Bacon Friends_ Jaclyn of Mind, Body, Soul & Sparkles

We’re chatting with our friend, Whole30 Certified Coach, and the sparkliest person around, Jaclyn Sanguinetti. Jaclyn is a life and wellness coach in California who’s passionate about helping others with setting goals, removing barriers, dreaming big, and believing in themselves so they can live the life they desire! She shares her personal journey and lots of inspiration on her blog, Mind, Body, Soul and Sparkles, and on her Instagram and Facebook pages.

Can you tell us a bit about your health journey and how you came to be a Whole30 Certified Coach?

Growing up I was really overweight. I come from an Italian family and food was and is always a big deal. I was unhappy with my weight all through middle and high school but didn’t really have the right tools or support to change anything on my own. Right after I graduated high school and started doing hair I decided I wanted more for myself. I went and got myself a gym membership and started working out. I felt desperate to get the weight off and like everyone else, I was looking for the quickest fix to this weight.  I met a girl who sold supplements. Not knowing any better, I began drinking shakes that accompanied them and with her “help” started eating “healthy”. I lost a ton of weight, but not in a good way and was left pretty unhealthy. That began a long journey finding my way.

I tried SO many things and was actually fairly “healthy” by most people’s standards when I found Whole 30. It was recommended to me because I was still having a lot of inflammation, gut issues and reactions to food. I did my first Whole 30 in 2014 and it was complete magic how good I felt! Because I was documenting it all on Instagram, I had a lot of people reach out to me asking me to help them with their own Whole 30. I started coaching people and loving it. But I had no formal certification. I researched health certifications and none really resonated with my new found beliefs around food. So instead I went to life coach school. I figured I would sharpen my coaching skills there and be able to coach people in other areas besides food, because let’s be honest it’s never just about the food.

About a year after that I started getting a ton of messages saying Whole 30 created a coaching program and I would be perfect for it. I actually resisted it at first and didn’t think I wanted to do it at the time. But when something is meant for you the universe will not let you miss it! I continued to get soooo many people sending me info saying DO THIS! So, I finally took the leap, and I am so glad I did. It has been such a fun opportunity to be able to coach people, be part of the Whole 30 coach community, and lead by example on the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. You can read more details on my journey and story at www.mindbodysoulandsparkles.com

If you could go back in time 10 years, what piece of advice would you tell yourself? 

My two biggest life lessons have been_

1. Listen to my intuition - I am a really intuitive person. My birthday is 11/20 which makes me a Scorpio, and they are known for being very intuitive. I feel like so many of my life choices and decisions that did not have a positive outcome were a result of me not listening to my gut. I do not “regret” not listening to my gut because ultimately these lessons are what made me who I am today. But I will say a lot of heartache and time wasted could have been prevented if I would have trusted myself and my feelings.

2. Let Go! - I have always been a determined girl, but sometimes this determination has prevented me from moving on from people, and situations that are no longer serving my highest good. I dig my heals in and have the “I will not give up” mentality. That is great for a lot of things, but sometimes you need to give up and surrender for your own well -being. You can see how these two go hand in hand because I have learned that I need to trust myself and my instincts enough to know when it is time to let go. So looking back that is the advice I would have beat into myself. LOL!

Who are your role models, and what do you admire about them?

Oprah is one of my biggest role models. I love how she has used her platform for the greater good of all. I could go on and on, but I mean, do I have to? You all know Oprah! Also, Katie Wilcox who is the owner of the brand Healthy is the new Skinny. She has such a positive outlook on life and she is really guiding woman to shift their mentality around body image, dieting, and how we as a culture and women approach all of it. Her page and her approach are AH-mazing.

What is your #1 piece of advice for Whole30 newbies?

TRUST THE PROCESS, and do it EXACTLY as prescribed! I hear allllllll the time how people are doing a Keto whole 30, a Whole 30 with wine, a Whole 15 etc. That is NOT Whole 30. There has been 10+ years of documented data and research around Whole 30 and it is not meant to be changed. The timeline is so spot on accurate for most people. So, you can see exactly why the ENTIRE 30 days is necessary. You need to trust it to be successful. Can you live a Whole 30 life style but adapt it to be Keto, have some occasional wine or just do 15 days to clean up your diet? SURE! After you have already done a by the book, tried and true Whole 30 round, a proper reintroduction, and hopefully began your own journey with food freedom. I promise committing to the 30 days will change your life if you allow it to, and that is SO worth it!

What’s your favorite flavor of Naked Bacon and favorite way to eat it?

Is this a trick question? ;) I love them all! BUT I will say Jalapeño is my absolute favorite because it combines my two faves, spicy and bacon! I love adding it to lettuce wraps with turkey, avocado, tomato, onion, and a drizzle of a compliant Whole 30 sauce as an easy lunch. Or on top of a burger is soooo good!