Meet Courtney Rewiri - Local inspiration feature

Our second inspo blog feature on my sister in law Courtney Rewiri. I love how this whole blog encapsulates her personality and she has answered every question so authentically. Courtney or otherwise known as Rau, is a mama of 3 and a mental health nurse and a ryzn model ;-). She is very committed to her health and its been pretty cool growing up along side with Rau for over a decade, going through all the motions of life. Succeeding as a career woman, her commitment to her babies, my brother and her health. Check out her feature below. 

 

How do you start your mornings?

My mornings are usually started by waking up to the cute chatters between my baby and his teddy bears 😊 which is at most times 5.30am, these chatters make my heart jump out of my chest so it's easy to get up and out of my warm cozy bed. We then enjoy a nice moment together with him with his bottle and me with my black coffee before our household wakes for the day by 6am. Nico Tuhimata ( our 5 year old) usually wakes and starts crying for his mama or papa as he enjoys a nice long warm cuddle when he wakes which also gives my heart fuzzies. Our eldest Jhai Mikaere then wakes to all the commotion going on in the home as he could sleep the morning away if he could get some silence. 

What’s your go to breakfast?

My first meal is usually around 11.30-12 on most days.

A lot of people may say what the h#$@ but it works for me. I have done this for about a year now. It is called intermittent fasting so I don’t eat after 8pm then eat again at 12 so my eating window is between 12 and 8pm giving my body a 16 hour fast. I will spill out a couple benefits but it is readily available out there if you were wanting to look into it. 

1. Changes the function of cells, genes and hormones (ie) insulin levels drop which facilitates fat burning , growth hormones increase which also facilitate fat burning and increase muscle gain, repairs cells such as removing waste material from cells, gene expression which relates to longevity and protection against disease.
2. Helps lose weight and belly fat by boosting metabolic rates.
3. Reduces insulin resistance lowering risk of type 2 diabetes which intermittent fasting has shown to have major benefits for reducing insulin. 
4. Reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in the body which are steps towards aging and many chronic diseases.
5. Beneficial for heart health by improving different risk factors including blood pressure, total LDL cholesterol, blood triglycerides, inflammatory markers and blood sugar levels. 
6. Induces various cellular repair processes by breaking down and metabolizing broken and dysfunctional proteins that build up inside cells over time. 
7. Fasting has been shown to several beneficial effects on metabolism that may lead to reduced risk of cancer
8. Increases levels of a brain hormone called brain-derived neurotrophic factor a deficiency implicated in depression and brain concerns
9. One of the most exciting applications of intermittent fasting may be its ability to extend lifespan. 

(all above info was written by kris Gunners and are all evidenced based health benefits of intermittent fasting found on healthline.com) 

My journey with this has been beneficial, firstly post baby and losing excess weight. It has also increased my energy levels by miles. I can soldier through my morning, get my workout in at 9am, go home, do all the homely chores, get my whanau their dinner ready before heading to my 8 hour shift at 2pm. My sleep is great. I am an early bird so the latest I like to go to bed is 9am and wake up to my baby at 5.30am which is 12 hours of good sleep (most nights if my whanau allows haha). My digestive system and my bowel system have improved immensely. I used to go every 3 days. Now I am a regular daily if you know what I mean haha ok too much information.  But yes, as I said earlier it works well for me and my lifestyle and I find I thrive on it. 

But going back to the question, my first meal would be breaking my fast with a raw juice, a nice tall glass of this , then a protein smoothie which usually consists of coconut water, almond milk, blueberries, banana, peanut butter and protein. Then I will have oats with coconut yoghurt , no sugar maple syrup, fried bananas, nuts and seeds, more peanut butter (it's my fave) and frozen berries if not oats 6 rice crackers with 2 avos mashed with one red onion and cherri tomatoes. Throughout the day I aim to drink 3 litres of h20.

I love food. I am a big eater. Have recently also found that eating more wholefoods is better for my energy levels and better for you in general. So I try my hardest to eat whole with no processed bits.

You’re a mental health nurse? Why mental health nursing and why is it important to you?

Yep this is my 7th year as a mental health nurse. I never thought in a lifetime I would be in this field, as I was young and not open minded about mental health and fed into all stigmatizing materials about it out there, how a lot of others still do which is very sad, I strongly advocate for our mental health clients whom are just like the rest of us we all have different journeys and some harder than others, which a lot didn’t choose themselves. If we could be one thing in this world I would choose to be KIND. My whanau (aunt and mum) have worked in the mental health field for their working careers so I have been around it for the majority of my life so felt that connection instantly. 

The main attribute that got me into the field of mental health nursing was the therapeutics of it all. To be able to nurse well a rapport needs to be built and that takes time and a lot of effort to establish, the client needs to trust and feel that empathy to then proceed onto care pathways. I felt that connection and the need for more maori nurses to be in this field so here I am and still thoroughly enjoying this entire process. I am planning on finishing my post grad diploma in mental health nursing next year and am hoping to learn new skills involved in psychotherapies to further develop the necessary skills for my clients and their journey to their own recovery.

You’re a full time, a busy mama of three and a partner. I see you working out everyday! How do you find the time and keep motivated?

Working out has always been my ME time. Without slotting in that ME time i find I don’t function as well as I would like. It gets my blood pumping. Those natural endorphins are at their highest and what’s not to like about feeling on top of the world. 

 I choose to find time,  if I can have one hour out of the 24 I feel that I’m contributing to my health and wellness which needs to be good enough to get through my days and nights as a busy mama and a full time Registered nurse. As I stated in the previous question being kind should be a priority and in this case I choose kindness towards my wellbeing 😊

What does self-care look like for you and do you think it’s important?

Self-care to me is spending good quality time with my babies and their papa. It fills my cup so much.

I also love a cheeky red sangria or red wine with the girls to get those youth vibes flowing. You always turn into that fun outgoing person when you're with your faves and I love that side of me. 

Routine is what the majority of life is and it gets tiring and very boring so splashing out with the whanau on a mini holiday or at our local Mexican restaurant here in the sunny bay with the girls are always a priority in my self-care book. 

self-care should be one of the most important aspects of one's life. Life would be dull otherwise right and we can't have a dull world. Where's the fun in that? 

What's your favourite way to move?

I have recently found my love for crossfit so anything crossfit is my favorite thing 😊.

But the nice majestic walks here in Whakatane are also golden in my life. 

What keeps you ryzn?

My babies and partner. They are my main driving force behind everything I do. Nothing fulfills my life more than seeing them happy, safe and well cared for. 

If you could give your younger self or anyone else a piece of advice, what would it be?

Don’t grow up too fast!!!!. That is when the mahi starts so enjoy the freedom of being young and adventurous,  it doesn’t last long. Keep these moments special to your heart.

Cherish your elders and every moment you have with them learn from them to gain knowledge and help you grow.

work hard as working hard always pays off . Goals are not achieved without hard work.

If you want something, strive and be a go getter you never want to look back and think man I wish I had done that. No regrets here.

Where can we find you?

Instagram is main acc and where you will find main parts of my life through the a lens  @_rauotehuia_