CURRENTS PROFILE
EMBRACING WELLNESS
lifestyle coach stephanie burg talks about food, stress and what inspires her BY JASON A. ZWIKER | PHOTOGRAPH BY COREY TENOLD
a size 14 to a 4, or having a successful, healthy pregnancy. Without love and respect for our bodies, nothing else is solid. A dysfunctional relationship with our body ripples outward into every other area of our lives, including our relationships and career. Reconnecting to our bodies creates a deep sense of joy and presence that allows us to really go for the things we want the most.
100 CSD
Stephanie Burg, a lifelong pro- fessional ballet dancer, knows the importance of nutrition and positive body image. Through coaching, classes and work- shops, she creates custom paths to wellness for the overstressed and undernourished (stephanie
burgcoaching.com). Her spe- cialty is helping women learn to love the bodies they live in. After being awarded a grant by the prestigious organization Career Transitions for Dancers, Burg studied under leading experts in health, nutrition and wellness. Her professional dance credits include Charleston Ballet Theater, Dance Kaleidoscope, Terpsicorps Theatre of Dance,
Lexington Ballet, and Ballet Internationale. In addition to running her health coaching practice, she is a vital part of Charleston’s arts community— performing, choreographing, teaching and writing about dance.
What led you to your current work in nutritional counseling and coaching?
I’ve always been passionate about nutrition and cooking. My maternal grandmother taught me this early on. As a dancer, I learned that the higher quality food and nutrients I ate, the better my rehearsals and performances. When I experi-
enced my first major injury as a professional dancer, I spent part of my recovery working with an organization in New York City called Career Transition for Dancers. They guided me to the field of nutritional counseling/ coaching and, now, here I am.
What makes your work re- warding to you on a personal level? Watching a client clear up struggles with food and her body, coming home to herself and achieving what she truly wants for herself, her family and her life. That might mean leaving a toxic job, earning a starring role on Broadway, going from
You’ve spoken about your own struggles with a negative body image. How common is this problem? It’s extremely widespread, especially in young women and even more so in the dance world. Every woman I’ve worked with seems to have something she dislikes, or even loathes, about her body. We have very unrealistic ideas of beauty placed upon us through the media in our culture. There’s a lack of education and a lack of emphasis on our individuality. Common beliefs about dieting are outdated and don’t work long term. We end up viewing ourselves, our bodies, as fail- ures. When we understand and partner with our bodies, we’re much more likely to experience a positive body image.
Your coaching work includes stress management. How do stress and nutrition interact?
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