Today we’d like to introduce you to Antonia Buban.
Hi Antonia, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Prior to starting Be Well with Antonia, I worked a 9-5 job for seven years in the nonprofit space. I loved my work, but during the “Great Resignation” of the pandemic, I felt it was time to take a leap of faith and start something new. At the time, I didn’t even realize it would be in the holistic health space.
Since I was a teenager, I have struggled with different health issues: pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, terrible menstrual pain, and a variety of digestive issues. My mom was really my support during those years, and she taught me so much about approaching health naturally through nutrition and lifestyle practices. In the midst of feeling overwhelmed by my health, it was absolutely transformative to have someone on the journey with me who was there not only with practical resources but also with emotional support. As a result of navigating and researching my own diagnoses with her, I became passionate about a health and wellness approach that integrates both practical and emotional support. After I left my job during the pandemic, I realized pursuing a healthy lifestyle wasn’t just something I wanted to nurture in my own life but something that I also wanted to support in the lives of others.
As I’ve learned more about the holistic approach to health, I’ve realized that the symptoms and conditions I had been experiencing throughout my life were actually “check engine” lights from my body telling me that something was off. I spent months as a teenager giving myself painful injections of medication daily and seeking out all kinds of temporary relief. More than a decade later, I have so much compassion for that girl who was just doing what she thought she had to do. But I know now there are so many approaches that can be taken not just to treat symptoms but address their root causes. This is foundational to what I do in my practice.
Starting Be Well with Antonia is my opportunity to share with others what I wish I had known back then. As an Integrative Nutrition Coach, I specialize in gut health, hormone imbalances, weight loss, and healing the relationship we have with our bodies. I take a Functional Medicine approach to health, where my focus is to address the underlying causes of health issues rather than just managing symptoms.
My goal is that my clients would receive the tools and emotional support needed to build a sustainably healthy lifestyle, learn how to advocate for their own health and break out of the physical and emotional ups and downs of diet culture.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have definitely been highs and lows to starting my own business! In the beginning, when I had just gotten certified and was new to the health and wellness field, there was a level of “imposter syndrome” that I had to overcome. Thoughts like, who am I to give someone advice on eating healthy? And how can I help someone manage their stress levels when I struggle with my own?
I’ve arrived at a place now where my own imperfections no longer alienate me from my clients but allow me to connect with them even more by sharing my own experiences.
As you know, we’re big fans of Be Well with Antonia. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
I am a certified Integrative Nutrition Coach living and working in Los Angeles (but my clients are all over the map!). Some areas I specialize in are gut health, hormonal imbalances, and weight loss, but that list is by no means exhaustive. Because of the interconnectedness of our bodies, addressing one issue often has a positive impact on others.
This is where my functional approach comes in, meaning I target the root cause of any symptoms or health issues. Whether someone is experiencing bloating, low energy, unwanted weight gain, painful PMS, acne, anxiety, or even autoimmune issues – all of these can be traced back to three main root causes: gut health, blood sugar balance, and inflammation. Sounds crazy, but it’s true! I guide my clients through nutrition and lifestyle changes that support these three areas, while also cultivating ways to manage stress and practice mindfulness in our lives. This has a transformative impact on both our physical and mental health.
Much of conventional medicine has become about managing symptoms rather than addressing and healing underlying causes. For example, if you have a headache, take an aspirin; if you have cramps, get on birth control. Hear me – there is nothing wrong with medications or birth control, but every symptom we experience is a “check engine” light for something going on underneath. Our body is trying to tell us something is off! When we silence this signal by taking prescriptions or numbing out the symptoms, usually more symptoms appear in other places. This is why I am so passionate about addressing the underlying cause – so my clients can experience true healing that gets to the root.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
When it feels like I’m still not where I want to be professionally, I have to stop and just remember, “I’m doing it! I started my own business. This is what I dreamed about.” There will always be another goal to reach or another milestone to achieve, but it’s so important to stop and take the time to appreciate how far we’ve come.
It’s also important to know when to stop and when to rest. When you’re an entrepreneur, there’s always more to be done. It’s crucial that I recognize when I need to shut the laptop, put aside the phone, and trust the rest will get done in its proper time. Whatever we embody, we impart to others. So if I’m tired, stressed, and anxious, that’s going to impact the way I treat my clients or approach my work. Who you are becoming in the course of your work is just as important as the work itself.
For those of you just starting your health journey, well done! I’m so excited for you! Every positive step you take towards better health, no matter how small, is going to eventually become real change. As you start out, remember these few things:
1. Our mindset shapes our health journey. If we make changes fueled by shame, control, or self-criticism, we can reach all our goals but still feel miserable. True wellness requires healing the way we see ourselves and speak to ourselves. It’s vital to be motivated by self-care, not a need to control our bodies out of fear.
2. Consistency outlasts intensity. Rather than starting at full throttle, it’s crucial to pace ourselves when making changes. Crash diets don’t work, but small habits sustained over time will change your life.
3. Focus on the 90/10 rule, where 90% of the time, you are making the healthy choice, and the other 10% you feel free to indulge. This way, we avoid getting caught in the vicious cycle of dieting and “cheat days.” When we are committed to a healthy lifestyle and have established nourishing wellness routines, this becomes the way we live. Then, we are free to enjoy ourselves and indulge in occasional treats without feeling guilt or shame because we know the lifestyle we are committed to.
Want to begin your health journey but don’t know where to start? I’d love to walk on the journey with you, or simply give you some advice for where to start. The most important thing is taking that first step!
Pricing:
- Coaching Programs range from $145-295 a month!
Contact Info:
- Website: bewellwithantonia.com
- Instagram: @bewellwithantonia
- Facebook: facebook.com/antonia.buban
Image Credits
Mallory Smith
