In everybody’s life there is a ‘skat’, be it a spouse, partner, friend or child. For many of us in the world of wellness, that skat is Natalie Beuster – a mother, Summer lover, IT nerd, and wellness fanatic, who is living life with passion and purpose, one nourishing meal at a time.
Natalie, who lives in Cowies Hill, didn’t set out to be the multitasker that she is, but that’s where she’s at right now. Living out a dream that started with a deep commitment and passion for sports and fitness that extends throughout her family.
As a mother of three busy boys, a multi-sport enthusiast, sports massage therapist, and owner of South African wellness brand, Skat, Natalie says her love for sport goes back to her youth as a little girl watching with wide eyes as her dad competed in canoe races and lifesaving competitions.
“As soon as I was old enough and could hold my own, I started Nippers and then paddling.”
There was always at least one sport a term that Natalie would throw herself into at school, and although she managed to earn herself KZN colours in five disciplines, it was the external sports that she really excelled at.
“After school I raced internationally in surf lifesaving and surf ski paddling, and it took me to some amazing places around the world. It also sparked my interest in nutrition. In order to build strength, perform and recover properly you need to fuel your body in the right way, so I quickly became aware of what foods worked best for me.”
After completing a BCOM in IT and working in the field, Natalie detoured to sports massage. She still dabbles in IT but her love language is body movement and recovery.
“I would find myself reading about injuries and how they affected racing and training. Even with my own injuries – and there were many – I would always ask my chiro or physio a million questions. So I did an advanced sports massage course part time, and then headed up the sports massage at Prime High Performance Centre at Moses Mahbida Stadium before going out on my own.”
Natalie’s success as an advanced sports massage therapist has seen her work with some incredible athletes – from Olympians and Comrades winners to the Springboks and touring rugby teams from France, Australia and New Zealand.
“You’d be surprised how many injuries are simply from not releasing muscle tension built up over time. Knowing that I helped relieve pain and get these athletes back to training is rewarding.”
Married life and motherhood have also had a huge role to play in Natalie’s nutrition journey. Her husband, Warren, has an egg intolerance and her 10-year-old son, Jake, has a severe dairy allergy, forcing her to explore dairy and egg alternatives, and to find recipes that don’t use these ingredients.
“I use margarine and oat or almond milk, instead of butter and milk, and it tastes just the same. In fact, I love baking even more now as a means of making sure that, as a family, we can still enjoy treats minus the problem ingredients. And I don’t cut egg and dairy out of the equation entirely, as my seven year-old twins, Daniel and Cooper, and I, love omelettes and cheese … A LOT!”
Dinner is a family occasion, and Natalie always encourages the boys to get involved with the cooking.
“I hid a lot of veggies in the kids’ food initially and still do in bolognaise and pasta sauces. It’s a great way to use up leftover veg, but I’ve found that when the boys are involved and see what they have made for dinner on their plates, they eat without a fuss. As they’ve grown, they’ve also started trying different foods. I am blessed with great eaters but I like to think I contributed to that.”
Something Natalie doesn’t enjoy, is cooking a meal two weeks in a row. She plans a menu – with everybody’s input – for every week of the month and shops once a week.
“Our menu is not set in stone, I might swop a day or two during the week or end up with take out because of late sports fixture or because I just don’t feel like cooking, but generally this way of life helps reduce a lot of waste.”
As far as nutrition goes, Natalie reminds us that she is not an expert, but is fascinated by it because of her history and the needs of her family. She dedicates a lot of time to research and finding out what foods do and don’t work, and finding moderation which is different for everyone.
“Did you know that craving chocolate can mean you need magnesium in your diet? It can also just mean you just have a sweet tooth, LOL!”
And this is where Skat comes in. Natalie took ownership of Skatonline Wellness Products – vegan, sugar and gluten-free – in 2021, when the original founder immigrated.
“I was already using the collagen and cappuccinos and loved that the focus was to nourish from the inside out, starting with the gut.”
There’s everything from a bulletproof cappa and chia seeds to collagen peptides, collagen and whey protein shake, vegan meal replacement shake, and our favourite, the Golden Milk products. Natalie is never shy to share advice on how best to consume these or recipes for her healthy treats, like her favourite breakfast smoothie and chocolate protein bars which are out of this world!
“It’s been a big learning curve, but a really incredible one.”
Driven by her enthusiastic approach to life, and her competitive nature, Natalie will look most challenges dead in the eye. She thrives on gyming three times a week, doing pilates, and running, in between family sporting adventures, which she is determined not to let her kids beat her at.
“I’m determined, but at some point I think the inevitable will happen. In all honesty, any chance we get to spend time together fills my cup. Something else that is important is strength training. You need to support your joints, especially as you get older. And I love pilates. It’s a full-body workout. I don’t think I’ve ever left a session without feeling like I have worked my butt off. I also enjoy a round of social padel and taking to the sea for a paddle or swim. That’s my happy place, in the ocean.”
Natalie says that although we all want to be the best version of ourselves, it is not always easy to find a good balance between exercise and eating foods that satisfy and nourish us.
“My theory is this: Listen to your body. There will be some days when you can just get up and go, and there will be other days when you find you have to force yourself to do something active. And then there are those days when you just need to rest – like bake that chocolate cake, eat it, and be glued to the couch kind of rest.”
Details: skatonline.co.za
