WTO : 011 – Following your Passions and being stress free. 

In this episode of the Wartime CEO Podcast, we have Leiah Rocheleau who is the Mrs. DC 2018  with us to share with us her journey to healthy life style. She will share her experience with corporate America transitioning to being a health advocate. Let’s listen to her as she gives us the perfect recipe to being healthy and stress-free.

Life of Leiah Rocheleau in Corporate America 

[2:43] When I graduated from high school, I got my first job at a bank. My mom wanted me to go to college but then I stayed at banking for 14 years. I was the youngest female president at that company. I got to this place of being really unhappy. I was a kind of, in essence, I had to drink to do my job.

[4:13] I had decided to run for Mrs. DC America the first time when I had never done a pageant ever. It was after I got married and gone through therapy. 

Running for Mrs. DC 

[5:28] I decided to run for Mrs. DC the first time, which was right after our wedding. It was more about getting me out of my comfort zone, and really pushing me to do something that didn’t involve thinking or drinking. I finished second runner up that year. I wondered what if I put out all my effort out there. As a result, I swept the competition winning awards after awards. After I got back from Mrs. America in August, and tried to go back to normal corporate life I felt that I did not git the culture anymore. I felt that I can’t do it anymore but I had no idea what I wanted to do. I knew that I loved health. That was a big piece of my journey.

Whole Food Vegan

[8:16] Vegans are defined usually by consuming, someone who’s vegan is just not going to consume any products that are animal-based products, no eggs, no cheese, no dairy, no meat, no fish.  Whole food vegan on the other hand focuses on not consuming processed foods. Not having the added oil, not having added sugar. Focusing on whole plant foods. 

Venturing into Whole Food Vegan Business 

[10:04] I knew was really that I like to inspire people. I loved being on stage and I was doing the show good things. I told my husband that I would quit my job. Even tough we were making good money I took the jump and quit my job. When I began to change my lifestyle began my journey. I was looking up health coaching certifications, trying to see if that was going to be something that I wanted to do.

Health Journey

[17:16] When clients come to me, so everyone always thinks like, higher protein, lower carbs. When you control your intake you might not need working out at all.  Control and monitor your food because it is important to you. 

[21:00] When you’re in a deficit for too long, your cortisol levels go up, everyone’s already under an extreme amount of stress anyways, so you actually probably limited and, and lengthened your amount of time that you were injured, because your body didn’t have enough calories to be able to properly repair.

[21:32] Medicinal Mushrooms can be the thing for the future. 

Giving out tips to the clients. 

[27:03] Many of the clients have gone to doctors, and you know, the doctors are like, just do this or take this pill  I’m never prescribing anything, because I’m not a physician, I make suggestions. And then people can take suggestions, you know, read articles and form their own opinion, but it’s, it’s about taking back control of your health. 

[31:51] Another thing that could really help for someone who’s suffering from allergies is grounding. And something that’s so simple, but it’s taking your shoes and socks off and walking outside on grass.

Pregnancy Coaching

[34:15] When you are pregnant the first time and when you go to the doctor they would only tell you about where you are currently in. Women don’t get an instruction manual about how should I eat when I’m pregnant? What supplements should I be taking when I’m pregnant? how active, can I be pregnant? How much is too much weight to gain while I’m pregnant? if they had a coach and someone to talk to and inspire and keep them motivated and focus on, you’re not a victim in your pregnancy, most of the time women choose to be pregnant. I also educate them how they can be a good mom. 

[37:54] Educating people on you know, raising estrogen levels and where men have, it’s not that men don’t have trouble when they drink they do. But it’s 1000 times worse on women because it affects our hormones so drastically. 

Mrs. DC Pageant. 

[44:11] Even though I have not won the first pageant and finishing as a 2nd runner up, it was still a good story to tell. If I would have won Mrs. DC in 2017. I don’t know that I would have done good things. I’m too busy with my work and with being Mrs. DC. We were excited to, getting our message out there really learning growing, doing different things.

Jets set 

[48:07] Filmed in Sterling, Virginia. one of the hosts is Mrs. DC America. 2019, Nikki Noah. her and I are complete opposites. She is an ex professional volleyball player. I’m an ex-banker, both beauty queens.

Keynotes

[13:21] I tell people, if you’re searching for your passion and your purpose, you need to ask the people around you what you light up about when you talk.  

[46:54] I think we’re just so blessed to have each other in this world where sometimes it feels like someone always wants something from you. And to just have that genuine friendship and love is just priceless.

 Connect with Leiah:

• Instagram
• Website