As a professor, spouse, and mom of a toddler, Eliska Gauthier, 34, knows the importance of investing in her own well-being so she can continue showing up for others.
“Self-care isn’t selfish,” Gauthier says. “Fill your cup up first, and then you can pour into others. You can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Movement is one way that Gauthier fills her own cup. She’s always loved fitness, but during the busyness and stress of college, she laid the foundation for lifelong healthy habits.
After Gauthier started going to the gym regularly, running, and joining group fitness classes, she quickly realized that exercise would be a way to reset after a long day. Exercise became a pathway to peace.
“I’d be in class for eight hours a day, and I knew when I came home, I needed something to separate class and the rest of my day,” she says. “I needed an outlet that wasn’t binge eating or drinking. Working out became my thing, and I kept that habit.”
More than a decade later, those habits keep Gauthier physically fit and mentally grounded. Looking to grow her career, Gauthier moved to Memphis with her family in August to teach in the dental hygiene program at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
“You have to prioritize yourself so that you can take care of everyone that’s behind you.”
Gauthier says preparation — and the ability to pivot when needed — is what helps her balance her blossoming career and family life while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Every Sunday, she plans out her week, including her meals and movement.
“Preparation is key, but you also have to be flexible,” Gauthier says. “Unexpected things come, especially with motherhood. Your child may not be having a good day after school, or dad may have to work a little longer. That’s why I like to have a variety of options.”
Some days, that means hopping on her Peloton at home; other days, exploring new gyms around the city or running alongside her partner while towing her son in a stroller.
“You have to be mindful of time,” she says. “If you know time may be of the essence that day, figure out how you’re still going to make it happen. If you have to go on a 30-minute walk with the baby in the stroller, then that’s what you do.”
Gauthier says, “For me, it’s much easier to balance because I have a supporting partner who also values fitness.” She met her partner, a sports performance coach, at a gym in Dallas four years ago when she happened to attend his class. The two have been training together ever since.
Whether Gauthier is exercising with her partner, in a class, or solo at home, moving her body is now non-negotiable.
“That’s my hour,” Gauthier says. “That’s my time to unplug for me. If you aren’t caring for yourself, how can you care for others? You have to prioritize yourself so that you can take care of everyone that’s behind you.”
By Maya Smith
Photo by Tindall Stephens
