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I met Latham Thomas in September 2012, at the press room of Social Good Summit, which I wrote about here. She stood tall in her heels and a fabulous hat, with a wide smile and warm energy filling the room. I don’t remember how, but we started talking, and that’s when I found about the really cool concept of Mama Glow – a lifestyle website and movement that educates and inspires women about embracing our own radiant energy through a holistic approach to life, during pregnancy and beyond.
Latham has empowered such big-name ladies as Alicia Keys and Rebecca Minkoff through their pregnancies. On top of that, Latham is a yoga teacher, a TV personality and a certified nutritionist.
Latham blew me away with her talk on self-care at the WELL Summit 2015, and with the upcoming launch of her new portal, Ritualista, I knew I needed to introduce this powerhouse lady boss to you!
If you could put all the work you do into one word, what would it be?
Magic!
What are some things you currently have on your vision board? (“Birth Board”)
I constantly update my Birth Board, Birth Boards are vision boards that hold space for that which you want to cultivate. I have travel- which I have done already plenty of this year. But landscapes of far away places allow me to connect with places I would like to visit and remind me to travel within as well. Birth Boards remind us to align our actions with our intensions.
With Mama Glow, you’re really changing the way women think about pregnancy. How did this amazing movement come about?
Mama Glow the seed was planted during my pregnancy with my son Fulano. The movement was spawned from my being. Mama Glow is a certain radiance that overcomes a woman who is happy, healthy, and feeling fulfilled in her life. I associate the glow with lifestyle choices aligned with wellbeing.
Most of all Mama Glow is an attitude, a way of carrying oneself- owning your fierce power and femininity, and embracing the awesomeness of motherhood. I want women to not only feel supported and empowered but mobilized to take healthy action in their lives and make choices aligned with a positive set of beliefs.
Latham with son Fulano (a.k.a. DJ Fulano)
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing women nuzzle with their newborn babies after giving birth. I love to see women harness their glow power during pregnancy. I also love that I get to spend lots of time with my son Fulano.
What’s your best advice for living a wholesome, healthy lifestyle?
Show up for your health every day. It’s all about loving every aspect of your temple, your queendom. When you are really tapped in to who you are and what you want to offer life– you make choices that are aligned with your highest good. That make you feel most radiant. How can you love yourself today?
What are some morning rituals that set you up for a day of feeling grounded and present?
I start the day by giving thanks. I am so thankful. I ask that the universe order my steps so that I encounter all that is meant for me. I spend a little time for prayer and meditation and movement, to get the blood flowing and the brain supple.
I make breakfast for my son and we eat together then walk to school. If I am not dressed for the day, I come home to put some attention and intention into my look for the day. Who am I today? I believe a woman should dress for the dreams she has. This combo makes me feel really grounded for the day.
How do you practice self-care and why is it important?
We come from a legacy of women who take on everything, that don’t give back to themselves. If you don’t mother yourself first, then you don’t have the energy to your best to others or the world. Women need outlets of pleasure to reduce stress and help maintain wellbeing.
I practice self care daily, but moment-to-moment as well. I check in with myself. Your body is the arbiter of what’s safe, so when something doesn’t feel good and you do it anyway, then that is self care malpractice. I started a self care movement called #GlowTime – it’s radical self care that you incorporate into your daily living.
For me that includes: massage therapy, hot baths, dance class, a hike in nature, gardening, etc. Glow Time is essential because it gives us space to relax, play, enjoy respite.
I believe in the power of making the bed. “Messy bed, messy head”. So I don’t leave my bed unmade and I have instilled the practice in my son of making his bed. Even if I am in a rush, I make the bed so I feel centered, like I started the day mindfully. I believe these tiny actions from the bedroom to the boardroom all make a difference in how your day is expressed.
How did you find your “tribe,” your sisterhood of women who support each other?
I really feel that I attracted my sister circle. I didn’t search for these women, they were revealed to me and showed up in my life. We have all grown together and although I know many people, I share my personal life with just a few. I can count on one hand how many women are in my inner circle, who really love me. I believe that when you are following your internal compass and living aligned with your truth, the benevolent universe orders your steps.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned about your relationship with your body?
The most important thing I learned about my body was that it is divine, perfect and capable of wonders. Through the birth of my son, I came to know my body in the most intimate way. I know that the sunshine lives between my thighs, that I can give rise to miracles, that there is innate power swirling though my veins. I love my body and I honor my body.
What made you feel accomplished recently?
I feel accomplished when I am able to impact the lives of others in a meaningful way. We just launched our BEDITATION series which is a meditation experience lying down. We did this in partnership with Coco Mat and had 50 women come of all ages and backgrounds to revel in self care. That made me feel good, to create an experience that facilitated healing and rest.
Favorite healthy snack?
Avocado Toast with crushed red pepper, lemon, olive oil, and Maldon salt.
Avocado Toast by Latham Thomas
What’s your go-to breakfast?
My go-to breakfast changes by season but I love my morning Açaí bowls. I lived in the North East of Brazil and every morning I would have açaí na tigela(a bowl of acai) with homemade granola on top. I incorporate cacao nibs, coconut butter, frozen blueberries, frozen cherries and I blend with coconut water or filtered water. Once nice and well blended, I put into a bowl and add a dollop of Anita’s cream line coconut yogurt, hemp seeds, and homemade granola.
ROCKSTAR GRANOLA RECIPE
Ingredients:
3 1⁄2 cups rolled oats
1⁄2 cup toasted mixed nuts
1⁄2 cup coconut flakes
1⁄4 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds 3 tablespoons flaxseeds
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1⁄4 cup grape seed oil or raw coconut oil
1⁄4 cup raw agave nectar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon sea salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, and stir well to incorporate. Spread the mixture in an even layer on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes (depending on the depth of goldenness you’re looking for), stirring every 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to four weeks.
ACAI & BLUEBERRY OMEGA PROTEIN BOWL (1 serving)
This berry duo offers a unique blend of antioxidants and the omega fatty acids in the acai make it a complete protein. When I was pregnant and visiting Brazil, I made this smoothie every morning and my son still loves it. Acai comes in a macerated pulp in the frozen section of the grocery store.
1 packet acai pulp
1⁄2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 3⁄4 cups apple juice or water
1⁄2 banana, peeled and sliced
1 teaspoon chia seeds
1 to 2 tablespoons Granola (optional)
Place first five ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth. The mixture will be creamy. Place in a bowl and top with granola and the remaining half of the banana, if desired.
