"Knowledge is power – the more you know about your body the more you are empowered to be able to look after yourself." – Lisa Grey
Meet Lisa Grey, a fitness and hormone health guru at the BePure Auckland Clinic.
After working in the health and fitness industry for the past eight years as a fitness professional, educator, personal trainer and class instructor, Lisa developed a deep love for the amazing interconnection between the body, mind and soul.
With a beautiful, bubbly and ever-curious soul, Lisa is always looking for the 'why' behind our health concerns and finding ways to empower her clients to achieve their long-term health and wellbeing goals.
In this blog, Lisa shares her health story, why she loves working with a BePure Consultant on her personal health and wellness journey and how you can pre-load your day with nutrients.
1. At BePure we talk a lot about 'health journeys,' can you share yours with us?
My health journey began at the age of 13 with an eating disorder called anorexia nervosa. I spent 5 years in and out of hospitals and clinical services battling emotional, nutritional physical and psychological symptoms. This experience completely changed my life and lead me to study psychology, fitness and nutrition so that I could use my knowledge and experiences to help others.
Through my studies and career in the fitness industry, it became very apparent just how important the food, mood and exercise connection is in the alignment of optimal health and wellbeing. This, combined with my own experience, lead me to look deeper into holistic nutrition. It was through this love for nutritional empowerment that I found the BePure team.
As a BePure Holistic Health Consultant I am also studying nutritional science at the New Zealand Naturopathic College and intend to undertake further studies in the holistic wellness field.
2. What is the most rewarding aspect of being a Holistic Health Consultant at the BePure Clinic?
I love seeing my clients join the dots and find their "ah-ha" moments. These are the moments when my clients are able to identify how their current feelings relate to what's going on inside their body and understand how to take care of their bodies long term. To see my clients "do it for their cells," and become empowered by the holistic, nutritional education I offer them, is the best gift I could possibly receive.
"To see my clients "do it for their cells," and become empowered by the holistic, nutritional education I offer them, is the best gift I could possibly receive."
Here's an example of one of those "ah-ha" moments.
A client may be experiencing a painful period or clotted period. They have learnt through our session that these symptoms are a strong indication of inflammation, excess stress, liver congestion, oestrogen dominance or progesterone deficiency. They then tell me that they have gone back to reducing their sugar, alcohol, HITT workouts and caffeine intake while increasing water and greens to help support their body.
"Once a client has the education that finally makes sense and works for them, they'll be able to recognise their warning signs and be able to look after their health long term."
Once a client has the education that finally makes sense and works for them, they'll be able to recognise their warning signs and be able to look after their health long term.
3. What is a key aspect of fitness that people don't know when it comes to their health and wellbeing?
People often look at fitness and exercise as a means to lose weight and not as a tool for better movement. As a personal trainer, I saw people working really hard, eating all the 'right' food and still not get the results they were after. Most of the time this is caused by a hormonal imbalance.
"I saw people working really hard, eating all the 'right' food and still not get the results they were after. Most of the time this is caused by a hormonal imbalance."
When I work with my clients the first step is to de-glorify the idea of being ‘busy.’ More work does not mean more gains and you want to train smarter, not more often or harder. I get people to reduce the amount they are training so that they're not over training which can lead to nutrition deficiencies and adrenal fatigue in the long run. The overall goal is to balance your hormones which control everything in our body.
4. What is the best piece of advice you would give someone?
Do what nourishes you and works for your body and lifestyle. It’s all about making a change and paying attention to how your body responds. If what you’re doing at the moment is not giving you the results that you want, then it’s not right for you and it’s time to change it.
"If what you’re doing at the moment is not giving you the results that you want, then it’s not right for you and it’s time to change it."
There is no one set of ‘rules’ when it comes to a healthy diet or an exercise regime because everyone is different.
For example, if you reduce your intake of carbs but find you’re putting on weight, or you can't sleep, you're grumpier or you find your periods are heavier – then this isn’t the right approach to health for you, regardless of what the media says.
"There is no one set of ‘rules’ when it comes to a healthy diet or an exercise regime because everyone is different."
5. What actually happens in a clinic session?
Many people have that stereotypical situation in mind – you come into the clinic, sit in a chair and listen while I list off all the things you need to do and are not doing according to a cookie cutter protocol that I give to everyone. This is not the case.
At BePure you come in for an initial consultation with the Holistic Health Consultant that's best suited to your health goals or concerns. We have a 90-minute conversation all about you and really dive into your health story.
Our philosophy is a combination of science and holistic health and wellness and so we ask clients to look at diet, lifestyle and supplementation changes with the aim of teaching you how to re-wire your body into a healthier state.
I’ll tell you the 'why' behind your treatment so that YOU can make an informed decision to make the changes that are best for you.
"Knowledge is power – the more you know about your body and the beautifully complex entity that it is, the more you have the ability to look after yourself."
This is not a short-term fix, it's a six-month investment into your long-term health giving you the education and tools you'll need for a healthy lifetime. Knowledge is power – the more you know about your body and the beautifully complex entity that it is, the more you have the ability to look after yourself."
6. What is the best piece of advice someone has given you that you’d want to pass on?
Live in the moment and expect not to expect. If you are enjoying what you do at the moment and you’re enjoying the moment that you doing it in, then you’ll find that the need to achieve a certain outcome doesn’t stress you out.
"If you are enjoying what you do at the moment and you’re enjoying the moment that you doing it in, then you’ll find that the need to achieve a certain outcome doesn’t stress you out."
A lot of people and especially a lot of our clients, are chasing optimal health, or they have a picture in mind of what they want, but sometimes that picture can become overwhelming and actually demotivate you. What’s important is knowing that what you are doing at the time is the right thing for you and your long-term health.
7. What's your favourite way to start the day?
I like to pre-load my day with a nutrient-rich smoothie. It's a great way to make sure you're giving your body everything it needs and it tastes so good! Rather than having one recipe that I have every day, I have a formula that I can change up based on the weather, what's in season, what I have left in my fridge or what I feel like drinking. The idea is to have fun with it!
Lisa's Ultimate Smoothie Formula
Step 7: Blend
Blend it all together until smooth. How you drink it is totally up to you – in a glass, decorated in a bowl or transferred in a glass or stainless steel bottle to drink later. I keep my blender and smoothie ingredients at work so that I can go straight from the gym to work and have breakfast when I arrive.
If you'd like to make an in-person or Skype appointment with Lisa Grey, or if you have any questions about the BePure Clinic and our Programmes, please feel free to give our support team a call on 0800 52 54 52 or email info@bepure.co.nz.
