Today we’d like to introduce you to Tammy Flack.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I grew up in a family that loved to eat and my fondest childhood memories were around a table filled with amazing food. Unfortunately, we were also a family prone to obesity and its accompanying health problems. I avoided these issues for the most part very early in life, graduating from college with a degree in nursing and working in the medical field. After having each of my three daughters, my weight began to get out of control and I became a yo-yo-dieter for years. Trust me, when I say, I tried everything, and I began a very complicated relationship with food. I eventually took my passion for cooking to a new level by becoming a personal chef and ran a successful business cooking for wonderful clients, but my love-hate relationship with food continued. At my heaviest, I was 220 pounds, developed rheumatoid arthritis, and was feeling very old as I approached 50.
In early 2014, I heard about a book, “It Starts With Food” by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. This is the book that began the “Whole30” which is a great introduction to the Paleo (Primal, Keto) way of eating. When I read about its premise, of going back to the way we were created to eat, ditching the sugar and chemical-laden processed food in favor of real, whole food, it resonated with me in a way nothing ever had. My wonderful husband dove right in with me and we changed our way of eating, became more active, and we’ve never looked back! Yes, we both lost weight, but more importantly, we gained health, we gained vitality, and we feel that we have added many years to our lives. I turn 56 next month, and I feel better than I felt in my 30’s. My weight has remained between 138-142 for the last 4 years. My RA symptoms are almost non-existent. Our blood-work drastically improved. And best of all, we don’t feel deprived at all. We eat the most amazing food!
It’s difficult to have those kinds of results without feeling passionate about it and wanting to tell everyone, but I was also cognizant about not wanting to irritate and alienate all my friends on facebook, so I started a closed group to share recipes and inspiration for those who wanted it. That grew quickly and I had people telling me I should blog and share on a bigger platform. I went through training to be certified as a Primal Health Coach and Primal Wellness Pro was born! I feel my background as an RN and a personal chef, as well as my personal experience, has been the perfect preparation for helping others find a lifestyle that optimizes their health, which includes nutrition, exercising adequate sleep, and stress management. (Fun fact: I am also an ordained chaplain, and I think that training has been a great help as well!) I love helping people one-on-one but have also found great joy in reaching a larger audience through social media and my blog.
Has it been a smooth road?
Are there any smooth roads? I’m not sure that exists! My road has certainly been circuitous. There have been times I have wondered if something was wrong with me because I grew tired of what I was doing and wanted to do something else. But what I’ve discovered is that it is okay to reinvent yourself, no matter what your age. If you aren’t happy doing what you are doing, it is perfectly acceptable to find something you are happy doing, but you have to be willing to do what is necessary to make that a reality. Sometimes I think we feel stuck in life because we got a degree in something or we spent time training and building a career in one area so we feel we have to stay there. But if you really aren’t happy, is it worth it? Life is too short! Find your passion and find a way to turn it into your vocation. No education and training is a waste, and I’ll bet all of your experience will be an asset. Thankfully, I have had the greatest support system in my husband, my daughters, and sons-in-law, and the best tribe of friends a girl could ever want. Surrounding yourself with great people is vital, and I have been abundantly blessed in that area. Smooth road? Definitely not. Fun, adventurous, and surprising road? Absolutely!
We’d love to hear more about Primal Wellness Pro.
I think I am known for showing that great food, whether it is something I’ve cooked myself or something I found in the amazing food scene in Houston, can be healthy and attainable for the average home cook. I hope to inspire others to educate themselves about this paleo lifestyle, and that it is sustainable and is not overly restrictive, because the key to any healthy lifestyle, you know, is sustainability. If you can’t do it the rest of your life, the results will not stick. I want to show people through my Instagram posts the amazing variety of food I get to eat every day. I want the food to be beautiful and enticing, but then I also want to direct them to my blog to show them that these recipes aren’t that difficult! I want to show them some products that I use to make life easier because even though I love to cook, I don’t have all day to be in the kitchen. Houston is such a great food city, and we love to eat out. Showing how you can eat out in any restaurant and still keep it paleo or keto is one of my very favorite things to do, but I also show that occasionally I forget the rules when it’s really worth it and have something special that’s not paleo. I think it’s important to show that balance because, again, we are thinking of long-term success. Most of all, I want to inspire others to optimize their nutrition and exercise to have the energy and health to live their very best lives.
We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
Strangely enough, the foodservice industry is still a very male-dominated industry, but that is changing. I am inspired by the new female chefs and restaurant owners that are emerging in our area, and around the world. I think all too often we have been afraid to speak authoritatively because as we know, assertive women are often treated and labeled differently than assertive men. Women in my generation were taught that we had to “play the game’ to be successful. But courageous women began to find their voices and this has been a wonderful thing to witness over my lifetime. There is still work to do, and unfortunately, sexism still exists in the workplace. I have three very strong, intelligent daughters in three very different careers, so this is an area of great concern to me, but I am hopeful for their future, and for those that come after them.
Contact Info:
- Website: primalwellnesspro.com
- Email: tammy@primalwellnesspro.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/primalwellnesspro/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/primalwellnesspro/?ref=bookmarks
Image Credit:
Tammy Flack
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