I enrolled as an online student, listened to classes while home with three little ones in the middle of Nebraska, and became certified!"
Literally days later, I clicked some random link on some random website and found the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Just like that. This was the Universe smacking me in the face! Being a holistic health coach is EXACTLY like what I told my friend I wanted to do! So, I enrolled as an online student, listened to classes while home with three little ones in the middle of Nebraska, and became certified! I have such a well-rounded education and credit that to the amazing teachers at IIN.
Oh, and why six months? Well, to be honest, generally people take the work more seriously when they know they’re in it for six months. They’re investing in themselves. And, most of my clients are very busy and it may take them a few days to process what we’ve talked about at a session and begin to make changes, so chatting every two weeks allows them time to make the changes we’ve discussed and see how they’re working. Now, I’m not against having a three month client. If someone is a real goal-oriented go-getter, I will absolutely work with them weekly for three months, but those tend to be special cases.
I DO work with some of my clients for one month but those are within a guided group. Like for a cleanse. It’s a great way for clients to see how they mesh with me and see if they want to put in the investment, of their time and energy, and yes, money, to see if they want to continue working with me one-on-one.
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3. You teach classes on self-care for busy women, relaxation and mindfulness techniques, and healthy family menu planning and cooking. Why do you think it’s important for women to make time for self-care? What is your top tip for healthy family menu planning?
Women have so many roles. We’re pulled in so many directions and expected to give 100%. Daughter, sister, wife, mother, career. It’s our nature to take care of others. But we also have to realize that it’s essential, we MUST take care of ourselves, too. Sometimes first. We have to remember that we need nurturing too and sometimes we’re the only one giving it to ourselves.
Top Tip for Healthy Family Menu Planning. Hmmm. Embrace Imperfection? But seriously, I think the thing that works for me is to listen to what your kids like to eat and keep those foods in circulation in a healthy manner, and make sure they eat a balanced diet for the week. Each individual meal for each child (and adult) are not always going to be optimally balanced. Don’t obsess over it. We might eat out once or twice. Maybe I skip breakfast. But if I look at the entire week of meals, I want them to be balanced. Plenty of fruit and veg, quality protein a few times through the day, plenty of water. If I look at it that way that burger I ate out or the ice cream I let my kids eat twice this week all balances out. You get treats, and you eat healthfully. Everyone is happy.
"Without taking time to go to the gym and clear my head, take a sauna, eat healthy foods, get enough sleep, do some yoga poses every now and again, I don’t have the energy and the clear mind to be a mom, nor the creativity to be a writer. I require large quantities of exercise, sleep and good food to be able to function creatively. I don’t feel guilty about this."
4. You conduct motivational talks focused on self-acceptance, healthy body image, and goal setting. With 3 boys and 1 girl, how will you help your 6-year-old daughter develop a healthy body image?
Great question! This is a tough one I’m still working my way through. I think, number one, is making sure my daughter grows up with a huge amount of self-esteem. Not that she’s cocky, but that she knows that if she tries hard enough, she can do anything she puts her mind to. She may not be able to do EVERYTHING she wants, but she can do ANYTHING she wants. That she doesn’t have to rely on anyone else to tell her what she can do or achieve. Also, we really focus on complimenting and encouraging creativity and intelligence over beauty. We do say that she looks nice, regularly, but I often say something like, “your smile is just gorgeous,” or, “your eyes are extra twinkly when you laugh,” or, “wow, look how strong you are, or how fast you can run, aren’t our bodies amazing?” rather than focusing on being “pretty.” We teach our children that each person is beautiful in their own way. That sometimes we can’t see the beauty until we put in time to know them.
My husband is active, as am I, and we talk about it with our kids. We express about how working out or taking a rest or eating healthy foods makes us feel, physically. It seems silly saying things out loud sometimes, “Boy, I’m so glad we went to the gym. I really worked hard and now my brain feels more focused.” Or, “My tummy feels yucky, it must be the junk food we ate last night,” or we talk about achievements we made in working out. For me, more difficult poses in yoga, having the strength to do wheels or hand stands, for my husband, lifting a heavier weight in CrossFit. We want them to know that having a healthy lifestyle is ideal, and helps you feel better in all areas of your life, and you have to consciously make decisions and choices to get there, but no matter what physical state you’re in, you’re a beautiful soul.
Great question! This is a tough one I’m still working my way through. I think, number one, is making sure my daughter grows up with a huge amount of self-esteem. Not that she’s cocky, but that she knows that if she tries hard enough, she can do anything she puts her mind to. She may not be able to do EVERYTHING she wants, but she can do ANYTHING she wants. That she doesn’t have to rely on anyone else to tell her what she can do or achieve. Also, we really focus on complimenting and encouraging creativity and intelligence over beauty. We do say that she looks nice, regularly, but I often say something like, “your smile is just gorgeous,” or, “your eyes are extra twinkly when you laugh,” or, “wow, look how strong you are, or how fast you can run, aren’t our bodies amazing?” rather than focusing on being “pretty.” We teach our children that each person is beautiful in their own way. That sometimes we can’t see the beauty until we put in time to know them.
My husband is active, as am I, and we talk about it with our kids. We express about how working out or taking a rest or eating healthy foods makes us feel, physically. It seems silly saying things out loud sometimes, “Boy, I’m so glad we went to the gym. I really worked hard and now my brain feels more focused.” Or, “My tummy feels yucky, it must be the junk food we ate last night,” or we talk about achievements we made in working out. For me, more difficult poses in yoga, having the strength to do wheels or hand stands, for my husband, lifting a heavier weight in CrossFit. We want them to know that having a healthy lifestyle is ideal, and helps you feel better in all areas of your life, and you have to consciously make decisions and choices to get there, but no matter what physical state you’re in, you’re a beautiful soul.
5. Your work really makes a difference in your clients’ lives. Which client testimonial is the most memorable?
I think my most memorable is when one of my clients shared a special wish with me. She wanted one more child. She had had a difficult time getting pregnant with each of her first few children and, since she was just over 40, she didn’t know if she could have any more. But she had a hidden wish to have just one more baby.
We worked on a lot of things together, diet, sleep, healthy choices . . . she learned a lot and made some great breakthroughs, mentally, physically and energetically, but one of the best texts I ever got was early one morning from her mid-way through our work, when she told me she’d just taken a pregnancy test and it came back positive!
6. Congratulations, Sarah! You’ve finished your novel. Woo hoo! What is it about? How long did it take you to write it?
Thanks! Yes, I’m incredibly excited to have finished it! It’s about 100,000 words and took me over three years from initial spark of the idea to completion. I started it over three times, have gone through at least five or six drafts, and I’m still working on editing out some plot holes and polishing it up after getting reviews and comments from Beta Readers. I don’t want to give it away, but the overlying theme is the process of transformation. And there’s riddles and secret keys and secret societies along the way.
7. You shared, “Sometimes you have to claim it to become it. I‘ve always loved writing. I’d written for newspapers and blogs, but did I call myself a writer? I didn’t. When I looked at my dreams and goals, being a published author was way up there for me. You only have one life and if you want to achieve great things you have to take baby steps, running starts, and sometimes giant leaps to get there. I decided that to reach those goals I had to start living and claiming that life.” What did “start living and claiming that life” look like?
It was finally when I began taking my own advice as a Holistic Health Coach that I truly had the confidence and the drive to work on my writing. I had to treat myself as a client, taking my own quizzes and answering tough questions, forcing myself to make changes in my own life, to create the future I wanted. I’ve always been an avid reader and have written professionally as a journalist and blogger, but this novel was my first creative outlet into fiction writing as an adult. It’s very difficult, as a mom of four little ones, to find time for myself. Allow myself to say no, even to my children, sometimes! So that I could say yes to this one thing I had to do for myself, to write.
I joined a writers group, then I joined another one. I read books on writing, I listened to podcasts and YouTube videos. I read books in a wide variety of genres to teach myself what made one book, or chapter, or character tick, while another fell flat. I resolved to call myself a writer. Claimed it. Added it to all my social media pages, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And then, I carved out time and wrote. I told everyone I knew what I was doing so that I had accountability to finish this great work I had started. People volunteered to be Beta readers before I’d even written a third of it. All of these little steps allowed me to complete the book. And now, I have the accountability and the experience to perfect it the best I can, because it’s my story. I created it out of nothing and if not for me, the characters are lost. I want them to live. So, I continue on!
"Don’t be stuck trying to be a past you in the present. Honor your experiences, and honor you as you change, sometimes you change your body, sometimes you change your mind about a longheld belief, and you’ll be happier and healthier being true to yourself in the long run."
8. In what ways do you think your writing world intertwine with your health and wellness world?
For me, creativity and health hold hands, they are partners. Without taking time to go to the gym and clear my head, take a sauna, eat healthy foods, get enough sleep, do some yoga poses every now and again, I don’t have the energy and the clear mind to be a mom, nor the creativity to be a writer. I require large quantities of exercise, sleep and good food to be able to function creatively. I don’t feel guilty about this. The two, for me, health coaching and writing, work in tandem to create a well-rounded me.
There’s also, admittedly, a lot of cooking and eating going on with my characters . . . good food, too! One of my characters practices yoga . . . what can I say? They say, “write what you know,” – some of that leaks onto the page!
9. You shared, “One of the mantras of yoga is to honor and release old beliefs and to accept yourself where you are today.” Why has this been so vital to your own health journey?
This was so helpful as it allowed me to consider that just because I used to do this, or that, or wanted to do this or that, I shouldn’t feel guilty if I didn’t want to do or be those things today. For example, if you used to be crafty and now you aren’t, don’t feel guilty about the craft supplies you’ve already bought and haven’t used. Instead, donate or give them away to someone who will use them to create more space, mentally and physically, in your head and in your home for what you DO want to do. Don’t be stuck trying to be a past you in the present. Honor your experiences, and honor you as you change, sometimes you change your body, sometimes you change your mind about a longheld belief, and you’ll be happier and healthier being true to yourself in the long run.
10. I Admire U, whom do you admire?
Gwenyth Crabtree
For me, creativity and health hold hands, they are partners. Without taking time to go to the gym and clear my head, take a sauna, eat healthy foods, get enough sleep, do some yoga poses every now and again, I don’t have the energy and the clear mind to be a mom, nor the creativity to be a writer. I require large quantities of exercise, sleep and good food to be able to function creatively. I don’t feel guilty about this. The two, for me, health coaching and writing, work in tandem to create a well-rounded me.
There’s also, admittedly, a lot of cooking and eating going on with my characters . . . good food, too! One of my characters practices yoga . . . what can I say? They say, “write what you know,” – some of that leaks onto the page!
9. You shared, “One of the mantras of yoga is to honor and release old beliefs and to accept yourself where you are today.” Why has this been so vital to your own health journey?
This was so helpful as it allowed me to consider that just because I used to do this, or that, or wanted to do this or that, I shouldn’t feel guilty if I didn’t want to do or be those things today. For example, if you used to be crafty and now you aren’t, don’t feel guilty about the craft supplies you’ve already bought and haven’t used. Instead, donate or give them away to someone who will use them to create more space, mentally and physically, in your head and in your home for what you DO want to do. Don’t be stuck trying to be a past you in the present. Honor your experiences, and honor you as you change, sometimes you change your body, sometimes you change your mind about a longheld belief, and you’ll be happier and healthier being true to yourself in the long run.
10. I Admire U, whom do you admire?
Gwenyth Crabtree
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