Page 62 - Demo

62 || FITNESS MAGAZINE || APRIL / MAY 2015FMM: I love that you adhere to the principle that you walk a middle ground and are not a zealot, but rather you speak to the average woman and are committed to creating a healthy lifestyle for your own family and helping others do the same. What do you say about some people who take green living to the extreme? How do you differentiate or what is your limit? SU: I just think that taking %u201cgreen%u201d to an extreme can be very hard for most people to get their head around - where do you stop? I think it%u2019s important to understand how %u201cgreen living%u201d fits into your current life style. If you really want to live your life with more compassion - more consciously, you can start making small changes where it seems appropriate, and in areas that matter to you. Where some people go whole hog by powering their cars of recycled restaurant oil, or eating a 100% raw diet, others like to make small steps. One is not better than the other. The key is to inspire others with your actions, not alienate them!FMM: Do you get to return to and visit England often, where you say it all started in your mother%u2019s vegetable garden and were you were educated?SU: Sadly, I only get to go once or twice a year, but when I go, I do a long visit to see all my family and friends. Being with my mother always reminds me of the %u201cvegetable%u201d garden where I came from. My mother is also really frugal and cannot bear to waste one lettuce leaf, so it%u2019s good for me to be around her because she%u2019s so creative and resourceful.FMM: What is your favorite meal that is both delicious and healthy? Complete with app, entre, and dessert? (You may be helping MOST readers plan their next dinner party)SU: Hmmm, okay: App: Roasted baby beet salad on a bed or wild arugula with toasted walnuts. Entree: Acorn squash stuffed with shitake mushrooms, chestnuts and various veggies, with pomegranate studded red quinoa on the side. Dessert: Vegan chocolate torte with vanilla cashew ice cream.FMM: What are the most challenging and rewarding parts of your job?SU: The most challenging part is the timemanagement factor! I have so many things going on that it%u2019s really tough to give each area the time and value that it needs. I am leaning to delegate to try to work %u201csmarter.%u201d It%u2019s also challenging not to let social media drain my time and energy too. The most rewarding part is when I just know in my gut that I am doing something (either on TV, in a talk, or in a book) that is going to help change someone%u2019s life for the better. That is what it%u2019s all about, and it makes the crazy early mornings and late nights SO worth it.FMM: If you had a meeting with the leader of every country in the world and could tell them anything you want, what would you say?SU: I%u2019d say that you have to invest in education, and make this the TOP priority. When people get the information they need, they can make better choices. It is lack of a proper education that spawns most of the dire problems we face Q&A By: Darcy Tharp