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Women In Wellness: Heidi Kristoffer of CrossFlowX On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help Support People’s Journey Towards Better Wellbeing

An Interview With Candice Georgiadis

It’s not how you fall, it’s how you heal- Despite our best intentions, we ALL fall, make mistakes, or fail. It may feel embarrassing, heart-breaking, or even gut-wrenching at the time, but everything happens for a reason (Remember, no mistakes!). How we recover and accept these learning moments with grace is what truly defines who we are.

As a part of my series about the women in wellness, I had the pleasure of interviewing Heidi Kristoffer.

Heidi Kristoffer is: mom to three tiny humans, her CrossFlow yoga app, and CrossFlowX™, co-host of new hit “Off The Gram” podcast, Dr. Oz collaborator, creator and producer of Microsoft Bing Fitness Yoga & MSN Yoga, and wellness expert for, and contributor to, multiple publications and platforms. Her goal is to make yoga, inversions, health, strength, and whole, happy living accessible to everyone. Rated one of the: Hottest Trainers in America by Shape Magazine, most inspiring yoga teachers in the world by DoYouYoga, and most popular instructors in NYC by RateYourBurn and ClassPass, Heidi can often be seen featured as an expert on television and in magazines worldwide.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you share your “backstory” with us?

I grew up in Greenwich, Connecticut and attended Cornell University, then the British American Drama Academy (BADA) in London. When I graduated, I came to New York where I worked steadily as an actor for a decade. In 2007, after a moving to an area where there weren’t gyms nearby, I decided to go to a yoga studio and halfway through this class, I’m sweating, I’m exhausted, and I’m exuberantly happy. I wanted more. Yoga taught me that we are enough exactly the way we are, the universe created us perfectly, and our job is to remember that — my whole world changed. This ultimately inspired me to reevaluate what I wanted to do career-wise and pivot to teaching yoga. Yoga saved me on every level — physically, emotionally, and mentally. It truly changed my life forever. So, my goal is to share that magic with as many humans as I can.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career? What were the main lessons or takeaways from that story?

Before becoming a mom, I couldn’t wrap my brain around short yoga videos. If my practice was only 90 minutes a day, I felt deprived. Cut to me giving birth to my twins and Googling “7 minute yoga videos” because that was generally all the time I had. Despite my pre-baby misconceptions about needing hours a day to move, I ALWAYS felt better moving a little, rather than not at all. I created the CrossFlow Yoga program with others in mind, but especially busy moms like myself. I aim to deliver time efficient yoga, intro to yoga, and my signature HIIT Yoga class — CrossFlowX™ — for endorphin junkies, along with various styles, intensities, and lengths for yogis and non-yogis; regardless of a person’s skill level or needs, there is something for everyone. The learnings are: any movement is better than no movement and let go of the all or nothing mentality — it’s neither healthy, nor is it balanced. I understand that everyone operates differently so I like to make sure to include everyone, be open to revisions, and mind shift.

Can you share a story about the biggest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

There are no “mistakes,” only learning moments. When I graduated college, I was really passionate about acting, but realized over time it wasn’t for me. Everything I learned in each phase of my life has prepared me to do whatever the next thing has been. We learn, we grow and we evolve. One of my recurring lessons is that I have to be unapologetically ME. I have to speak, move, and BE me. I wasn’t successful in acting when I was being told to be anything other than me. It wasn’t until I owned exactly who I am that I started booking work left and right. The exact same thing became true for teaching yoga — I learned the lesson much quicker the second time, thankfully.

Let’s jump to our main focus. When it comes to health and wellness, how is the work you are doing helping to make a bigger impact in the world?

I hope to inspire others, motivating them to lean into their wellness routines and connect INWARD. I found my CrossFlow Yoga program to share different yoga-based workouts and flows, as well as tutorials, healing modalities, breathing exercises, and guided meditations. For those who are expecting, prenatal yoga classes are also available. My vision is for my app to be inclusive and ensure everyone feels like there is a form of yoga that works for them. When we learn to connect INWARD through yoga, rather than focusing on the external distractions, we are innately happier. When we learn the true meaning of self-love and self-care, we can love and care for others. Imagine a world where we all choose LOVE!

Can you share your top five “lifestyle tweaks” that you believe will help support people’s journey towards better wellbeing? Please give an example or story for each.

It’s important to remember that wellness isn’t a “one-size fits all” situation and should never feel like a chore; it is about self-love and self-care. You can start small and build slowly, refining as you go. Most importantly, find movement practices and foods you LOVE, I promise it exists. Here are some tips to consider should you need some inspiration:

Make the minutes count. It’s important to dedicate time for daily movement and healthy eating. Between a packed work schedule and taking care of the whole family, simply taking ten minutes to stretch, walk, or snack on a handful of almonds during a break improves your mood instantly and elevates your energy levels to tackle the rest of your day. Blocking out time in your calendar for yourself to stay energized is one of my most important wellness habits.

Be flexible. Having a flexible mindset is key for a healthy lifestyle. Our lives are constantly being adjusted so being nimble and ready to pivot when needed is crucial. Give yourself permission to let go of control and learn how to adapt when curveballs are thrown your way. PLUS — as a mom to three kids, flexibility involves food too. When my schedule is extra busy and I don’t have time for full meal, I keep almonds on-hand; they’re the perfect on-the-go snack for me and my kiddos.

Believe you can and you will. You must believe you can before you will, and only you have the power to get where YOU want to be. No journey will ever be perfect but when you are clear about goals, you will know how to get there! It’s easy to get bogged down in the everyday minutiae, but staying clear and focused about where / what your destination is will ensure you will not get lost. Remind yourself (journaling is a great way!) that you are more capable than you think.

It’s all about BALANCE. Wellness and health come down to being balanced. Some days you have time to make super healthy intricate recipes, and sometimes you don’t. Be OK with simple meals and snacks on the go when you can’t sit down for a multi-course meal made from scratch. I keep my almond tin with me at all times for just that reason. While almonds are beautiful in my humble opinion, not every meal and snack has to be Insta-worthy. B A L A N C E!

Self-care isn’t selfish. In order to take care of others, we first must take care of ourselves. Never compromise your own mental or physical well-being for another’s. If you have a breakdown, or break a part of you, how are you going to help the people that you so dearly want to help? Self-care isn’t selfish; self-care actually helps you help more people (while helping yourself and reminding yourself that you too are worthy of your own love and affection). The airplane announcement got it right: put your oxygen mask on first.

If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of wellness to the most amount of people, what would that be?

Great question! There is no one-size fits all roadmap to wellness. The reality is that everyone needs to find a routine that works for them. But guess what? It can be as easy as starting with choosing the right foods. A healthy diet is an important part of a holistic self-care routine that helps you FEEL the best you can — from the inside out. I personally enjoy snacking on almonds daily. Plant-based snacks like almonds enhance my daily routine and give me purposeful, natural energy to fuel my best self. I think finding foods that are both nourishing and tasty is a big win, and when coupled with daily movement, you’ll feel phenomenal. My yoga practice made me want to fuel my body with all of the right things to feel strong on my mat, so that I could feel strong in my life.

What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why?

If a door is too hard to open, perhaps it’s not your door. If you are staying stagnant because it’s what you think you SHOULD do, but something else has your heart, it’s not the right thing. My friend, Tara Stiles, pointed out to me that I complained an awful lot when I was on set acting, but “this yoga thing” seemed to come easily to me. Yoga brought me unlimited joy, strength, and every other positive attribute I could ever want. At first it was hard to swallow since I felt like I spent my entire life working towards the career I had. But she was right — the yoga path was effortless and joyful for me. I’m grateful for my acting career experience as I utilized every bit of knowledge I gained in the industry to reach more people through yoga. You don’t have to stay stuck! Everything will work out as it’s meant to.

Your hard work WILL pay off — I’ve always been a hard worker, but even I occasionally doubted myself. It’s important to remember that those are flukes. The true secret to success is to DO THE WORK. If you put in the time, work, and your intentions are pure, it WILL pay off.

It’s not how you fall, it’s how you heal- Despite our best intentions, we ALL fall, make mistakes, or fail. It may feel embarrassing, heart-breaking, or even gut-wrenching at the time, but everything happens for a reason (Remember, no mistakes!). How we recover and accept these learning moments with grace is what truly defines who we are.

Know your worth — As a mom, it’s important to me that my children feel like they can stand on their own two feet, hold themselves up, AND know their worth. Once you realize how strong you are and that you need no one but yourself, your mindset will change, allowing you to never to settle for less than your worth. I struggled for the vast majority of my life with impostor syndrome, but when I finally embraced who I am, what I know, and what I am worth, every aspect of my life changed for the better.

Live in the present — With children, the days are long, but the years are short. Soak in every moment. With or without children, dwelling on the past won’t change it, and worrying about the future can cause anxiety. Be right here, right now — it’s the only place to be.

Sustainability, veganism, mental health and environmental changes are big topics at the moment. Which one of these causes is dearest to you, and why?

These are all so important to me as a mom, vegan, and yogi, but the one I can probably speak to the best is mental health. Connecting breath to movement, as yoga encourages, brings us into the here and now. Yoga allows us to feel more present. If you are in the present, you cannot have regrets about the past or worries about the future. There are a multitude of studies supporting that a yoga and / or mediation practice can reduce depressive symptoms, as well as anxiety. Yoga heals, and it doesn’t have to cost a penny. We all need all the help we can get right now.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

Follow my journey on Instagram and Facebook @heidikristoffer, visit my website heidiyoga.com, or practice with me (with over 175 yoga videos) on CrossFlow Yoga! You can also listen in to conversations on all of these topics and more on Off the Gram Podcast.

Thank you for these fantastic insights!


Women In Wellness: Heidi Kristoffer of CrossFlowX On The Five Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Help… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.