We were lucky to catch up with Natalie Weis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Natalie, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
As a young girl, I was a chatterbox. I often got in trouble in school for talking to a friend or simply being outspoken. After getting in trouble a lot for this, I stopped sharing my opinions and became more introverted. Whether that was me “behaving” or being stifled, it definitely had an impact on my confidence moving into my high school and college years. In those years, I struggled hard with my self-esteem. My parents got divorced and I was often made fun of for my weight. I internalized a lot of it and had a long struggle with disordered eating and very Type A personality struggles. From the outside things looked fine, but behind the curtains was plenty of self doubt, and lack of love and respect for myself. Despite being a decent athlete, an above average student and completing a double major in college, I felt like a failure. I felt like i couldn’t see past my minor flaws and insecurities, despite all that I had accomplished.
A year after college, I had the opportunity to move to St. Louis from Chicago. A main reason was to be with my now husband, but I saw it as an opportunity for a fresh start, in a place where I didn’t know anyone, and was pretty nascent in my career as a graphic designer. I was always interested in nutrition, but wanted really dive into it from a holistic perspective – not just piecing together info from magazines or social media, I became a nutrition coach, working for an MLM company. I left that company as, there were many things wrong with it, however, it did help me build confidence in myself as a coach and a social media figure. I became completely comfortable talking to new people, speaking on camera, and just overall becoming more vulnerable and raw when it came to what I shared. I soon realized that THIS is what connected people. It wasn’t showing off. “results,” or a seemingly perfect life. People with similar struggles started reaching out to me to connect and even some for support. It was at this time that I also started doing a ton of personal development. Brene Brown, Angie Lee, Lewis Howes were many of my favorites. I would listen to any and every self-confidence/business podcast while running, working or driving. I do believe a lot of this internal work and time spent by myself helped me develop a confidence that has prospered today.
After living in St. Louis for about 4 years at the time, I decided to audition for a position as a cycling instructor at a new studio opening. I had NO interest in cycling, but my social media presence had the owner reach out to me. I quickly figured out that the cycling stuff could be taught, but it was the confidence and personality that I had to bring. Over the years in this role, I really found my voice as a motivator and public speaker – basically every class was a public speaking event, with lights, loud music and sweat of course. It was a place where I learned to love the community aspect around fitness and realized that being surrounded my like-minded individuals was where I needed to be. A year later, I left my full time job to focus solely on building a career around training and functional nutrition.
It hasn’t always been easy since then, but I’ve gained so much knowledge over the years by trusting my gut and constantly trying new things. Some things didn’t work out, while others turned into bigger opportunities. I am now an in-hoe personal trainer, specializing in pre/postnatal fitness and a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, helping women with gut and hormone issues. The confidence I’ve built over time came with many many repetitions. I like to say confidence is a muscle. We all have muscles, but it’s a matter of using them and pushing them to their limits to get them to change and grow.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
As someone who has tried almost every fitness modality, diet and nutrition program, I struggled with what was right or what made me feel my best over the years. When I decided to become a personal trainer and a functional nutritionist, I realized that there is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to your health, We are all so unique, live in different environments, have different routines and experiences, that it just doesn’t make sense that there is one way of working out, eating and being that works for everyone,
I become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner in 2020 and specialize in helping women uncover their root causes of gut and hormonal issues and create a bio-individual health plan so they can thrive. I utilize functional testing and a food first approach when it comes to addressing imbalances a client may be experiencing. We look at all aspects of their life, from sleep habits to movement to stress levels. We incorporate therapeutic supplements and food choices to help support the body’s ultimate desire to find balance.
As a 10 month postpartum mom, I also work with pre/postnatal women to support their journey to motherhood through functional training and nutritional recommendations. I believe supporting the mother is so important in providing the child an incredible future. When a mother’s cup is full, she can pour into others, which is not the case with many postpartum humans. I had great support, but still struggled with the transition to motherhood, especially as someone who’s work is a huge part of. their life. I provide in-home training in the St. Louis area, making it possible for you to utilize the equipment you have right at home and even get a workout in with your babe if needed.
I offer in-home training in the St. Louis area, and online 1:1 functional nutrition coaching. You can find me on social @natalie.weis or www.livewellbynatalie.com.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
I think the most impactful quality/skill on my journey have been curiosity and the ability to put on blinders. Being curious and trying new things that peaked my interest have always led me to a new connection, or simply learning something new about myself. I think it’s so important to stay curious and to continue putting yourself in new situations. I believe that is how we learn the most about ourselves and really build a self-awareness and confidence in ourselves.
The ability to focus on myself and my goals has helped me avoid the comparison trap. With social media, it is really easy to fall into that trap and end up not pursuing your passions, in fear that someone else is better at it or you will fail. I think your best ideas come from within. Not from another influencer, coach or business owner. Sure, it’s great to draw inspiration from time to time, but when you are truly passionate about what you bring to the table, it shows and can become infectious. That a gret foundation for building a successful business and an effective message.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
My biggest area of growth the past 12 months has been the ability to slow down and be present. I am a first-time mom and you really do have to give up so much control. It doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to work around things, but at first it can be really overwhelming. I remember the first time I was able to get out of the house for a massage, it was chaos. I tried to feed the baby before I left, which made me late. As I was driving, I realized there was no way I would make it in time and had to cancel. I had a major breakdown. After a few of those realizations, that baby was #1 priority in this season of life, I became more accepting and knew this season wasn’t forever. I’ve come to really appreciate not over-scheduling myself and taking advantage of all the time with my little one. I definitely have less opportunities to work, but I am so truly grateful I get to be with her for so much of the week and get to witness all of her growth and new experiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.livewellbynatalie.com
- Instagram: natalie.weis
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/natalieweiswellness
Image Credits
Elise Dunn Photography https://elisedunnphotography.com/ (orange shirt, green leggings) John Harder https://www.jharderphotography.com/ (orange dress)
