AngelikA Furstler is truly one of a kind. The 28-year-old author, artist, eco-entrepreneur, and model found her entrepreneurial niche while finding herself, and is flourishing in the sun-splashed south of France. Born in Austria, AngelikA spent her young adulthood working and traveling in countries as diverse as Iceland, Mexico, England, and Cuba, and studying languages and business--the ideal background for a multi-passionate businesswoman. Today, she melds her interest in health, wellness, and fitness into Vegan Super Yacht--a catering-and-culinary-classes enterprise--and with Bounce Bliss, her holistic health-and-fitness company. We're grateful to AngelikA for taking time to share some personal stories about the magic that happens when you push fear aside and heed your own intuition.
| You are extremely accomplished for someone who is still in her twenties. Were you always this confident? Certainly not. In fact, self-confidence is an issue I’ve struggled with for many years. "You are not good enough, you are not skilled enough, you are not beautiful enough, you are worth nothing," etc. etc. Some things I had heard often from my dad for example, and even though I knew that this was not the truth, I still fell into it very often, which often lead to self-destructive thoughts and actions. As a kid, I was actually pulling my hair. I was biting my nails. I was smoking, I was drinking alcohol, I was drinking coffee, and almost getting addicted to everything. But fortunately I had that inner sense of awareness and caution which made me find a way out. How did you become interested in living foods? it was an evolution. When I lived in America, I became aware of the entire vegan lifestyle scene. My dear friends who lived in Berkeley and Sedona were very aware about what they were eating and practicing yoga. When I first came to Wholefoods, for example, a whole new world opened and I saw what was possible through plant-based nutrition. This is where I learned about green smoothies. I also shared a house with a raw vegan chef and I had the honor of learning the basics from her. Then,I simply took it from there. Today, you run Vegan Super Yacht, teaching healthy food prep and offering wellness coaching. You also offer a unique fitness program called Bounce Bliss. How did these two ideas come together? I was doing a self-study program about nutrition and raw vegan cuisine when I came across special rebounding shoes which decided to try. Once I was on, I never got off. I started developing my own workout routines that would not only be physical, but would also make me feel balanced and calm my mind--that would give me focus and perspective, that would challenge me and yet let me relax. I created a very unique and holistic fitness method--just for myself. At that time, I still thought that you couldn't teach anything unless you had attended a special school or obtained a qualifying certificate. It was only when more and more people talked to me when they saw me working out at the harbor, in the park, or on the promenade and wanted to learn from me and even when I was not on my jumping shoes people came to me asking what I do and how I do it and if I could teach them. The same thing happened with my cuisine. I just created things the way I envisioned them. . Describe a day in your life. My days actually always look different because of the nature of what I am doing. I work at home, I travel… when working on my books, my day looks different to when I have a busy video production or photoshoot, but basically I do have my loved rituals which stay more or less the same. My day basically starts the night before. Ideally I get off the computer at least two hours before going to bed, which is not always easy. When I work longer at the computer, my sleep quality decreases tremendously. I call my hour before going to bed “candle hour." I switch off the lights and have candles burning. I stretch a bit, meditate, or simply relax, sit, and write. It makes me so calm and relaxed. This is where I reflect upon that day and where I fell into how my next day should be and feel like. You are based in the French Riviera; what are some of your favorite places that you would recommend to others who are coming to visit? There is one of my secret spots on Cap d’Antibes, just 10 from where I live called Villa Eilenrock where you can take a walk along the seaside to a small beach. When you go inside the water and swim out a bit, you’ll have the most crystal clear water, with gorgeous fish all around you...you can also jump from rocks and enjoy the view. There's no better place to see the sunset than from here. I also love the botanical garden in Cap d’Antibes. Whenever I go, I feel like I've stepped back to prehistoric times. |  photo courtesy of AngelikA Furstler AngelikA's youthful glow is the reflection of a healthy mind, body, and spirit. "Sprouts are like legal doping for sports people; it’s pure brainfood, it’s beauty food, it makes me feel amazing when I eat them!" Five Favorites: |
Are you coming to the Cote d'Azur? Do you want to pick up some healthy living tips while you're there? Get in touch with Angelika and learn how she can support your health and fitness goals!
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