The choice one makes to look after their nutrition is key to their physical and mental wellbeing. You’ll find that consuming processed foods and unbalanced diets will strongly impact the way you feel - so it is imperative that you are mindful of what you eat. Still, we all could use a motivating push from time to time...

We spoke with Nutritionist and Personal Trainer Elina Everte for some inspiration. Given her incredible Bali content, we also felt compelled to ask for some recommendations when travelling to the beautiful island!

Q: Could you tell us a bit about what you do?

A: To get to know me better and understand where I am and what I do, I will briefly tell you my story; how it all started. I am a postgraduate lawyer from Latvia who moved to Malta back in 2008. I was living on an island where the sun shines 300 days per year, swimming in the Mediterranean Sea every morning - basically living my dream life. I was working in corporate law and business management; the job was good with growth opportunities but I always had this feeling that something was missing. I didn’t have the drive for success and growth in my professional field.

While enjoying a life full of tasty foods and drinks, I started noticing that my body and mind needs better care. I started exercising and looking after myself. Slowly I understood that my interest in health is growing so I joined a personal trainer qualification course and also became qualified as a nutritionist to apply the knowledge in creating a happier and healthier me.

However, my passion and willingness to help others was too strong to keep the knowledge to myself. I decided to pursue my dreams and started helping women to gain their confidence in life, and sharing my experience and knowledge in nutrition and training.

Q: What would you say are the main benefits of good nutrition?

A: Back In the days, men used to go out hunting for food to survive. Overtime, our relationship with food has changed, we eat too many processed foods, we don’t eat for the purpose to nourish our body.

Having good nutrition is not about strict limitations. Food is there to make us feel good physically, give us more energy, and  also help improve our mental health. Have you noticed that your wellbeing changes after a foodie night out? Eating food that is the least processed and closest to nature as possible can make a huge difference to the way you think, look, and feel.

If information on packaged food is confusing you and has too many nutrition facts, I always suggest putting it back on the supermarket’s shelf. It means that the food is full of unnecessary additives and isn't good for your body.

Even more important today when we need to pay extra attention to our health, a balanced diet and good nutrition plays a big role in our lives. Good nutrition decreases the risk of preventing different illnesses. If we have a healthy body, we are less likely to get sick. Maintaining a healthy immune system is more important than ever.

Q: The current times have certainly made it tougher to adopt a healthy lifestyle. What motivates you to be the best version of yourself, even when times are tough?

A: During times of stress and uncertainty, it can be easy to fall into bad habits and therefore, it is so important to establish healthy routines.

I sure have my bad days - when I don’t want to work out and all I want is to eat sweets and feel sorry for myself - but when these days arrive, established healthy routines help me overcome those moments. I usually remind myself of the good days and activities that make me feel energised.

I remember that there are better days to come, like tomorrow. It’s important how we react to bad days, that determines how tomorrow will play out.

Go for a walk

Spending time outdoors, in sunlight, is one of the best mood boosters. Walking is a way to boost your mood and relieve stress. It also keeps the hands away from reaching for unhealthy foods. Honestly, the pandemic time has taught me to seek good in what I have around me. I even found a way to be grateful for setbacks.

Q: We saw that you have recently travelled to Bali - we would love to know more about your experience there and any recommendations for where to stay or visit when in Bali!

A: I came to Bali to study and practice meditation, and get certified as a meditation teacher. Meditation is one the main tools that helped me become who I am today. I wish to integrate meditation into the health program I offer, to enhance the overall depth and benefits of the meditation for my clients.

At the moment I’m using the time here for my growth and not so much for traveling. I still travel, but those are short trips around Bali or to the islands around. 

Bali is a true paradise and never ending adventure, there is something for everyone. You can experience the different beaches, surfing, hiking, yoga, amazing food, social life, culture and meet the locals - the kindest people on Earth. Before you come to Bali, you will need to understand what you want to see and figure out what suits you. If it's more about jungle and yoga, stay in Ubud, if you like social life with lots of laid-back beach cafés, bars and are into surfing, choose Canggu.

I would suggest picking a place to stay for a few days. You can book your accommodation through booking websites like booking.com or if you are a group of friends traveling, it’s very popular to share a villa. Villas can be booked via airbnb or agoda.

Q: Do you have any tips on how to travel in these challenging times?

A: You should consider several things when traveling, however, if you follow standard hygiene measures, travelling is safe and enjoyable. There are bigger chances to get sick while shopping in your local grocery store than on the plane.

Personally, I had to spend time in quarantine in Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia) and take two Covid tests before I could enter Bali. Before travelling, read carefully the requirements of the airline, transit and destination country. There are different rules for each of them.

Also, plan ahead, leave plenty of time to boost your health and look after your immune system. Enjoy safe travels!