On a tropical bay surrounded by lush vegetation and Ralph Lauren furnishings, Round Hill Hotel and Villas has curated the most luxurious of wellbeing breaks. Wellness coach Shayna Hiller explains what it’s all about…

How did you become a nutrition, yoga, and meditation expert?

While studying in Australia during college I stumbled into my first yoga class. At the time, I was into kickboxing, running and other extreme cardio exercises. Although they offered me an endorphin release and a temporary high, I never felt fully satisfied or balanced with that type of fitness.

I always dreaded it. After my first yoga class, I felt strong physically yet relaxed and balanced mentally. It was a sensation I had never experienced and it left me wanting more.

Upon returning to USA and practicing more yoga, I signed up for my first professional Yoga Teacher Training in Costa Rica. In a nutshell, yoga led me to a deep awareness of my relationship with my body, which started with food.

My eyes were opened to how negatively I had been treating my body most of my life, and my transformation deepened as I began to observe how great an impact food has on, not only my body, but my mind and my life. This sharpened awareness led me to embark on my professional training in nutrition at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in NYC, the world’s largest nutrition school.

I have continued to study and travel the world with some of the most unique teachers in order to learn and grow, for I believe we are never done learning and growing.

What inspired your book?

I became inspired to write a book after many people told me I should! It honestly was something I never thought I was capable of. I was the type of person who resisted writing three-page essays in school! A book? Are you kidding me?

But somehow the pull to write it was much greater than my self-imposed resistance. I gave myself a six-month deadline and got to work. One of my main driving forces behind writing the book was to share some of the tips and tools I’ve learned so far in my journey with a larger audience. Also, I did it to move out of my own comfort zone and expose myself in a new way.

How do you help people feel their best physically?

I help people feel their best physically by teaching yoga in such a way that is celebratory for the body. I believe fitness is natural. Our bodies were made to move, otherwise we would not have arms and legs and a spine.

My desire is to support people in discovering what type of workout is both inspiring, pleasantly challenging and effective. Whether it’s yoga, hiking, biking, swimming, dancing, martial arts, etc. I believe, just like dieting, no one way works for everyone.

What about emotionally?

As a health coach, one of my main jobs is simple; to listen to people. Whether we are talking about food, relationships, self-love, or any other aspect of health and well-being, I believe one of the most successful strategies for emotional healing comes from simply listening to another person.

I hold space, ask compelling questions and genuinely listen and receive whatever that person has to say without judgment. I believe it is necessary to get things out instead of keeping them lodged in our minds and bodies, so I love to be a support in that way.

What are the biggest barriers that people have to feeling good physically?

I believe the biggest barrier many people have to feeling good physically is the fact that the desire comes from the mind, or from comparing themselves to other people. Many people have never felt good physically so they technically have no frame of reference so it is almost like a dream.

Many people, though they claim they want to feel good physically, deep down do not think they are capable of doing so because they never have. So I aim to shift people’s mindsets to open up space for new possibilities and potential. This is a vital piece of the health puzzle.

What are the biggest barriers that people have to feeling good emotionally?

Same. People run after a feeling they have never experienced, and the psyche of the person running after it is the same psyche which is out of balance. So it’s a struggle unless people are willing to step into the unknown and embrace a new way of being that welcomes peace.

It seems most people are not okay with being at peace, even though for in that peaceful state, there is silence. There are no problems. Nothing to complain about. I teach acceptance of peace through many of my meditation offerings.

How does yoga help?

Yoga and meditation are all about balance and health. They are body-based learning modalities, so the thinking mind can rest re-set while the innate wisdom of the body takes the driver’s seat and eventually leads to positive transformation.

Plus, the science is out that meditation is a proven method to combat stress and many other serious diseases as well as sharpen the brain, create mental clarity, and feelings of happiness and overall well-being.

Does nutrition have an emotional impact?

Yes! My teacher says that our food does not only create our bodies, but it creates our thoughts feelings and emotions as well. I know this because I experienced it first hand, and until people become more present with their food they may not notice the impact it has physically. If you’d rive enough coffee or alcohol, your consciousness will shift. That’s obvious.

The same happens with a diet full of processed artificial foods or a diet of whole organic nourishing foods. It’s just not as severe as the alcohol example. Everything we ingest will affect our consciousness/emotions in some way. Eating can be a meditation, and I show people how in the most fun, accessible way possible!

What will people get from the retreat at Round Hill Hotel and Villas?

People will renew their relationship with their health. They will learn lifelong tools for vitality, happiness, health, and overall balance of mind body and spirit. My programme is accessible to all people regardless of prior experience.

Everything mentioned above is my mission to spread and share in a way that is deeply absorbed into the system, not just through the brain and intellect. That being said, people will leave the retreat feeling renewed and transformed in a way that lasts. Not just temporary.