About Me
Carly M. Smith
As a born and raised WV girl, I grew up without a choice of being in the great outdoors. Camping, fishing, hiking, gardening and the like. My father instilled my love for Mother Earth without evening realizing what he was doing. *Take a character self check almost on the daily. Stop and ask ourselves whether the conversations we are having, the habits we are living and the passions we pursue will have positive or negative implications on the next generation.
While growing up I spent every single day with my grandmother. She is a patient beautiful soul that taught me many life lessons as well as how to manage a home kitchen. From recipes, to setting a fancy dinner table, how to budget for large family meals. Manners and of course how to unconditionally love family.
I have made so many memories making a mess of my kitchen with the help of my boys. I tweak so many of her southern roots recipes to make them my own. And the boys love to assist me! My husband, myself and my sons also all have a strong desire for asian food. I am blessed to have a grandmother on my mothers side from Kura, Japan. It's within my DNA to constantly crave broth and that umami flavor. My asian inspired recipes all stem from this extreme love for anything asian.
I fell in love with dance around the age of 4. Therefore, my passion for physical activity, art and music has been skilled, practiced and molded into my bones. I now have the privilege of teaching and encouraging aspiring dancers at our church.
As a busy mom I live by "where there's a will there's a way" mentality. I have to make exercise happen on the daily for my mental health. And now that I'm getting older I realize I need it even more to help me sleep. So, with youngsters running around me I have to always figure out a way to make it happen. And yes, sometimes I have to let go of other things in life in order to fit it in. Let's just say I've put many many miles into my jogging stroller, done my share of pull ups on the monkey bars, and gotten a core burn on the trampoline more than once. And my kids LOVE to join me!
I graduated college with a degree in Exercise Physiology and furthered my studies into the world of nutrition. I completed several certifications to reach a multitude of individuals. Certifications like, prenatal wellness, adolescent physical activity, weightloss, supplementation, holistic nutrition, herbalist and more. I also graduated the Baltimore School of Reflexology in 2010 and began practicing reflexology with a local massage therapist.
I have been a personal trainer for almost 10 years. I trained at several local gyms until eventually branding my own PT business, "Refresh Wellness" which is now known as "Manna" where I blend food, family and fitness into one.
I am a lifetime learner. I appreciate every philosophy of thought behind primal nutrition and where we should be today. Everyone has something to bring to the table- literally, and figuratively.
My lifetime prayer is that I am not the same as I was yesterday, that I always go to sleep at night a better person than I was when I awoke. I pray that I am that way so that God one day says to me, "Well done, my love". And ultimately so that I may lead those in my path into the light, no longer dragging around chains.
It takes a village, to raise us up. May we be unified in helping each other along the way.
