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5 MINUTES WITH NATUROPATH ANNALIESE JONES

Introducing your baby to solids can be a daunting process, as nutritionist, naturopath and mother Annaliese Jones can no doubt attest to.

Introducing your baby to solids can be a daunting process, as nutritionist, naturopath and mother Annaliese Jones can no doubt attest to. Annaliese is particularly passionate about nourishing babies from their first bites. The first foods we give our children and habits we set up for them will hugely benefit your child in the future.

I caught up with Annaliese to find out more about the importance of nutrition for children, healthy eating ideas and her approach to motherhood.

Why is nutrition so important in the early years?

I’m so passionate about childhood nutrition because the foundation you create in these early years can make such a difference to their future health. Strong bones and teeth rely on years of good mineral intake, calm minds and good concentration comes from keeping additives, preservatives and sugar low, while optimal vitamins and antioxidants can protect against chronic illness’s years down the track. I could go on and on!!

What is your personal approach to introducing solids?

Personally I did what I recommend in the clinic. Starting with vegetables, keeping grains mostly out of their diets till 1year old, and not delaying some of the more allergenic foods like egg and nuts (unless of course there is reason to avoid these, such as family history). This is a little different to some of the mainstream advice, but I find it works better for wee ones digestion, allergies and general health.

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Food should be fun. Can you tell us about mealtime in your house?

Ari is a total foodie! So meal times are all about him getting involved in the decision making (not always wise), the preparation and the critique! He eats a boiled egg and gluten free toast for breakfast which I put in his room so he can eat it when he wakes up. This started when he was about 3.5years old. He’s very independent when it comes to food and totally relishes each and every meal. Then I make him some almond porridge when I get up too. Lunch is always a hot meal if we are at home and then leftovers on kindy days. It’s pretty basic during the week such as rice, veggies and protein. I think he may be the only kid who has to eat his lunch with a spoon at kindy but he loves it! There is always a treat like a homemade biscuit, a piece of fruit and a carrot stick too. I was probably a bit restrictive with portions and treats to start with and I think that may have set up a bit of a struggle between us. I try to be more relaxed these days because essentially he eats an amazing diet and I don’t want him to be overthinking food.

How do you juggle your work commitments with being a mother?

Over the past 4.5 years I’ve felt differently about this question. At one point, when Ari was having a few stuttering issues I felt a lot of guilt about the time I dedicated to my work. I absolutely love my job and at times it’s all encompassing. Maybe I wasn’t spending enough time with my son? Looking back as he is close to starting school now I can see we have been lucky to have a perfect balance of mummy and Ari time versus social time for him and rewarding work time for myself. It has been right for us anyway. I think every child and woman is different and you just need to find the right balance for your family.
On a purely practical note I managed to juggle work and family commitments by getting help! I got a clinic assistant when I had Ari so I didn’t have to do all the administration side of the business. I got an invoicing system and online booking system. I did, and still do batch cooking for his dinners so after work I don’t have to cook from scratch. And setting boundaries about work encroaching on ‘mummy days’ helps. That’s still a work in progress if I’m honest!

What are your tips for time management?

It’s amazing how your time becomes so much more precious to you when you have a child. Some practical tips are:

Be clear about your focus for the day (connecting with your child, clearing all your flagged emails, batch cooking for the week ahead). 1-2 focus points is enough I reckon!

Keep expectations low! Especially when they are young. Gone is my to-do list with 15 things on it for the day.

I love the pomodoro technique of working on tasks in 25min blocks.

Morning routine – I find I’m a lot clearer on intentions and therefore more efficient when I do 10mins breathing and 10mins meditation or journal writing each morning.

What has been the hardest and best part of motherhood for you?

The hardest and most surprising part is the way your children are little mirrors of you. I sometimes hear Ari say something in a way that upsets me and suddenly realize he learnt that from me. They are little sponges in the best way, and I’m working on being the best version of myself so he can absorb some of that!

Hi, I'm Karina

I help women reconnect with themselves through productive, nurturing and inspiring conversations with leaders and experts in well-being.

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Playing around with my new home barre 💃🏻🤩 Playing around with my new home barre 💃🏻🤩
Barre by Balancing Act has officially launched! T Barre by Balancing Act has officially launched!
This has always been a dream of mine for many years. 
I thought I would give you a little background of how this all happened. 
My passion as a young girl was always dance and movement. I danced all throughout my school years. I even considered studying dance at university. But I injured my knee in my last year of school and I was probably a bit scared of going the “non conventional way” and chose to study business and marketing instead. 
10 years ago while I was pregnant with our first child and living in Dubai, I decided to study the principals of Pilates and the anatomy of the body. I thought that could be a good back up if I chose to leave the corporate world when I have our baby and pursue my dream. 
But moving to a new country, growing our family and a busy life meant that it wasn’t the right time for me. I still participated in all sorts of classes and especially during Covid - I became obsessed with moving my body daily for my sanity. I got into a rhythm of moving my body mindfully, it was like a moving meditation for me. I couldn’t go a day without it. 
Last year, I took adult ballet lessons with some friends at my daughter’s dance school @chandlerdanceacademy 🩰 We even had a little part in the end of year dance show. It was so much fun but most of all it reminded me of my passion for dance and movement and how it’s just in me!
Early this year, I finally made the decision to go ahead and take the barre course with the fabulous @themethodnz. Best decision ever! 
Once I completed the course, I practised on my lovely friends who showered me with encouraging words and positive energy! I got my confidence up, got that fire in my belly again and now I can’t stop 🔥 
I can’t thank my family and friends enough for all the support!
And of course this ties in with Balancing Act’s mission, with my passion for wellness and empowering women to discover or rediscover their strength and confidence. 
So I’m now proud to say that I am a qualified Barre instructor and ready to share my passion and energy with you!
For class schedule, check out link in my bio. 
See you at the barre 👯‍♀️😊
I’m always so excited every time I pick a topic I’m always so excited every time I pick a topic for @balancingactnz urban retreats. 
I love sharing the knowledge with you and introducing you to my amazing lineup of instructors and speakers. 
I’m also usually equally passionate about every theme, but I have to say I might have been extra excited with the last one!
Mindful movement + balance lifestyle is essential to my overall physical and mental health and I had to share all the nuggets of wisdom with you!
Thank you to the incredible Anne from @core__balance. With a last minute turn of events, Anne kindly accepted to teach the movement segment of the retreat, And what a treat it was for us! She was amazing 🤩 
Thank you 
@katrinabrowne.naturopath who’s depth of knowledge continues to amaze me! She gave us tons of actionable insights! 
We had the most wonderful bunch of women, it was so nice to see the energy that a pack of strong women can create!
A huge thank you to the incredible @olyas_kitchen with her wholesome and delicious food. 
And to @omyogastudionz for your zen and peaceful venue! 
Thank you so much for the beautiful brands who contributed to the goodie bags
@precision.skin 
@urban_herbalist_nz 
@goodmagazinenz 
@katrinabrowne.naturopath 
All brands that I love and believe in. 
I look forward connecting again to create more of these urban retreats - some space and time just for you - to prioritise your wellbeing. 
A massive thank you to @dimeek for capturing the energy and special moments from the retreat. You are amazing 🤩
Prepping goodie bags for @balancingactnz urban ret Prepping goodie bags for @balancingactnz urban retreat this Saturday. 
It’s filled with wholesome goodies and discount codes from brands I LOVE! ❤️ 🛍️ 
Thank you to my goodie bag sponsors including @precision.skin @urban_herbalist_nz @goodmagazinenz @katrinabrowne.naturopath 
Grab the last few spots from the link in my bio. 
See you on the 25th of March (11am 2:30pm) at @omyogastudionz for a morning and early afternoon of HITT Pilates, and a chat with @katrinabrowne.naturopath and myself - kind of like a live podcast with the bonus of you being able to ask anything you’d like! It’s also always a great opportunity to connect. And you’ll get to try some amazing low inflammation food beautifully made by @olyas_kitchen 😋 
So much to share! We can’t wait to see you! xx
I’m so excited to share @katrinabrowne.naturopat I’m so excited to share @katrinabrowne.naturopath knowledge with you this coming Saturday!
Apart from discussing gut health and inflammation, we will also dive into “cycle synching”. 
Women are cyclic beings and when we tune into our menstrual cycle — we get a deeper understanding of ourself and your body. 
We will be breaking down what foods to eat and how to exercise so you feel your best during each phase of your cycle! And we will understand how women can actually use monthly periods as a productivity tool!
We will also touch on what happens to your cycle in the early perimenopause phase and beyond + actionable tools to keep you feeling good in your body and mind!
Now I know some might think it sounds daunting or all a bit idealistic but once you receive the information, you will realise how empowering it is to know all of this! 
Can’t wait for you connect with Katrina and learn more!
See you on Saturday 🌺
It’s funny when I started to get into the wellne It’s funny when I started to get into the wellness space, I was a new mother entering that early motherhood phase. 
Seven months after our first child, we moved to NZ and I craved connection with other mothers but also knowledge. 
I was curious about the psychological and physiological changes that come with this phase in our life. 
And I noticed many other women feeling the same and craving that growth which is why I created Balancing Act workshops and urban retreats. A space for learning, self reflection and connection. 
Fast forward to now, as I am approaching 40 (not quite yet, one year to go 😉) it’s yet another phase! 
So with that in mind, I also think of my beautiful clients and their changing needs and concerns. 
The beauty of this journey is that we are doing it together and I want to continue giving you helpful insights and tips so you can keep feeling your best as we grow together. 
I’m so grateful for the amazing speakers and instructors I have gotten to know over the years and the collaboration between us is what also makes this journey even better. 
Check out my latest workshop in link in bio about gut health and inflammation. It’s a goodie 😊 ❤️
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