Who I Am: Ventatia Zeelie

I was putting on my blue leotard and stockings, bursting with excitement as my mom plated my hair into a neat bun, prodding my head with bobby-pin clips and gelling back the baby hairs. This was the time I was most excited about. This was the time my soul would be engulfed in feelings of fulfilment and potential. It was dancing to the beat of the old lady playing the piano, pointing my toes, and focusing on “soft hands” reaching for the galaxies. Meticulously following the tape on the floor; guiding me to my next position like a floating fairy as the choreography flowed through my veins.

My teacher - Aunty Carol - taught with passion and purpose, and for 5-year-old me, this felt like the start of a promised adventure of professional ballet dancing. 

Although my love for dance evolved to other styles of dancing - causing terrible heartache as an adult for having given up the disciplined years of ballet - it laid the foundation for my health and fitness journey. 

In my teen years, I had my share of a distorted-body image. I too had followed the fad diets; tried the magic pills and elixirs that promised to shred the fat off my body. I had lacked the proper education on healthy eating. I’ve been to the dark side of a poor lifestyle, which has allowed me to shine in confidence in decision-making for myself and my clients. This is all based on my past experience and continued education.

My relationship with exercise has always been easy. Having a family history of my grandfather and mom being bodybuilders, it was easy for me to adopt the motivation of the athlete’s image. Food on the other hand - oh boy.

I grew up to be a picky eater. The older I got, the pickier I became! I’d go through stages where I’d completely lose track of what kind of food was entering my body, to the point where my fat pants didn’t even fit me. I also went through the other extreme stages where I’d obsess about only eating salad with my “magic weight-loss pills” hoping to lose 15lbs in a week and limiting myself to repeat the vicious cycle over again. 

I learned to evolve my mindset which allows me to enjoy foods I previously despised. Broccoli? I have my own theme song for when I cook it. And soup? It used to make me gag, and now I practically live off it. Being comfortable in my eating and exercise habits has allowed my mind to sync with my body, my being, and my energy. Having a mindset change is hard - but it is possible. I have experienced it.

I don’t lead a perfectly healthy lifestyle 24/7 and that’s ok. I will always enjoy chocolate in any form for breakfast and I’ll never say no to a slice of cheesecake. You grow from your mistakes (chocolate not being a mistake) and that’s what helps mould you into a better, healthier person. 

So what I’m saying is this - you’re not expected to eat clean all the time or have the body of a photoshopped fitness model. What I want you to feel is comfort and confidence in your skin. Let’s release the ideals society has set for us and embrace the uniqueness within us. We are all different and that is one of the most beautiful things to experience.

Life is what you make it, and my life is bliss. 

So to this day, after a long but continued journey, I can safely say -  I AM WELL.