Today we’d like to introduce you to Lara Days.
Hi Lara, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
It took a lot of twists and turns for me to get to where I am now! I went to school for music performance and education, and I honestly never saw myself doing anything other than music.
I was always active in sports as a kid and thought I had “retired” until my junior year of college when I got an email from the softball coach asking me if I was interested in trying out for the softball team. I think that was what got my foot back in the door, so to speak.
I played college softball for two years, then got into yoga and running when I was in grad school, and eventually CrossFit. I did my yoga teacher certification in 2013 but never really learned anything about food. Through all of this, I was sharing my own health journey on social media. I would share yoga classes I was teaching, CrossFit classes I was taking, races I was running, etc.
Then in 2019, people started asking me for help. That’s really what prompted me to venture further into health and wellness. I decided to do my Precision Nutrition certification so that I could start helping other people. Two years and several more certifications later, my full-time gig is helping people learn about nutrition while healing their relationship with food & their body!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has DEFINITELY not been without obstacles. Running a business is really challenging. There are constant bumps in the road and a lot of self-doubt. As soon as I think I’ve got something figured out, there’s a new roadblock that I’d never considered.
Especially in the beginning stages, it tends to be a one-person show. It feels lonely a lot of the time. It’s also hard to figure out what aspects of running a business I love and am good at and which ones I need to hire help with. No one is good at everything, so it’s a lot of trial and error to figure out what I want to keep and what I need to delegate. It’s also hard to decide WHEN to hire — money is always top-of-mind, as the goal of any business is to be profitable.
It’s also really hard knowing that the services I offer will change people’s lives, but still having to “convince” people of that. I already know. My clients already know. But there’s a lot of fear around investing in help, so I constantly have to assure people that they’re worthy of the investment. It often feels like I’m repeating myself, but ultimately, I’m here to help as many people as I can, so I’ll continue to shout it from the rooftops!
We’ve been impressed with Lara Elizabeth Coaching, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My mission is to help people heal their relationship with food and their body so that they can live the confident and fulfilling life they deserve. Diet culture has permeated our entire existence, and it is nearly impossible to escape the endless ads telling us that our worth is dependent on what our body looks like. It’s total bullshit. We are not here to diet and then die.
I use food & lifestyle as a tool to help women love themselves fully and deeply and to learn to trust themselves. Self-trust is my ultimate goal for my clients: when we trust ourselves, we don’t need to look for answers from magazines, friends, or the media.
My job is to empower my clients to make the decisions that are best for them and their lives. I don’t give meal plans or tell people what to eat or how to move; those aren’t my decisions to make and it would take the power away from them.
The world needs more confident women, and we can’t be confident when we’re constantly worried about what our bodies look like.
I feel really strongly that everyone should have access to this kind of help, so I have several different services that I offer, ranging from a low-ticket DIY course (launching October 1st) to 1-on-1 coaching to group programs. The service that I am most proud of is my signature group coaching program, The Nutrition Empowerment Project. There is SO much healing and strength in a community setting, and I cry every time a round wraps up.
How do you think about happiness?
So many things make me happy!! Connecting with other humans. Good food. My husband. My cat. Seeing women own their power.
We aren’t on the planet for very long, so I try to find joy and happiness as often as I can.
Contact Info:
- Email: lara@laraelizabethcoaching.com
- Website: www.laraelizabethcoaching.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lara.days/
Image Credits
The Dove Duo Samantha Salmon
