The Real Healthy Lives of Perth: Jennifer McMahon from The Modern Day Woman + EcoLuxe Events

First up, briefly tell us a bit about yourself and what you do!

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit and a drive to run my own businesses. I began my career in HR in 2004 and I worked my way to become a Partner and then Co-Director for a HR & Executive Search company with offices in Perth and Melbourne in 2011. Whilst this was a milestone for me, I still had so many passions I wanted to pursue. This desire ignited me to empower other women through a digital influence platform which I launched in 2014. This then grew into a not for profit membership based Movement which I rebranded in 2017 to The Modern Day Woman centred around incredible Perth business women, visionaries and creatives and how they embrace their many identities, talents and pursue their passions by stepping outside their comfort zones.

Through all of this, my mantra to perform at an optimum level is a healthy mind is the result of a healthy lifestyle.  Keeping fit and active and maintaining a clean and low-tox lifestyle has been a driving force behind everything I do.

For this reason, I felt another burning desire to promote living an active, healthy and wholesome lifestyle I therefore launched EcoLuxe Events in 2017 facilitating festivals and events to promote balance in the busy world we live in. I feel passionate about bridging the Corporate and Wellness worlds together which has seen an expansion of our HR company to now fqcilitate and deliver Corporate Wellness Programs to our clients.

What time do you wake up most days and how many hours of sleep do you aim for?

7-8 hours per night is my optimum. Prior to falling pregnant, I was a 6-7 hour per night person and that has been the case for most of my life but since pregnancy, I’ve felt my body needing the extra couple of hours per night which I am really enjoying at the moment!

What’s your morning routine to set you up for a great day?

I start my day with 1-2 glasses of warm water and lemon. Prior to preganancy I would have a glass of spirulina and chlorella in water every morning however since falling pregnant, I now take a bio available Silica and liquid vitamin C supplement followed by a herbal tea of dandelion leaf, nettle and shivastra which I blend myself. One of my favourite past times is to blend my own herbals. As I’ve never been a coffee drinker - I am a self confessed tea addict!!

Then next up…. Movement, Movement and Movement! I am fortunate to be a person with naturally a lot of energy however I believe my secret has been that no matter what day it is, I make space for a morning walk in nature. The walk can be anywhere between 40 mins-2 hours but it always includes meditation. On my longer walks, I find a place near a lake or in a park to sit and meditate for 10-15 minutes. On my shorter walks, I practice an active meditation where I listen to the trees, birds or different sounds wherever I am.

Describe a typical day of eating for you.

I don’t prescribe to any specific diets or fads, my food philosophy is “clean, whole food style eating with local or organic produce where possible” The biggest lesson I’ve learnt is Bio-Individuality. I’ve come 360 with my relationship with food, from my late teens and early 20’s where I was a self confessed junk food addict in the late 90’s and early 2000’s to going completely vegan and organic to paleo…. Yep I’ve tried it all!! Experience has given me “food maturity” and I believe in listening to your body and what it needs and what foods allow my body to keep working at its optimum state, and this will be different for you and everyone else. I believe your genetics and cultural history play a huge part in how we metabolise certain foods. For example I have an Asian heritage and can eat rice all day every day and never feel bloated, my body breaks down rice easily, if I eat bread and pasta however I feel very differently so I limit my intake of these.

My palate has always been attracted to a plant based diet, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and I also love seafood. My Achilles heel is my MASSIVE sweet tooth… I could eat chocolate all day every day. I try to eat locally produced bean to bar dark chocolate whenever I can…. My absolute fave is Sue Lewis Chocolatier at the Treasury - I actually have my own account with her - it’s THAT good!!

Do you have an evening wind-down ritual?

Herbal tea, canoodling with my puppy on the couch with Netflix and Chill 🙂

Your absolute favourite healthy cafe in Perth is?

Oh gosh, there are so many now!!! I’m completely addicted to Acai Bowls since falling pregnant, to the point where I can have them for dinner multiple nights per week, because of this I’ve visited almost every Acai place in Perth in the last 6 months and I’m not joking.

My go to’s are always: Pearth Organic Kitchen, The Clean Food Store & Acai Corner and Panache in the CBD for lunch. I also LOVE Asian food so most dinners out I will stalk the best Pho or Ramen place…. Mmmm YUM!

And lastly… do you have any top secret tips you use to keep looking / feeling great?

Nothing is more attractive that self confidence and a smile…. As I say in the Modern Day Woman Movement….. when you follow your dreams & passions, and truly let go of obligation and expectation, you are the best version of yourself and this is your path to freedom