Here at HumanN, we take our health seriously. Given it’s National Women’s Health Month, we thought we’d celebrate by highlighting a super fierce female athlete. We sat down with OCR World Champion, Lindsay Webster, to learn how her health and wellness has evolved over the years.
Q: At what age did you start getting serious about health and wellness?
A: I grew up in a healthy family with my sister training to be a pro-athlete! She taught me how much commitment it takes to be a pro. In regards to training and nutrition, my parents always cooked us healthy meals and had us enrolled in sports. When I went to University, I’ll admit, I took a break from my healthy habits. Ultimately, I returned to my healthy lifestyle and got really serious around the age of 23––once I’d graduated from University, lived on my own, and was working full-time.
Q: What is one thing you wish you knew about women’s health when you were younger?
A: I wish I knew more about how training and nutrition effects females vs. males. Our bodies react so much differently because we have different hormones. For example, intermittent fasting can actually have massive negative effects on women. I love to follow Dr Stacy Sims, she’s a leading expert and researcher on female physiology and endurance training, and releases all sorts of information that directly relates to me as a female athlete.
Q: What does health mean to you?
A: To me, health should be a sustainable, long-term lifestyle choice. I think this means something different to every female. But in general, I think it means about 150 minutes of exercise per week and a healthy diet. For me specifically, I like to exercise at least an hour a day, and rest one rest day per week, with an emphasis on recovery methods like stretching. It also means taking time for my mental health and de-stressing, so incorporating mindfulness or yoga into my weekly routine is important. Quiet time at the end of the day, and taking at least an hour each day to do something like cooking or gardening, brings me joy. In terms of nutrition––lots of fruits, veggies, and home cooked meals, but also tasty treats in moderation.
Q: What areas of your health are you focusing on right now?
A: Right now, I’m putting a big focus on eliminating stress from my life. I recently went through a big move, so it’s a good time to form new habits in a new place. I also think with the COVID-19 pandemic and an uncertain plan for the rest of the year, it’s really important to reflect, reframe things in a positive way, and just go with the flow. Lemons are something that life will always give us, and I’ve decided that instead of letting it stress me out when I’m handed a lemon, I’d rather accept the fact that unexpected things will be thrown at me every day, all my life, and I’d rather learn to go with the flow and make lemonade.
