We sat down with wellness fanatic and Innermost Insider Mila Castro Larocca, who gave us the lowdown on all things energy: how she finds hers within, the help she gets from her daily routine, and the role nutrition plays in staying energised. Read to the end to find out which Innermost products keep her on track!
Hey Mila! Could you introduce yourself to our readers?
Hola! My name is Milagros, and I was born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina but I have been lucky enough to be living, experiencing, and understanding an extensive range of cultures and countries around the world. I have now been based in Denmark for 6.5 years (and yup, still can’t get use to the cold weather) working in the sustainable fashion business, raising the bar for how the industry works and focusing on clothes made responsibly, transparently, and that stand for a greater purpose.
How did you become an Innermost Insider and what’s your goal as an ambassador for the brand?
I got introduced to the brand by a colleague and fell in love with it all, the colours, natural (and few) ingredients, simplicity and no bullshit approach.
My goal as an Ambassador is to always keep it real while promoting a healthy lifestyle where you start with your inner self. In a SoMe era where everyone is constantly needing attention and validation I’m more concerned about making others feel good about themselves rather than making them feel good about me.
I truly believe that if you get your inside right, the outside will always fall into place and that’s the energy I want to spread.
Our topic this month is energy. Where do you find your daily energy and motivation?
Energy is absolutely everything in my life! Generating, protecting and spreading it.
My number one energy-charger is my sleep. If I don’t get my 7-8 hours of sleep, I’d not only be very low in energy but also not have the best beginning of the day. Mornings are KEY for me; they're where I build my energy for the rest of the day - starting very early and quietly, not touching my phone for 30 min/1h, short meditation or breath work, breakfast and work out before biking to work. By 9 o’clock I’ve already spent 3 hours by and for myself and that’s what allows me to be the best version of myself. Being the ‘reason’ someone feels welcome, seen, heard, valued, loved & supported is my biggest motivation.
How do you get energised for your workouts?
I work out mostly early in the morning since by the afternoon my energy starts dropping. I can’t start an early morning workout with an empty stomach so a banana or vegan yoghurt with some fruit it’s always my best energy booster.
I’ve always being skeptical about pre-workouts since I already have lots of energy and don’t even like coffee, nor the feeling of it. But since I started with some cardio classes after work, I really needed that energy boost (and a banana was not enough lol) so I gave Innermost's The Energy Booster a try and there’s no going back. I don’t get heart palpitations, or that anxious feeling, but just the perfect push to get that last cardio session done before ending my day.
How does nutrition play a part in energising your life?
I know I said energy was everything in my life but… nutrition also is!
I was raised almost as a vegetarian. My mom cooked only vegetarian but we were free to eat whatever we wanted when we were out of my house (in a country where being a vegetarian was seen as close to a disease!) until I became a full vegetarian over 10 years ago.
I’m very conscious of what I put inside my body but I moved away from striving for perfection since I also want a life where I can live it! Food is not only nutrition but also joy, memories and much more.
Eating plant-based, avoiding added sugars, mostly organic and less processed as possible, has a very positive impact not only on my body energy levels but also in my mind.
Are there certain times of the day/month/year where you struggle with energy?
This would have been a more difficult one to answer if I didn’t live in a Nordic country but the answer is WINTER.
Living in Denmark also means very short days and the lack of sunlight can affect your energy more than what you can imagine, trust me.
Do you find yourself lacking energy? If so when and how do you overcome this?
People can be one of my biggest energizers but also my biggest energy drainers.
It can be very difficult to maintain your energy the way you want it to be when someone is trying to draw you into the storm. You hear them, you feel them but at the same time you let the tension be theirs and you let your peace be yours.
Protecting my energy is what I’m working on the most and I can already recommend it ;)
What advice would you give to others struggling to find energy in their everyday lives?
I would recommend you to start by looking into whether you are struggling finding energy or if you are actually having energy leaks without even noticing.
Sleep, nutrition and exercise is very important to generate that energy, yes! But if you don’t protect that energy, people or/and situations can (and will) drain it.
Give it a try:
- Focus on your actions and not ‘others’
- Learn to say no and allow yourself to pull back when you need to
- Set & respect your boundaries
- Pause before you respond
- Invest in those who invest in you
- Trust your instinct
What Innermost product(s) have you been loving recently?
I’m loving The Detox Booster! I take it everyday with hot water and creamy oat milk after lunch. Feels like a natural and effective cleanse while tasting great.
The Digest Capsules have been a miracle! I’ve only been taking them for a week and can already feel the difference in my bloating after the first capsule.
I seriously can’t wait to try all the other ranges!
Mila, it’s been a pleasure chatting to you! Our final question is ... What’s your innermost desire that you’re hoping comes true this year?
Mhmmm…
I’m definitely a dreamer and desire lots of things for our Planet, the people in it and also myself but since there are only 3 months left from this year I would just like to be grateful instead; for everything I have learned, changed and achieved but most importantly, for everyone I have by my side and everything I am.
That's a wrap! To keep up with Mila and her energy, follow her on Instagram, @milacastrolarocca.
