Behind the Biz: Loving Life Wellness

Living a life of wellness can be difficult in our busy, fast-paced life. But a local health coach is setting out to make Ramona healthy, well and loving it.

Nine-year Ramona resident Kat McClanahan said she's been passion about natural health and wellness for more than 20 years, but most recently, she's decided to make a career out of it.

Her biz, Loving Life Wellness, was started just about a year ago and is aimed to help educate individuals on the importance of being healthy, naturally. With credientials like being certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners and a diploma from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in Health Coaching, McClanahan works with individuals to help them achieve their unique health goals through dietary and lifestyle changes.

Loving Life Wellness offers individualized coaching programs, group programs and workshops and cooking classes based on your goals for health.  

"My greatest passion is helping kids and teens learn healthy ways to eat to support their mental, emotion and physical selves so that they can enjoy a lifetime of optimal health," McClanahan told Patch in an email.

Read on to find out more about the healthy biz and find out how you can love life wellness.

Patch: Why did you decide to start this business in Ramona?

Kat McClanahan: I opened a business in Ramona because my first passion is my family. I am the mother of four and staying in Ramona enables me to be available when they need me and to be more involved in their lives without the added stress of a commute to other communities.

Also, having lived in Ramona for nine years, I have learned that Ramona is an amazing community with so much local support to its businesses. I love working in tandem with other businesses in Ramona, too.   

As of Dec. 1, I will be based out of Unicorn Books and Gifts. Stacy at Unicorn has been supportive all along and even has a shelf that is dedicated to books I recommend for my clients. Her store also has such a positive energy, that I felt it would be an ideal location to host group series workshops and to meet with individual clients. 

The Kitchen Barn partners with me as well and hosts my healthy cooking demonstrations in their beautiful demo kitchen! Ramona Family Naturals is always there to support me by providing time to give classes and workshops and is always there with a kind word and a willingness to help whenever possible!

Patch: What distinguishes your business from others in the same industry?

McClanahan: I have always dreamed of making a difference in the health and wellness of families from a holistic approach. I set myself apart from other health coaches when I decided to create a Wellness Referral Center in addition to my coaching practice.

 I am able to help people find the alternative and natural health and wellness practitioners they need to achieve total, all-around, optimal health.  I personally know each and every person I refer my clients to and believe in their skills and abilities to help in their area of expertise. My referral partners range from resources for essential oils, yoga, fitness experts, local produce farms, and all the way to doctors, psychotherapists, naturopaths, and massage therapists.

Loving Life Wellness is also one of the only practitioners in North County to offer Metagenics brand of supplements. These are only available through licensed or certified practitioners and are considered one of the highest quality brands available.

Patch: What are some current challenges you face as a business owner?

McClanahan: The challenges I face are quite similar to those any new business owner faces. Getting the word spread about the existence of my practice and what I do is the primary focus of any new business, but I feel i have overcome that through my active networking and getting involved in the Ramona Chamber of Commerce (I was recently elected to a 2013 Board Director position for the RCC), getting out in the community to the local events, participating in other businesses activities and always looking for ways to support others.

There is also much work to be done in getting people educated in the field of nutrition and its role in general health and wellness, as well as in specific health issues. The challenge there is that people need to have an understanding of the link between diet and lifestyle and their overall health in order to see the value in hiring a health coach for nutritional and lifestyle counseling. Fortunately, hiring a health coach to achieve a higher level of health is one of the most rapid growing areas of health care.

Patch: What's the best business advice you've ever been given?

McClanahan: The best business advice ever given to me was to first  find your passion and purpose, then follow it. When you do what you love, the money will follow.  

Skills in managing a business can be learned, but your passion and purpose is something within you that no college, mentor or "job" can create, replace or fulfill for you. Keeping my eyes always on my passion and purpose keeps me moving forward toward a life that is lived and loved.  

Patch: What's your number one tip for wellness?

McClanahan: My favorite tip for wellness is for every single person to understand that they are absolutely unique. There is no one like them on earth and there is no "one size fits all" solution to whatever challenges they have, be they physical or emotional. We are unique beings that require unique solutions, tailored just for who we are.  

That is where a board-certified health coach comes in. Working with individuals over the course of several months aids them in finding the smallest changes that will have the greatest impact, regardless of the "popular" or fad diets of the day.  

We all have our own individual goals for our health and wellness. I help you find your path to yours.

Looking for a health coach to guide you to wellness? Contact Kat at 619-249-2741 or visit her website at www.lovinglifewellness.com.