Kalumi chats with Autumn Bates

This month Kalumi chats with Autumn Bates, Certified Clinical Nutritionist, B.S Nutrition & Dietetics, and Certified Personal Trainer. Autumn talks all things health and fitness, sharing her pro tips on how to stay healthy and glowing on the go as a business woman!

Where are you from? Where do you call home?

I was born and raised in Manhattan Beach, CA. I was actually born in my parent’s house (on-purpose). I currently live and work in Manhattan Beach and don’t plan on leaving anytime soon!

When did your passion for wellness and nutrition start?

I’ve always had the philosophy that the body heals itself when given the proper tools. My dad is a Chiropractor, so he has taught me that. In terms of Nutrition, ever since I was little, I LOVED to cook. I have memories of taking my weekly allowance to the grocery store when I was in in 6th grade and spending hours picking out ingredients in order to make the most amazing meal. Once I left for college and was outside of the healthy prepared meals of my family household, I noticed how my anxiety increased, I gained weight, my energy was low, and I just didn’t feel GOOD. That’s when I started reading book after book on Nutrition and switched my major from biology to Nutrition Sciences.

What inspired you to create your 21 day program? (meals, workout plan)

My background is heavily situated in the science of Nutrition. I’m a Certified Clinical Nutritionist, I have my Bachelors in Nutrition and Dietetics and my Masters in Nutrition and Human Performance. I also attend 4-6 health seminars a year to keep myself updated on all the latest science. I was seeing a huge interest in Intermittent Fasting (IF) within my own Instagram community (@autumnelle_nutrition). I personally utilize Intermittent Fasting to help with my anxiety and bloating, but I have seen so many people do it wrong because they don’t understand the science behind it. From incorrectly utilizing Intermittent Fasting, not only will you not receive the reported benefits, you’re also at risk of creating a hormone imbalance. Intermittent Fasting is completely safe for men and women and has amazing benefits, but like anything it needs to be done the right way. That’s why I created The Ultimate 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program. I want my community and everyone to use the healing powers of Intermittent Fasting to help achieve their wellness goals with the proper knowledge to back it up! And because I’m obsessed with food, I put together a 3 week meal-by-meal guide with recipes ranging from healthy chili, pancakes, muffins and even tacos! Hundreds of people around the world have already utilized the Program protocols with benefits ranging from decreased bloating, decreased acne/breakouts, reduced overall inflammation, improved sleep, significantly increased energy levels and so much more!

"When you provide whole, nutritious and real foods, your body in turn provides glowing skin, a boosted mood and a strong body."

There are many people who don’t see the benefits of eating adequately to fuel their body and get the best results from their workout, and we know you emphasize this a lot. Do you notice a big difference when you eat nutritiously to supplement your workout?

Absolutely! You don’t truly notice the difference in how food makes you feel until you start eating in a way that supports wellness. The body is literally creating new cells everyday. When you provide whole, nutritious and real foods, your body in turn provides glowing skin, a boosted mood and a strong body. But on the flip-side, when you provide it processed, nutrient depleted, “food-like” substances, you’ll receive dry or broken-out skin, sluggish energy, increased anxiety and overall feel “blah”.

"Whether it be a workout, long walk, meditation, or reading with my cup of coffee - I give myself that time to be completely present and respond to what I need that day."

How do you stay fit and focused while managing your own business, social life, and family. (What is your key to having a balanced life?)

I break my day up into chunks to help keep myself balanced. The first two hours of my day (6-8am) is my “me” time. This is where I give myself the love I need in order to be my best self in every other aspect of my life. Whether it be a workout, long walk, meditation, or reading with my cup of coffee - I give myself that time to be completely present and respond to what I need that day. Then when I’m at work, I know I’ve done what I need for myself and can focus on every aspect of my business. If I haven’t had that “me” time first, then I feel flustered and incomplete while working. Because I have my own business, it can be difficult to know when to stop for the day. I definitely made the mistake of working 12-14 hour days during the first few months of having my own business because I was so excited to get up and work everyday! This led to extreme fatigue and burnout that wouldn’t have happened if I allowed time for myself and my family/friends. Now, once the clock hits 5:30pm, I shut down my computer, cook dinner, and hangout with my boyfriend (sans phones). Having these chunks of time solely dedicated to the three or four most important things in your life leads to a balanced day and zero burnout.

"Beauty has evolved into so much more than external appearances for me."

What are a few of your favorite go to dishes/snacks/smoothies.

Oh man, I can’t really go a day without my Keto Coffee! I’m also a self-proclaimed smoothie queen, I have a rotation of 10 or so smoothies that I always break my fast each morning with. A few of my faves are the Blueberry Hemp Smoothie and the PB + Coconut Chia Smoothie. Smoothies are one of the easiest and tastiest ways to pack a ton of life-giving nutrients into each morning! With us being in the middle of fall, I’ve also been obsessing over this Roasted Veggie + Ginger Spiced Soup! Also Kalumi BEAUTYfood! My favorite Kalumi flavor is the Cocoa Kiss. I love that the ingredients are simple, the sugar content is low and the healthy fats are high. Most grab n' go bars rely on 10-20g of sugar to make the bar palatable. As a Nutritionist, it's really important to me to see low sugar levels to ensure the bar will be satiating while on-the-go and not spur further spikes in blood sugar levels and therefore hunger.

What does beauty mean to you?

Beauty has evolved into so much more than external appearances for me. Yes, having amazing skin, hair, nails, etc. is amazing, but you really can’t achieve that until you’ve treated your body right first. I’m talking about making sure you’ve healed your gut, your stress levels are in check, you’re sleeping deeply, you have only the best foods in your diet, you’re practicing positive self-talk, you surround yourself with supportive people and you’re getting your body moving in a way you love each day. All of these factors are intimately related and once you have these down, not only will you have the beautiful skin, hair, and nails, but you’ll also feel GOOD about yourself and your health too!

Tell us your #1 Beauty tip!

Reduce your stress! Seriously! We live in a society where we wear our stress almost like a badge of honor. Stress causes your gut to become inflamed which directly leads to breakouts and other skin disorders. Reduce stress in every aspect of your life and this will lead to a beautiful complexion too!

"We grab a pizza loaded with our favorite toppings and sip on a glass of red wine or sangria"

What is your guilty pleasure/ what do you do on a day off?

I like to think of guilty pleasure days as “treat days” rather than “cheat days”. There have been studies that find those who schedule in one day a week to have a meal that isn’t necessarily in line with their wellness goals helps them to stay on track and achieve their goals faster than those who don’t allow a treat day! On my treat days, my boyfriend and I will go to a local pizza place that has the BEST thin crust pizza. We grab a pizza loaded with our favorite toppings and sip on a glass of red wine or sangria (no sugar added). I studied the Mediterranean Diet in Northern Italy, so I’m not sure that I’ll ever be able to not have a really good slice of pizza, and I’m okay with that!

What’s next? What is your vision for your business and beyond?

Everything I do for my business, I do with my community in mind. I created the 21 Day Intermittent Fasting Program because they asked for it. I created my YouTube Channel because they wanted more information on the science behind Nutrition. I formed a private Autumn Elle Nutrition Facebook Group because they wanted a safe space to share their journey. I have a lot of exciting partnerships, products and content planned out for the next year as a result of my community asking! My mission is to make achieving your wellness dreams simple and clear up the confusing science behind it. I want everyone to feel good in their own skin. And that all starts with what you put on your plate every day.

Thank you for this insightful interview Autumn! Be sure to follow Autumn on Instagram for delicious recipes and a constant flow of health and wellness Inspo (autumnelle_nutrition). Shop Autumn's fav Kalumi BEAUTYfood flavor cocoa kiss here. Keep up your amazing work babe!

Xo, Kalumi

Past interviews:

October 2018- Jordan Younger (@thebalancedblonde)

September 2018- Lauren Berkovitz (Lauren b beauty)

August 2018- Julie Wray (Olivine Atelier)

July 2018- Tedi Serge (Sand sisters LA)

June 2018- Erika Elizabeth (holistic nutritionist/alchemist)

May 2018- Bruna Schmitz (pro surfer + model)

April 2018- Amanda Kloots (Celebrity trainer)

March 2018-Sophie Jaffe (Philosophie)

February 2018-Vanessa Packer (ModelFit)

January 2018- Mia Kang (Model)