Hi, I'm Leanne.
I've been obsessed with healthy living since I can remember. Honestly, at a young age I was racing around outside and staying active (even when there was no one to play with because it was -30 degrees in Winnipeg!) Once I was in school, I played every sport I could get my hands on. I became very competitive in my teenage years, which began my interest in nutrition and well being. I always wanted to stay as healthy as I could because I wanted to perform optimally. I remember having major energy crashes if I didn't eat properly before a game (too much sugar, back then I didn't realize how sensitive my body was to this). It was all easy until high school ended, sports ended, and I felt a little unsure of what to do.
I went to University, to study Nutritional Science - it was the only thing that made sense for me to learn. Yet somewhere along the line, I became a little too obsessive. Learning about the number side of food wasn't the best view for me at the time, as I was struggling with major perfectionist syndrome. Without all the activity in my younger years, weight was easier to put on too. I worried. I started developing an unhealthy relationship with food. I didn't really know what to do but read what celebrities did in diet magazines. Always looking for the new fad. I became vegan to minimize the types of food I could eat (which did turn into an actual concern for the environment. So I did this for nearly 6 years). But then I started smoking, and eventually all these issues around weight lead to an eating disorder. I didn't bring this up to anyone for many years. Even back then I knew I didn't want it to be part of my existence. I worked really hard in my early twenties to rid myself of this negative body image.
I knew it had to stop. As much as I love my family and friends, I knew my hometown of Winnipeg was not the lifestyle for me. It's still painful to admit that. So much love for those people. I moved to Vancouver - one of the most active cities in Canada, and tried to get my healthy lifestyle back. I was so lucky that my sister moved there too. Hiking, walking and bicycling all became regular parts of my regular day. I found a college that resonated much more with me than Dietetics - holistic health. Instead of thinking what to avoid, it became this idea of what I needed to include in order to nourish myself. This view of health helped me to see food as medicine and my relationship with food became much more positive. As did my body image!
My interest in health grew much stronger. I knew I needed to learn more. After receiving my diploma in holistic health, I studied Traditional Chinese Medicine to have an entire view of holistic well-being. The program was a gruelling four years of study in the modalities of Acupuncture, Herbology, Cupping, Tuina massage, and Chinese food cures. This was similar to holistic nutrition but also different. It was with this knowledge that my own health and happiness became effortless.
While on this path, I still missed activity incredibly. Always being a physical person, I knew that sitting in a clinic all day wouldn't make me forever happy. I love helping people, but I needed to have a physical outlet. Fast forward to studying yoga. What started as a way to practice more yoga and hopefully help me with my public speaking (I was TERRIFIED), it turned into a full on career for me. I have taught Vinyasa, Yin, Hatha, Power Flow, Hot Yoga, Aerial Silks, Meditation, Prenatal, Children, Mums n' bubs, and still keen on studying more styles.
After completing all my studies in yoga, nutrition and TCM, I moved to Brisbane to start my career. This city is fresh and the people are totally open-minded to it all. You can find me mostly at Stretch Yoga in Brisbane, teaching 13 classes a week minimum. I also teach at Raw Power Yoga and Total Fusion. Every place is amazing. I'm very lucky to work with these people.
Look, this has never been a fad for me. I didn't one day wake up in my twenties and figure "I need to get my health in order." I didn't see someone else do it and decided I should try. This has been me since I was a child. I have never had another single passion or had another vision in my head. I put all the eggs in one basket, so to speak and decided to do this when I was probably close to 12 years old. I knew since I could comprehend what a career even was. I have worked the last 20 years to understand fitness, health and wellness with a variety of lenses to see through. I have trained myself since I started playing sports and maintained that all my life. With knowledge in macronutrients, calories, body image, eating disorders, food relationships, whole foods, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, herbology, and food cures, I am able to help people find their best route.
We are all uniquely different. We need someone who can work with us to help us find our own unique path. I am confident that I have all the tools you need to find your own route. Not only that - but find a route that still gives you a sustainable, balanced and fun lifestyle. Seriously - nothing gives me greater joy x
I went to University, to study Nutritional Science - it was the only thing that made sense for me to learn. Yet somewhere along the line, I became a little too obsessive. Learning about the number side of food wasn't the best view for me at the time, as I was struggling with major perfectionist syndrome. Without all the activity in my younger years, weight was easier to put on too. I worried. I started developing an unhealthy relationship with food. I didn't really know what to do but read what celebrities did in diet magazines. Always looking for the new fad. I became vegan to minimize the types of food I could eat (which did turn into an actual concern for the environment. So I did this for nearly 6 years). But then I started smoking, and eventually all these issues around weight lead to an eating disorder. I didn't bring this up to anyone for many years. Even back then I knew I didn't want it to be part of my existence. I worked really hard in my early twenties to rid myself of this negative body image.
I knew it had to stop. As much as I love my family and friends, I knew my hometown of Winnipeg was not the lifestyle for me. It's still painful to admit that. So much love for those people. I moved to Vancouver - one of the most active cities in Canada, and tried to get my healthy lifestyle back. I was so lucky that my sister moved there too. Hiking, walking and bicycling all became regular parts of my regular day. I found a college that resonated much more with me than Dietetics - holistic health. Instead of thinking what to avoid, it became this idea of what I needed to include in order to nourish myself. This view of health helped me to see food as medicine and my relationship with food became much more positive. As did my body image!
My interest in health grew much stronger. I knew I needed to learn more. After receiving my diploma in holistic health, I studied Traditional Chinese Medicine to have an entire view of holistic well-being. The program was a gruelling four years of study in the modalities of Acupuncture, Herbology, Cupping, Tuina massage, and Chinese food cures. This was similar to holistic nutrition but also different. It was with this knowledge that my own health and happiness became effortless.
While on this path, I still missed activity incredibly. Always being a physical person, I knew that sitting in a clinic all day wouldn't make me forever happy. I love helping people, but I needed to have a physical outlet. Fast forward to studying yoga. What started as a way to practice more yoga and hopefully help me with my public speaking (I was TERRIFIED), it turned into a full on career for me. I have taught Vinyasa, Yin, Hatha, Power Flow, Hot Yoga, Aerial Silks, Meditation, Prenatal, Children, Mums n' bubs, and still keen on studying more styles.
After completing all my studies in yoga, nutrition and TCM, I moved to Brisbane to start my career. This city is fresh and the people are totally open-minded to it all. You can find me mostly at Stretch Yoga in Brisbane, teaching 13 classes a week minimum. I also teach at Raw Power Yoga and Total Fusion. Every place is amazing. I'm very lucky to work with these people.
Look, this has never been a fad for me. I didn't one day wake up in my twenties and figure "I need to get my health in order." I didn't see someone else do it and decided I should try. This has been me since I was a child. I have never had another single passion or had another vision in my head. I put all the eggs in one basket, so to speak and decided to do this when I was probably close to 12 years old. I knew since I could comprehend what a career even was. I have worked the last 20 years to understand fitness, health and wellness with a variety of lenses to see through. I have trained myself since I started playing sports and maintained that all my life. With knowledge in macronutrients, calories, body image, eating disorders, food relationships, whole foods, yoga, meditation, acupuncture, herbology, and food cures, I am able to help people find their best route.
We are all uniquely different. We need someone who can work with us to help us find our own unique path. I am confident that I have all the tools you need to find your own route. Not only that - but find a route that still gives you a sustainable, balanced and fun lifestyle. Seriously - nothing gives me greater joy x
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