Kristie Leigh of Danone North America: 5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Can Dramatically Improve Your Wellbeing

As a part of my series about “5 Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kristie Leigh.

Kristie Leigh, RDN and Senior Manager, Scientific Affairs at Danone North America. Kristie is a registered dietitian with close to 15 years of experience in the food & beverage and supplement industries. Since joining Danone North America in July 2015, Kristie has focused on exciting and evolving spaces including probiotics, microbiome and gut health. In her role, she supports leading probiotic brands including Activia and DanActive, plant-based brands including Silk, manages the Danone Institute North America and leads efforts to educate about healthy hydration for water brands Evian and Ferrarelle.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the story about how you first got involved in wellness?

Growing up in rural North Carolina surrounded by corn fields and dairy farms provided great insight into how our food is grown and produced. Some of my fondest childhood memories are the days I spent snapping green beans, making jam and canning vegetables. Food has always been a big part of my life, but my love of nutrition didn’t come until college. I actually had planned to be an education major, but one Intro to Nutrition class changed all that! I changed my major, became president of our campus Nutrition club and joined the Wellness Peer Educators group giving talks to educate about healthy eating, stress management and the importance of exercise around campus.

Can you share a story with us about the most humorous mistake you made when you were first starting? What lesson or take-away did you learn from that?

I try to not make mistakes, but I’m sure I have made plenty over the years. Over the years, I’ve worked on being less afraid of failure. Everyone wants to do a good job and get the accolades but failing or making a mistake is one of the best ways to build character and learn about your strengths and weaknesses. It’s also important to be kind to yourself, we are all human.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority in the wellness field? In your opinion, what is your unique contribution to the world of wellness?

I have been at Danone North America for the last six years and, as part of my role, I have had the opportunity to focus on so many aspects of wellness and nutrition, such as probiotics and gut health, kids’ nutrition, healthy hydration, flexitarian eating patterns and sustainable food systems. The science behind these topics can be complex and the ability to communicate the benefits of specific probiotic strains or the benefits of a flexitarian eating pattern to consumers is both a science and an art. I am very lucky the work I do every day is translating complex science into digestible (pun intended) and consumer-friendly language.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

My parents have been great models of resilience and reinvention, especially my dad. My dad is a printer and 20+ years ago he taught himself how to use computers and converted his entire printing business to a digital platform. This change allowed his company to stay competitive even in an industry that was slowly becoming more and more obsolete. I think about my dad when I have challenges that seem insurmountable. He has inspired numerous pivots in my life, including moving from North Carolina to NYC when my daughter was only six months old!

Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s move to the main focus of our interview. We all know that it’s important to eat more vegetables, eat less sugar, exercise more, and get better sleep etc. But while we know it intellectually, it’s often difficult to put it into practice and make it a part of our daily habits. In your opinion what are the 3 main blockages that prevent us from taking the information that we all know, and integrating it into our lives?

Just because we know we “should” do something doesn’t mean we “want” to do something. Lack of motivation is probably the biggest obstacle to incorporating a new healthy habit into our already busy lives. We are already so busy managing our work, families and relationships that health often takes a backseat. Even though we all know we should be moving more, getting better sleep and eating more vegetables, without the motivation or desire, we won’t actually make the change.

The second obstacle is a lack of planning. This is where prepping lunches and dinners for the week, scheduling workouts and setting reminders to go to bed earlier can all make a big difference. Life happens and, if you haven’t planned ahead, it’s very easy to come home from work or a kids soccer game starving and order pizza. Don’t get me wrong, pizza is delicious and can be a part of a healthy eating pattern, but if you don’t plan ahead then you may find yourself ordering pizza or unhealthy takeout more than you would like.

The third obstacle is immediate pleasure. The immediate pleasure of something has a stronger pull then the long-term benefits of consistently making healthy choices. I love to sleep in and when my alarm goes off in the morning, the immediate pleasure of staying in bed is always more appealing than getting up early for a workout. However, I know if I don’t get up and move my body first thing in the morning then I won’t have time the rest of the day. The healthiest individuals don’t jump from one fad diet to another or set unrealistic exercise goals, they make lifestyle changes and habits that work for them for the long term.

Can you please share your “5 Non-Intuitive Lifestyle Tweaks That Will Dramatically Improve One’s Wellbeing”? (Please share a story or an example for each, and feel free to share ideas for mental, emotional and physical health.)

1. Use a Straw: Staying hydrated is really important for overall health. Hydration status can impact your cognitive function, skin health and even your appetite. One of the easiest ways to increase your intake of water is by using a straw. We have a dedicated spot in our silverware drawer for reusable straws. It’s a simple change that has doubled my water intake!
2. Get a dog: One of the best things you can do for your wellbeing is get a dog. Not only do dogs offer stress relief (all that petting) and unconditional love, but because they need to be walked and cared for throughout the day, they offer scheduled and sometimes unscheduled breaks outside. A walk around the block in the fresh air can do wonders for your perspective and productivity.
3. Breath: I have noticed when I am stressed that my breathing changes: I take more shallow breaths and sometimes I even hold my breath, depending on exactly how stressed I am. Taking a few minutes throughout the day to focus on my breathing always helps me feel more energized and relaxed.
4. Find an Exercise Buddy: We are all busy and finding time to move our bodies and exercise sometimes can feel like just another to-do on our list. I have found when I schedule a workout or a walk with a friend, I rarely miss my exercise for that day. I have fun, get to socialize and get a workout all at once.
5. Practice Gratitude: Gratitude is one of the easiest ways to improve your overall wellness. Taking the time to focus on the things you are grateful for can not only make you happier, but also change your perspective on the negatives or challenges you may be focused on throughout most of the day. I like to take a few minutes throughout the day to think about a few events, people or things that I am grateful for. It’s hard to be stressed or upset when you are consistently reminding yourself to focus on the positives.

Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story?

When I was in college, I read Who Moved My Cheese? I have used the lessons from this fable throughout my career and life to help deal with change and find my ‘cheese.’ It’s an easy and impactful read that has really held up over the years.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)

As a Danone employee over the past six years, I have been working toward the mission of “bringing health through food to as many people as possible.” It’s so gratifying to know that the work I do every day helps further achieve that mission.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?

“Comparison is the thief of joy” — President Theodore Roosevelt. I say this quote to my myself and my children multiple times a week. It’s very easy, especially with social media, to compare ourselves to others. Everyone is unique and, because of this, we should celebrate our unique strengths and points of view. Constantly comparing ourselves to others makes it difficult to celebrate our own achievements and be content in our own journey.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)

Sir Richard Branson would be my top pick. He has started a music label, an airline, a rail company and now a spaceflight company. I would love to hear what it was like onboard the Virgin Galactic Unity 22 flight and what it was like being knighted at Buckingham Palace.

What is the best way our readers can follow you online?

You can follow me on my LinkedIn account.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!