Welcome To A Healthy Orthodox Life

I started in the fitness industry 10 years ago as a Zumba instructor, soon followed by certifications as a personal trainer and nutrition coach. It didn’t take long before I was disillusioned with the mainstream culture of health, fitness and food that can be a toxic culture of fad diets, body image expectations and immodesty. On the other hand, alternative wellness often reaches to Asian spiritual practices, which are at odds with Orthodox values.

This does not mean that as Orthodox we should neglect our bodies.

On the contrary, Orthodox belief is that humans are a unity of soul and body with each affecting the other and that we are stewards of the body that God has given to us.

So about a year ago I started to focus on serving Orthodox women. Then I was invited to present a paper at the International Orthodox Theological Association’s conference in Volos, Greece last January.

That was a magic experience for me, but it also brought up my lack of a website for my new focus on wellness for Orthodox Christians (I do have another website for my other hat of voice teacher at Elizabeth Rotoff Voice Studio).

So here we are 9 months later, kind of like giving birth, and I am finally unveiling my baby of a website and blog.

According to Saint Nektarios, not only does the mental health of a person help the body, but the bodily health of a person helps in the health of the soul.

I have developed a F.A.I.T.H. approach to wellness that I hope to share with you in this blog.

F = Fitness.As mentioned above our physical, mental, and spiritual fitness are all important for our soul.

A = Accountability. In the end we are all accountable to God, but having some help along the way, whether it’s from your spiritual father, therapist or coach, can keep us on track, where we might otherwise stumble and fall.

I = Inflammation Reduction. Inflammation is at the root of many issues facing the women I work with through all stages of life, whether it’s weight gain, energy, mood, mobility, post-partum, perimenopause, menopause or aging.

T = Thoughts. Our thoughts and mindset are at the core of our physical and spiritual well-being.

H = Healthy Habits. Develop lifestyle habits that will help you move towards your full potential so that you can serve your families and community in Christ.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey and if you want to have a daily dose of inspiration, I invite you to join me in the Orthodox Food, Fitness and Faith Facebook group.

Let me know in the comments.

Until next time, your Sister in Christ,

Elizabeth