The first time I met Victoria Sardain was as a yoga instructor at Beat Fitness, a fitness studio in Lausanne. We didn’t have the chance to talk a lot but already from that first yoga class, I could feel her positive vibe.

Then, after a long time, a good friend of mine in Lausanne, Rania, invited me to join her at The Brunch Club, an event organized by Victoria. The specific edition was taking place at the beginning of February 2020 at Cospire working space – a fabulous place – and involved one hour of Yoga Flow, followed by a panel discussion about New Year’s resolutions, goal-setting & self-sabotage and finally a brunch based on healthy, vegetarian food by Lara’s brunch and great coffee. More than enough to persuade me to join for a Sunday morning of self-care. I loved how Victoria organized this event, the attention to small details and the positive vibe throughout my whole experience – from the moment I booked the event until the very end when she personally greeted everyone goodbye along with a box of smart truffles from Luciana (founder of “Le Smart Cake”, a small company producing healthy snacks in Lausanne).

Victoria is a wellness coach and consultant, currently based in Lausanne and Berlin. Her Instagram profile is one of my current favourites as she always creates content that focuses on self-development, healthy eating and staying positive no matter what.

While having a cup of delicious coffee at Sleepy Bear – only a few days before Lausanne and the rest of the world shut down because of the COVID19 epidemic – I had the pleasure to learn more about her life journey, philosophy, her interest in healthy eating and much more.

I hope that the interview below will inspire you as much as it inspired me. Enjoy reading!

Would you suggest a song to hear while reading your interview?

When reading, working or focusing on something I love the Lo-Fi Playlist on Spotify, so go ahead and put that on!

How would you introduce yourself in a paragraph?

I’m a young, passionate, driven, wellness-enthusiast. My very international upbringing has left me with an open mind and a curiosity for the world. My parents always taught me that anything was possible, which left me with a desire to make the most of every moment and set myself big goals. There was a huge focus on health and fitness in my household growing up, and I soon took up this lifestyle for myself as well. As I grew up and learned more about myself, I began to understand that what I understood as a love for fitness was actually a passion, maybe even an obsession with becoming the best version of myself possible. I now try to live with the mentality that every experience, positive or negative, provides a lesson to be learned, remembered and applied.

Where did you grow up and how has this experience shaped you as a person?

As I mentioned, my international upbringing has shaped me in every way. Not having a specific “home” meant that I had to find stability within myself. Since I couldn’t be sure of where I was from, I had to learn to be confident in who I was. I am forever grateful that my parents gave me the international upbringing I had. It taught me to adapt, to be open, compassionate, curious and willing to take risks.

When & why did you start your journey into the wellness area? Did you have an “a-ha” moment when you clearly saw the career path you wanted to follow?

My parents lived a very active, healthy life while I was growing up. They never forced sport on me or my brother, they simply inspired through example. The notion of “sweat once a day” soon became 2nd nature to my brother and I. When I was 18 I got really into the Kayla Itsines BBG Workout Guide while also getting very interested in veganism. I don’t know what the exact moment was, but during that time in my life, I realised that if I really want to, I can turn this passion into my work.

Last year (2019), you introduced “The Brunch Club”. What’s your main purpose and what do you love most about this event of yours?

When I first moved to Switzerland I struggled to find a community and people who were interested in the same things as me. I would go to London regularly and every time I did I would go to wellness events. It wasn’t until early 2019 that I realized that if I find that these types of events are lacking in Lausanne, then maybe there are others that agree. I decided to create my own. The purpose was to create a community (hence the use of the word “club” in the name) and inspire participants through the speakers that come to speak.

What I love the most about The Brunch Club is the positive vibe that is created at every single event, no matter the topics, the location, the speakers… it’s always the same. I always get feedback that people leave the events buzzing and feeling good. That’s the best feedback I could dream of!

FOOD

What does “eating healthy” mean to you?

For me eating healthy means eating as close to the earth as possible. I try to avoid processed food and make almost everything I eat from scratch using local, organic ingredients. I started going entirely plastic-free a few years ago, and avoiding all foods that come in packaging for me is the perfect, healthy diet. I get whole nuts, grains & seeds from the bulk shop and organic vegetables, fruit and eggs from the farmer’s market. Eating healthy does not mean operating from a place of restriction, but it means being able to tune in and know what food your body would thrive on.

Could you share an easy, quick idea for a healthy meal that anybody can try out at home?

My easy go-to breakfast these days has been:

• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 2 tsp hemp hearts
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 3 tbsp coconut yogurt
• splash of almond milk
• handful of berries

Mix and let it soak overnight in the fridge

What do you typically eat in a day?

It really depends, I go through phases, but it’s generally some type of chia seed – coconut yogurt mix for breakfast, veggies and eggs for lunch and cooked veggies for dinner. My go-to snacks are fruits with nuts or nut butter.

Which are your favourite foodie addresses/experiences in Lausanne?

For food: Racines, Green Up, Tibits

For coffee: Sleepy Bear, Ça Passe Crème, Coffee Page

TRAVEL

What does travel mean to you?

Taking a break from our usual routine and temporarily living something new, somewhere new!

What was your favourite travel experience so far and why?

The most transformative travel experience I ever had was probably going to India to complete my Yoga Teacher Training course. Being immersed into a completely different way of life for a month really shifted my perception and introduced me to a much slower, more conscious and patient way of life.

INSPIRATION

Which book and/or movie would you recommend reading/watching to get inspired (in general but also when it comes to healthy lifestyle/healthy living)?

I really loved the book Miracle Morning as inspiration for building a healthy morning routine, and Everything Is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo to get inspired to chase your dreams.

The documentaries: Food Matters, Forks Over Knives and Hungry for Change were all huge inspirations in my nutrition journey.

Which are your current go-to inspiration resources? 

Nutrition

• For everything nutrition, my go-to is always my friend Sarah (@nourishthriveglow) who is an incredibly knowledgeable Holistic Nutritionist and always shares amazing nutrition & healthy lifestyle tips
• I always love Mark Hyman’s nutrition content: his podcast, his posts on Instagram, his recipes etc.
• Deliciously Ella: for her podcast, recipes and cookbook

 Lifestyle / Inspiration

• Zanna Van Dijk: I’ve been following her on Instagram for years and I love everything she promotes and stands for

What is happiness for you?

What brings me the most happiness is having purpose. It’s making the effort to have a positive impact, no matter the scale. Whether it be a positive impact on those around me, putting together events to bring together a community or even simply having a positive impact on the planet by making a conscious effort to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

Thank you so much, Victoria, for all the positive vibes you spread in our daily life!

Connect with Victoria on Instagram 

Check Victoria’s Website 

*All the photos for this article have been kindly provided by Victoria Sardain.

 

Read more articles here:

Inspiration – Jennifer Barclay, the freelance editor and writer living a simple but wonderful life 

Best places for coffee in Lausanne 

Cooking – where to get inspiration for new recipes 

 

Are you looking for ideas on where to eat and drink in Lausanne? Would you love to have a 4-day foodie itinerary? Check out my ebook – The Curated Foodie Guide to Lausanne!