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Wellness

Wellness My Way - Sarah Tomczak

The Editor in Chief at Red Magazine on how she approaches everyday wellness...

Curious about what wellness means to us all, we’re on a mission to uncover how small and seismic wellness shifts can change our everyday lives - from attitudes to rituals, products to mindsets, treatments to movements, we’ll cover it all with some (not)guilty pleasures thrown in for good measure. Because wellness isn’t a fad, it’s a commitment to yourself, and to feeling healthier and happier.

This month we asked lovely Sarah Tomczak, the Editor-in-Chief of Red Magazine.

We are big fans of Red and it's wonderful lifestyle content. Sarah and Red have generously offered Seedling readers a Super Subscriber Offer*. More details at the bottom of this article.

Here Sarah talks us through her approach to wellness - from her family sea change to the Kent coast, to the dance class highlight of her week; the WhatsApp gym group that keeps her accountable, and those soothing walks by the sea...

I moved to the coast five years ago and cannot underestimate the positive impact of being by the sea and disconnecting from the daily grind of the city. It’s helped me create a balance I didn’t have before...

What does wellness mean to you?
For me, wellness is finding alignment physically, emotionally and spiritually. That makes me sound more woo-woo than I am, but I know I feel my most ‘well’ when I am being active, feel connected to the people I love and am giving and receiving positive energy. This is something that I have become more aware of as I’ve become older and have learned to know myself better.
 
How do you approach wellness?
Some of it comes naturally and some requires discipline! I moved to the coast five years ago and cannot underestimate the positive impact of being by the sea and disconnecting from the daily grind of the city. It’s helped me create a balance I didn’t have before. I try to exercise regularly and I’m thoughtful but not obsessive with what I eat. Fasting suits my appetite, but I love to cook, have a sweet tooth and believe life is too precious not to eat all the things I enjoy.
 
Any tips on fitting a wellness ritual into your busy schedule? 
I’m a member of a local gym and have a WhatsApp group of fellow gym-buddies – it helps me to commit to classes when I know I’ll see someone else there too. I commute to London Monday-Wednesday so it’s impossible to fit exercise in then, but it means I make the other days count. Exercising in the hour after-school drop off and before-work allows me to fit everything in. And for the days overwhelm hits, there’s nothing more soothing than a walk by the sea.
 
Of all the wellness areas - mind, body, spirit, which are you drawn to most?
I don’t think I can choose just one because they feel so interconnected. I’ve become much more in-tune to my energy and what makes me feel my best – but this can be a heart-pumping dance class, a meaningful conversation with a friend or working creatively with my colleagues.
 
Do you regularly exercise? What do you love doing for exercise?
I try to live actively – which is much easier now we’re by the sea. Most weeks I do a weights class and a dance class. I also have a tennis lesson every week (despite still being fairly terrible!) and play socially with friends on a Sunday afternoon, and I swim in the sea as much as possible too – all year round. We spend a lot of time at the beach too, walking around the harbour or cycling along the coast.
 
How does nature connect to wellness for you?
It’s huge. I started swimming in the sea during lockdown, as a chance to briefly escape homeschooling each day(!), but it’s a habit I have managed to maintain, although not as religiously. Nothing compares to the experience for me – the sense of being small in something as vast and unpredictable as the ocean helps me let go of my worries, the way my body has learned to cope with the cold water has helped me navigate other stressful moments too and the post-swim euphoria is like nothing else.

Do you meditate? Or what’s your version of ‘you time’ to get away from the noise and to-do lists…?
I don’t meditate as such, but I am a big advocate of breathwork. Red’s Beauty Editor taught me an exercise where you ‘breathe around your body’ – taking in a deep breath and visualising it going over the top of your head, down your back, around your feet and back up your legs before breathing out. I do this most nights in bed to relax and whenever I need to take a moment from the noise.
 
A treatment / ritual / mindset that has changed your life?
I have a tendency to hold on to tension, so anything that allows me to let go (and quelling my inner control freak) I find valuable, which includes the breathing technique above, a swim in the sea and also a massage, because my shoulders are always knotted and in need of a kneading. I’d have one every week if I could.
 
Facialist? And any recent treatments you’ve loved?
I am not really sold on facials – but my opinion has changed after experiencing a facial with Sarah Chapman just off Sloane Square. Her incredible massage technique is like a mini workout for your face muscles and I really noticed a difference in my skin which felt more toned and lifted afterwards. I’ve also started having Belotero Balance treatments with Dr Ellie Satee – they’re hyaluronic injections which make your skin plumper and more glowy. I love how fresh they make me feel and Dr Ellie is a wonder. 

A book or author that you’re inspired by in wellness?
I don’t tend to read wellness books as I prefer to devour literature when I have the time, but we often interview thought leaders in Red and the authors who have had the most profound impact on me are Brene Brown, Cheryl Strayed and Red’s former agony aunt Philippa Perry.

A podcast to share on wellness?
I’m a big fan of Gwyneth and the Goop podcast. There’s always a topic that challenges health conventions and I love listening to well-known women sharing their wellness journeys. Every now and again I’ll have an epiphany whilst listening that makes me reassess everything I thought I knew.

Nothing compares to the experience (swimming in the sea) for me – the sense of being small in something as vast and unpredictable as the ocean helps me let go of my worries, and the way my body has learned to cope with the cold water has helped me navigate other stressful moments too and the post-swim euphoria is like nothing else...

What foods do you love to eat/prepare that make you feel your best?
Left to my own devices, I’d mainly eat salads. I often end up cooking three different evening meals for my family, or I’ll prepare a lavish dinner for friends, so I prefer to keep things simple at other times. I really like pan frying shredded brussel sprouts or raw kale with apple, dried cranberries, some blue cheese and hazelnuts. I’d also happily eat melon, prosciutto and mozzarella with lots of fresh basil for every meal.
 
Any tips for nutritional snacking?!
I’m a nut freak, so they’re my go-to for snacking. Or almond butter or a small block of cheddar with an apple.
 
What daily beauty wellness products do you swear by?
I have a fairly pared-back beauty routine, but apply a Vitamin C serum every morning and I always use SPF 50. In lieu of foundation, I really like Sarah Chapman’s tinted SPF which gives light coverage alongside sun protection. In the evening, I’m faithful to Augustinus Bader The Rich Cream, which is expensive but worth every penny.
 
Do you take any regular supplements? 
A Health & Her Perimenopause supplement and occasionally extra Vitamin D in the winter and Iron if I’m feeling depleted.
 
What’s your typical morning ritual (on a good wellness morning)?
I’m not really a morning person, but if I’m well-rested, I love the feeling of getting up early when it’s sunny and enjoying a bit of peace before the day starts. I like to stretch and I’ve found Sun Salutations or The Five Tibetan Exercises really effective. I don’t usually eat until lunchtime, but I’ll have lukewarm water with lemon and a cup of coffee. Ideally, I’ll then go to a gym class, or even better have a swim in the sea, if it’s high tide, before starting my work day.

Evening ritual (on a good wellness day)?
I don’t have much of an evening ritual – my kids’ bedtimes drag out and it’s rare I have that much time to myself afterwards, but I really value the quieter moments we spend together then and that’s when they talk about the important things on their minds. Occasionally, I might squeeze in a bit of TV after that, but more often than not I’ll be finishing up my work. I try to be in bed by 11pm.
 
A weekly ritual you have made or intend to make that is just for you….? 
My non-negotiable wellness ritual is my 9am Friday morning dance class. My best local girlfriends also attend and it’s my most joyous moment of the week - for mind, body, and spirit combined. Pouring so much energy into dancing is utterly liberating and it’s a real emotional release for me too. Afterwards, we all walk down to our local coffee shop by the sea and grab a coffee to-go. It’s pure happiness.
 
Fave workout gear...
I’m a total fan girl for Varley and their athleisure and I also like The Upside for gym wear.
 
Dream travel + wellness escape?
I went on a tennis retreat in Sicily this year, which was a wonderful combination of activity and relaxation. I was also lucky enough to go to the Maldives very recently with my family and while I didn’t do much sport, I spent so much time in the sea – from snorkelling on the reef, to swimming with manta rays, to a daily morning dip whilst everyone else slept – that I felt permanently in my happy place.
 
Quote or Mantra?
To my daughters, I quote Bugsy Malone, “You give a little love and it all comes back to you.” I believe in the power of putting good energy into the world and the hope it will come back to you too.
 
Your guilty pleasure?
Birthday cake. Homemade.

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