#whywerun - Luana Marchi

Luana Marchi | Nutritional Therapist | Health & Wellness Coach | Outdoor Enthusiast

My name is Luana Marchi, I'm a Nutritional Therapist and Health & Wellness Coach, life enthusiast and passionate about outdoor adventures and travelling.
I take as a life mission to inspire others to improve their health and wellbeing through a healthier lifestyle. I like using social media as a toll to connect with likeminded people and also to inspire others. Because by sharing my lifestyle, daily routine and other passions I can advocate health and motivate people to live at their best. Showing that being healthy is not just about what we are eating. I like to say that a healthy lifestyle is based on three important pillars: Healthy eating, being active and emotional health.

My favourite way to stay active is running. Every time I run I experience the same feeling: Feeling good! I feel in control, strong and free. It doesn't matter how tired, stressed or over worked  I am, when I go for a run the magic happens and I feel in control again! I run for me, for my physical and mental health.

Since my first ever official race in 2016 (The SMH Half Marathon) I knew I wanted to keep challenging myself and see what my body was able to do. 
Doing things that most people consider as impossible has always attracted me. I found running my way to prove to myself that I can. I’m competitive by nature, it’s not about competing against others, it is about being better than I was yesterday, facing my fears, beating my own records.

Looking back, I couldn't be prouder of myself for what I've achieved on the past four years since I've started running:  I did about 11 Half Marathons, 3 Marathons (holding a sub 3:20 PB), 60k Great Ocean Road Ultra-Marathon, 10 fun run/short distances from 10 to 15k, 3 triathlons (1 Sprint and 2 Olympic), 5 Trail Run from 21k to 36k.

This is a crazy and scary time to say the least. For that reason, it is so important to make a conscious effort to stay healthy and positive.

I want to share with you five tips to stay positive, motivated and productive during self isolation:

-Set a routine:  Routine and consistency are key in maintaining mental and physical health, it will keep you motivated and productive. It's important that we create an environment that feels productive in order to avoid feeling negative and down. I suggest creating a schedule around the staple daily activities: wake up time, exercise, meals, bedtime, etc. By settling a daily routine you will not only feel more productive and inspired but will also help us to avoid the increase of anxiety and feeling of depression. -Eat healthy: Good food = good mood. A well balanced diet provides you with the energy and nutrients necessary to function well. By enjoying a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, wholegrains, protein and good fats, you can prevent and improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.

-Set yourself challenges: Life’s greatest lessons come when you challenge yourself. Challenging yourself can lead to a lot of personal growth. That is the perfect time to get yourself out of the comfort zone,  you’ll discover that you are capable of things you didn’t think you were. You can also invite friends and family to join you, that is a great way to stay accountable. There're so many options: Read a book per week; start an online course; learn a new language; write in a gratitude journal every day; learn how to cook...