Wellness Made Easy: Balancing it All with @HealthywithNedi
Happy Sunday loves!! Let me first start off by saying how incredibly EXCITED I am to share this interview with you! If you’re not already following Neda Varbanova of @healthywithnedi, you’re doing something wrong. Not only is she absolutely, insanely gorgeous on both the inside and out, but this girl is also filled with an insane amount of knowledge. She’s a poster child for living her best life, no deprivation, while always making wellness a priority.
I follow her religiously and enjoy her insane recipes (there are so many great ones!), her daily sculpting sessions and her contagiously positive personality. Neda is one of those people that just radiate good vibes, and you can just tell that she’s a genuine and fabulous human being!
Wellness & @HealthyWithNedi Go Hand in Hand!
Q: Hi!! I know you as my go gal for basically anything healthy recipes and the creator of the FAB Healthy with Nedi Martini
(genius), and basically #goals when it comes to a well-balanced lifestyle. I know you also recently graduated from NYU – congrats to you! Can you give the readers a bit of info on who you are, your background, qualifications and how you got to the place you are now?
A: Thank you so much!! That is so sweet and so happy you are a fan of the Nedi Martini – I am too 😉 I’m originally from Bulgaria and moved to the States in 2001.
I was shocked when we first moved to America as I had never tried a hot pocket, pop tart or a frozen meal in my life, I grew up eating home cooked meals every single day and that’s what I was accustomed to. My friends used to love coming over for sleepovers because my mom always made salads, soups and they loved our stuffed peppers.
Fast forward years later, I created my website Healthy with Nedi where I share figure-friendly recipes, nutritional advice, fitness tips, beauty tips, restaurant and travel guides, and detox ebooks. I hold a Master’s Degree in Food Studies from NYU Steinhardt, a certificate in Culinary Nutrition from the Natural Gourmet Institute and I am a certified health coach through the Institute of Integrative Nutrition.
Starting the Day Off the Wellness Way!
Q: You’re background and certifications are so impressive – you definitely know your stuff and have mastered your craft! I know almost every morning for you starts off with Celery Juice -and you’re a HUGE fan of this. Can you let the readers know why you incorporate this and some of the benefits? Also – how do we prepare this?!
A: Yes!! Big fan of celery juice. I discovered this health tonic through the Medical Medium and found that it really works well for me. He says it is very important to ONLY juice celery without adding lemon or ginger because the health benefits are better (for more on that, check out his book). I get a TON of questions on whether or not the celery should be juiced or blended. In this book, it specifically says to juice it. If you only have a blender then you can blend it and use a strainer to get rid of the pulp.
Some of the benefits of celery juice include detoxifying the liver, clear skin, aids in digestion, lowers cholesterol and its anti-inflammatory.
In the Kitchen with @HealthyWithNedi..
Q: As we’re on the topic of food, I’ve honestly been OBSESSED with any recipe ‘I’ve made of yours! I can’t stop making the Cauliflower Crust Veggie Pizza OR the Black Bean Cupcakes. Can you give us your favorite go-to recipes that can be found on your website for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
A: OMG thank you so much!!! Nothing makes me happier than knowing people enjoy the recipes I create!! My favorite go-to recipes are as follows:
- Breakfast – Cauliflower Muffins or Shakshuka
- Lunch – Spinach Soup , Iceberg Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing and Grilled Chicken
- Snack – Roasted Pepper Hummus with Vegetable Crudités or 4 GG crackers with
toppings ! - Dinner – Zucchini Noodles with Bolognese Sauce or vegan bolognese , Vegetarian Lasagna
and Cauliflower Rice Sushi - I have to add dessert as well :))) Gluten-Free Tiramisu and Flourless Chocolate Cake
Finding the Right Diet & Wellness Lifestyle
Q: I cannot WAIT to make some more of your recipes that you mentioned. Also – so happy you included dessert, as that’s my ultimate fave! In regards to your wellness specifically, I want to chat about how you recently cut dairy. Can you let everyone know why and also any changes your have experienced since doing so?
A: Yes, I cut out cow’s dairy to be specific. Last summer I woke up with hives all over my face which the doctors thought were bug bites at first but after a few days they formed into scabs and left marks on my face. To make matters worse, they came back TWICE since then and in the same exact spots as before.
I did all sorts of tests with my Dr in NYC and then I found a naturopath who did extended tests. She discovered that my gut was inflamed and my food sensitivity tests showed that i was HIGHLY sensitive to cow’s dairy. That made sense to me because I LOVED Greek yogurt and feta cheese. It was a huge staple in my diet and since then I have cut it out. My body digest goat cheese well so if I have access to goat cheese I prefer that over vegan cheese.
So many vegan cheese are filled with tons of additives that make you question what the hell are you eating. If a food has more than 10 ingredients, especially words you can’t even pronounce then I suggest to skip it.
How Neda is Staying Toned…
Q: I can attest that it is well worth the purchase! My fave recipe so far has been the steak salad – amazing! Moving on from food, it’s no doubt that you’ve got the most insane body and legs for DAYS! What does your typical workout routine look like?
A: You are killing me with your compliments girl!!! Thank you!!! I love to mix up my workouts so my muscles don’t get used to the same movements. I do 1 on 1 strength training with my trainer, and I also love taking boxing and pilates classes. My favorite pilates studio in the city is BK pilates on 23rd street. They recently opened, it is super clean and the owner Marina is a sweetheart. You must take her class – very challenging.
Wellness On the Road
Q: When you’re not in NYC, you’re also ALWAYS traveling to the most AMAZING destinations. I’m all about healthy travel tips, what are some of yours? Also, what is your preferred method of getting a good workout in when you have no gym accessible?
A: I travel a lot and for me it has become sort of a routine. I make sure that I always pack some of my favorite products that maybe I cant have access to overseas. I bring Vital Protein Powdered Coconut Creamer for my matcha lattes and Raw Rev Bars . These bars are so good and they are vegan, raw, gluten free, high in fiber and protein. My favorite flavor is peanut butter and chocolate chip…
Working out is part of my daily routine so it is natural for me to either book a personal trainer at the hotel I am staying or I will do my own workout. I like to use Melissa Wood’s online videos or Sweat with Kayla app. Both are great for traveling and can be done in the hotels gym or in the room.
Wellness & Fun – You CAN Have Both!
Q: I religiously use Melissa Wood’s workouts – they’re amazing! One of the things that I love most about following you is that I see how much you’re eating out, hanging (and having cocktails) with your girlfriends, etc. – living your best & balanced life! What are your tips to keep dining out at restaurants while staying healthy?
A: Yes, I love a GNO!! It is always so fun to catch up with the girls over Nedi Martinis and some sushi. Our favorite NYC spot is Catch. We always order our sushi rolls wrapped in cucumber, no rice and the managers there know to keep the Nedi Martinis coming!
Some other tips for dinning out is to tell the waiter not to bring the bread basket before it even hits the table. Always start with a salad and ask for dressing to be either on the side or with a little bit of olive oil and lots of lemon. I am a big fan of sharing so we get a few appetizers like tuna tartar, arugula salad and a lentil salad and then split a main course with a couple of veggie dishes.
Most restaurants serve large portions so sharing a steak or salmon can cut the calories in half and you won’t overeat. If you want a burger, get the burger without the bun. If you are having sushi then get a Naruto roll (wrapped in cucumber, no rice) and if you are having Chinese ask for the veggies to be steamed instead of sautéed because they tend to use too much oil when they sauté.
Neda’s Top Wellness Tips
Q: Such great advice! I feel like you have SO much knowledge when it comes to overall wellness. What are your top three tips to share with readers to living a healthy lifestyle without feeling deprived?
A: Find out what works for YOU, not for your best friend or your favorite blogger. I cannot stress this enough. Just because I eat a certain way or for example because I like to have celery juice in the morning, it does not mean that your body will react the same
way.
So, it is important to know your body and follow a diet that makes you feel good. Don’t deprive yourself too much. I am all about satisfying that craving by either substituting with a healthier product or having a few bites of whatever your heart desires.
For example, you are craving spaghetti then make yourself zucchini noodles or if you really want tiramisu for dessert, have 2-3 bites and share the rest with your friends. My last and final advice is to be grateful for every moment you have with your loved
ones and spend as much time as possible with them! Life is too short and you never know what could happen so make those special moments count!
Q: I absolutely LOVE your last piece of advice. That attitude is exactly why you’re one of my FAVORITE accounts to follow! So, last but certainly NOT least – where can everyone find you and follow you?! Because if they aren’t already, they will DEFINITELY need to!!
A:Instagram @healthywithnedi | www.healthywithnedi.com
PHEW! I feel like I just injected SO MUCH inspiration from Neda. The girl definitely knows how to live life to the fullest and is such a wonderful addition to the wellness community as a whole. I hope you enjoyed the interview – I’m off to whip up yet another batch of those Back Bean Brownies – they’re addicting!
Healthfully Yours,
Alysia (Purely)Pope
xoxo
