I Struggled With Eating Disorder at 16yo, Now I Teach People How to Love Thy Self

As published by Teaching Online Learning

"Interviewing Kathy Ožaković, we witness a 180-dregrees transformation of a woman who was struggling with an Eating Disorder at the age of 16, a woman with low self-esteem, low confidence into one of the most courageous woman I’ve ever interviewed. Helping people through proactive, preventative approach to health, while she is not a traditional educator, she teaches individuals who need help through coaching and meaningful guidance towards better health and self-love. We journey through her 6 year coaching and teaching career, and her life transformation story from a teenager struggling with Eating Disorder into a superwoman that helps others to learn how to love themselves. Here is her story." - Antony C. is the Founder of Teachng.com

Kathy Ožaković (6 Years, Teaching Experience)

Founder of NuFit Wellness

Course Creator, Teacher & Coach

Wellness Educator, Global Speaker, Passionate Writer

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• We need to accepted that we will not have all the answers, but we need to know enough to guide people to follow their own path and find their answers.

• Storytelling is the best way to engage and motivate your students, others includes asking open ended questions, use metaphors and analogies.

• Always ask for feedback, that’s where you can learn to improve and live your life fully.

Hello! Who are you and what subjects or grade levels do you teach?

To me ‘who are you’ is such a loaded question. I am no one thing. I am the sum of my life experiences to date, and the ones yet to come, beyond what I have studied, what I have done in my job roles. For the purposes of this interview, I know myself as Kathy O – a passionate educator fuelled by her love for living a fulfilled life through health and wellness practices. A dear friend recently gave me a beautiful compliment: “you really know how to live well” and I responded with such enthusiasm saying: “And I want to show everyone how to live well so they can too!”

I teach, educate, guide individuals and groups of all ages in their quest to achieve optimal health. I have had clients as young as 8 years old and as old as 80 years old, the common thread is people who have strayed away from and forgotten the fundamentals to good health which is our innate ability, our knowing. The subjects I teach are all encompassing wellness topics. I help individuals and groups master their health with integrative medicine through mind – body – breathwork practices. What does this mean? It means I combine both western and eastern medicine and protocols.

There are very real biological, physiological responses in the human body that occur with the foods we eat, the movement we partake in, the quality of sleep we get, the light we expose ourselves to. Beyond this, our thoughts and emotions also produce physiological responses. I help people understand these through the 6 pillars (now 7) to wellness I preach about. They are the foundation to the ‘NuFit Wellness’ way of life helping my clients thrive through any given circumstance. Transforming lives from unhappy and uncomfortable to confident, courageous and committed to their healthiest, best self.

What’s your backstory, and what inspired you to become an educator?

My own journey of healing and self-development. I started this ‘whole thing’ to heal my relationship with food and my body. I was propelled into studying Nutrition & Dietetics thanks to an Eating Disorder at the age of 16 that saw me starve my body to a paper thin 40kg (at 170cm tall, BMI13.8) with no vitality. I wanted to understand nutrition to help myself first. I happened to be a very studious and smart 18yo, a high ATAR got me into dietetics without knowing the difference.

Dietitians are trained to work on hospital words. I was surrounded by acute and chronic disease which sparked my curiosity about how people get to this point, and what must one do beyond nutrition to stay healthy. I remember asking a patient in her late 20s or early 30s, not much older than me at the time, who was newly diagnosed with Crohn’s disease “How does this happen? You just woke up one day and now you have Crohn’s Disease?” She looked fit and healthy and she responded with something along the lines of “Yea, I eat healthy and exercise. Sometimes I have a burger.” Even back then, without the knowledge I now have, I really didn’t believe it was the burger!

At 21yo, I got breast implants, at 24yo I surrounded myself with bodybuilders on steroids where low self-esteem, low confidence and shortcuts were normal. After working on the hospital wards, I found myself in a very unhappy, uncomfortable, unhealthy state of mind, and codependent relationship. Yet, I did not understand what my healthy self looks and feels like.

I was doing the best I knew with what I had learnt to date. With what I had as my example. It was a roller coaster until at 26yo I teamed up with Karl Mckenna from Vitruvian Health for mentoring. About a year later, I signed up with Paula Bernardic, my empowerment coach. About a year after that, I was explanting the breast implants, had David M John as my spirituality coach, and met my now Breathwork Teacher Karina Kalilah.

You see, even though I had the knowledge of a dietitian, personal trainer, and health coach, there was a gap between knowing and doing where my coaches came in as the bridge. Beyond that, I also put my own ego aside and accepted that maybe there is more for me to learn from these people. That is what inspired me to become an educator, a guide to self-healing practices, a coach. My own journey of remembering who I really am before society projected onto me who they believe I should be.

What were the initial steps you took to begin your career in education?

Know-Thy-Self to Heal-Thy-Self. Everything always comes back to self. My initial steps were to educate myself beyond what I was educated with. I was curious about “what else”. What else don’t I know about myself, about others, about the world. So, I delved deep into reading and self-development courses. Reading over 200 books in 2 years, listening to over 300 hours of podcasts yearly, studying more about the human body, gut microbiome, nervous system.

I know what you’re thinking “WHEN DID SHE DO ALL THIS?”. Honestly, looking back I am also in awe. I created the time and space to do this during my time on the stepper at the gym, during morning and evening walks, I got rid of the TV, I went through major surgery which meant major healing time.

It was my journey home to myself.

Can you share your experience of your first teaching job and the challenges you faced?

I’ve grown into the person I am today. There were times I felt like an imposter, a hypocrite, the fear of rejection held me back. However, I’ve learnt that I truly do practice what I preach, and with each time I put myself out there I am realigning myself and following my own North Star. I have accepted that I will not have all the answers, and I know enough to guide people to follow their own path and find their answers.

Since starting, what strategies have you used to engage and motivate your students?

My mother always told me I know how to speak, just get out there and speak! Yet, I felt the need to work my way backwards and understand the methods. I have done some speaker workshops and attended events of some of the world’s greatest speakers like Tony Robbins.

Strategies to engage and motivate students include storytelling, checking in with the audience, asking open ended questions, metaphors, analogies, picking out volunteers and helping them on the spot. Overall, I ask for feedback and have found people are genuinely attracted to my authenticity, and my superpower of “caring too much”. I want to see you win! I want to see you live your life fully.

How is your teaching career going today, and what are your future goals?

It is only just beginning. I have a vision to educate the masses about the importance of the fundamentals to good health, raising self-awareness and returning to spiritual practices whatever that may be for you. I have tears in my eyes as I write this. This is part of the world I see myself helping create for the benefit of my future children. At the core of everything I do is the vision of one day being the best mother I can be. I want them to grow up understanding and living a fulfilled life, having healthy relationships, giving back and serving their community in whatever form that may be.

What are some key lessons you’ve learned throughout your teaching journey?

There is always more to learn. There is that saying: “When the student is ready, the teacher appears”. Truly that is what happened for me when I met my coaches. I became open to the possibility that there is more for me to learn. As a teacher, each student you meet can also be your teacher.

It is so beautiful to witness people grow into their full potential and be reminded of your own journey along the way. It is so humbling to see a younger version of myself in them. To be able to be the support for them that I needed, and keep in mind that they are not me. What would have helped me then, may not help them now.

Stay curious, always ask: “How can I serve you today“. I still remember the words of my year 5 history teacher from 20 years ago: “History is our greatest teacher, yet it has taught us nothing because humans forget“. What a profound statement. We are here to keep remembering. So too, through my students I keep remembering who I am and keep learning new lessons.

What tools and resources do you find essential in your teaching practice?

My own health and wellness practices. When I am my best self, I am better able to help others. Self-care comes first, this is why it begins with ‘self’. We all know the drill in an airplane: “Put your oxygen mask on first before helping others“. You are of no use to others if you are passed out, burnt out, overwhelmed, breaking at the seams.

In terms of tools and resources in the way you are probably thinking, what is essential will depend on the individual and group. Some people like visuals, others like verbal input. Personally, I love a whiteboard! I do most of my presentations on zoom and the whiteboard gets used a lot! When I present on a large scale stage I will probably be requesting a whiteboard. I use a lot of acronyms, processes, diagrams, frameworks that help me, and that I want others to know about. You can train your brain to remember!

What books, podcasts, or other resources have been most influential in your development as an educator?

I love this question. I have the biggest smile on my face right now. I was reflecting on this the other day! Let me break it down for you. Keep in mind, these are my guides and when I make book recommendations for others it comes from my intuition after having a heartfelt conversation with the individual. This is how I get to know where they are in their journey and what might help propel them forward. In terms of who influenced and led me:

People and the works of, including podcasts: Andrew Huberman, Dr Joe Dispenza, Deepak Chopra, Gregg Bradden, Jim Rohn, Jay Shetty, Tony Robbins, Martha Beck, Brene Brown.

My coaches: Paula Bernardic (PB Success Coaching), Karl McKenna (Vitruvian Health), David M John, Karina Kalilah (Embodied Breath Academy), Tony Kaye.

Books – Out of 200 + titles, I have a list of 50 favorites, some of which I have bought hard copies of. My must reads for you are:

Carol Dweck “Mindset”

Don Miguel Ruiz “The Four Agreements”

James Nestor “Breath”

Napoleon Hill “Think and Grow Rich”

David Richo “How to be an adult in relationships”

Paulo Coelho “The Alchemist”

Grant Cardone “The 10x Mentor”

Ali Walker “Get Conscious”

Open your mind to a whole new possibility beyond the limitations you have placed on yourself. Start reading! There was a time in my life I only read journal articles for university and textbooks. There was a time in my life I stopped reading entirely. Then when I was ready, books became my teachers.

What advice would you give to new educators who are just starting out?

Know-Thy-Self. Really, truly. Come back to self, your own wellness practices.

As educators we give out a lot of energy. Remember the cup is neither half full nor half empty, it is refillable. How do you refill your cup? How do you achieve flow? What helps you be your best self?

Are there any particular areas or subjects you’re currently focusing on in your teaching?

Yes! I have a few precious projects brewing in the background. They are all about raising self-awareness to heal and grow across different areas of life including health, career and relationships. The ‘Detox By Design‘ 5 day challenge was created for people who want to understand themselves better and the root causes of disease. Now I am expanding this 5 day challenge into ‘Wellness In The Workplace‘ to help businesses increase creativity, productivity, prevent burnout and raise the ambition of their team by elevating their health and wellness through the power of authenticity.

Where can we go to learn more about you and get connected with you?

Hire me to speak at your next event! Shameless plug. I will always be unapologetically me. My business brand is ‘NuFit Wellness’. You can browse the website and check out those google reviews whilst you’re at it, I love my clients! The website itself is not up to date as I have been prioritising growing myself rather than the website! My blogs are pretty recent, I love to write and speak! You can find podcasts I have featured on there too (TAB: What I do – Podcasts). I will be launching myself soon as my new version: Kathy O.

In the meantime, connect with me on LinkedIn, IG and FB to watch it all unfold! Thank you for taking an interest in my story and vision for health and wellness.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-ozakovic/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathyozakovic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nufitwellness

Website: www.nufitwellness.com.au

Share this blog with someone you want to inspire. Sign up to the NuFit Wellness Newsletter and be the first to know it all. Attend my Wellness Workshops. Kathy O - Health & Wellness Strategist: Supporting people achieve optimal health, wealth and relationships with lifestyle principles through awareness, breath and conscious choice. Embodiment Coach: Alignment is the method. Embodiment is the achievement. Authenticity is a byproduct. Be unstoppable. Be authentically you.

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KEYWORDS: Health, Wellness, Lifestyle, Nervous System, Regulated, Calm, Peace, Mindset, Movement, Nutrition, Sleep, Stress, Optimise, High Performance, Change, Nutritionist, Dietitian, Dietetics, Holistic Health, Integrative, Educator, Teacher, Coach, Inspire, Inspiring, Story, Teach, Lead.