Nona Diaries is a series featuring some inspirational women and their period stories. Today’s feature is about Michelle Aditjokro aka @michnatasha.
Michelle is a digital marketer in start-up industry, and a health & fitness enthusiast. She is passionate about mental health, women's rights, and social impact.
Hi! Let's start with your name
Michelle from @michnatasha
How did you get into digital marketing? What do you like most about it?
I’m a performance marketer at Ula - a B2B fintech startup focusing on small retailers. So I currently handle all of their online marketing strategies. Before I had worked in Tokopedia for 3 years, doing performance marketing for specific channels. It was my first job right out of college. I actually didn’t know anything about digital marketing when I had just graduated (I took traditional business marketing - in which they taught you nothing about digital marketing), but it seemed like a great opportunity in a burgeoning industry - ecommerce. And it ended up being the best decision I’ve ever made, the startup environment really suits my personality, you learn a lot in such a short amount of time, and there’s always something exciting waiting around the corner.
What I like the most about it is the measurable impact that you can make with performance marketing. Everything is measured with data, you base all your decisions with data. When you plan something, and it comes into fruition, everything is visible from the data. It’s also such a dynamic career, there are so many different paths you can explore. Especially with the development of technology and the expansion of online activities, the possibilities are endless.
What are your favorite ways to work out?
My favorite workout is definitely circuit training. I get bored very easily, so you can play on different movements and combinations with circuit training. Plus, it’s incredibly fun. But my favorite way to work out, is of course to work out with a friend. It keeps you accountable, and it’s double the fun.
Do you have a typical fitness routine?
Yes! I work out 3 times a week. For now, I’m still comfortable doing home workouts, which I’ve been doing since the start of the pandemic. I usually just follow different workout videos on Youtube. My current favorite one is a channel called TiffxDan. I usually do strength training exercises, since I’m already quite lean, and my goal is to be more muscular!
What is your food philosophy like?
I used to have a terrible approach in terms of my diet. I used to skip a lot of meals, and made very poor choices. And then I transitioned into a phase where I was extremely strict with myself - only sticking to super healthy and clean food. I ended up bingeing on whatever I liked during the weekends, which I now realize was also not a very good approach. Now I know that the best way for me is to have a more sustainable and healthier relationship with food, by making sure that I still get all my macronutrients (carbs, fats, fiber, minerals, protein, vitamins) in a balanced way. For example, I’ll eat a healthy meal for lunch, but if I want to snack on something like a grilled cheese sandwich, I go for it. Being mindful and making sure that on an overall level, I’m still getting everything I need, without really limiting myself to super strict rules. For it to be sustainable, you also need to mix a bit of pleasure in it! But of course, this is what works for me, it might be different for others. You just really need to find what works best for you personally.
What is a typical day of eating like for you?
I usually eat overnight oats for breakfast - because it's easy, healthy and tasty - a perfect combination. For lunch, I usually have a healthy meal - protein, carbs, veggies. And then for evening snack, I usually satisfy my cravings - it could range from an avo toast to risol or indomie. For dinner, another combination of protein, carbs and veggies, but I tend to be more relaxed compared to lunch in terms of my choices.
Do you have any kitchen staples?
Oats, chia seeds, banana, wheat toast, avocado, and tabasco (I’m a tabasco freak) - must haves!
Describe your period in 3 emojis.
😴😵🥀
What feelings do you have towards your period?
I feel my period tends to be a rollercoaster of emotions. PMS hits me hard with the mood swings. And the cramps - my gosh - I just don’t want to (or physically can’t) do anything at all. My body just feels drained (of course duh, we’re losing so much blood). It’s kind of crazy that we have to go through this every month, but it just shows how incredibly strong we are.
Do you get any womanly intuition or signs when your period is coming?
Oh yes, sometimes, I feel it coming *hums The Weeknd*, even before the physical symptoms kick in. But usually I get PMS around a week before, where the cramps and the mood swings start.
Are there any habits that you incorporate into your lifestyle to honor your period?
I always make sure to avoid fried foods, because they tend to make my period cramps worse, and stick to fruits and veggies. Also I swear by the menstrual heat pads, they are a lifesaver! I also tend to take a break from working out, because you gotta listen to your body. And my body is just drained and in need of rest when I’m on my period, so I rest up until I can feel more energy to work out.
What’s a period myth that you believed as a kid that you now think is ridiculous?
Okay so when I was little, one of my PRT told me that I had to wash my pad every time I finished using them - blood and everything. Or ghosts would be able to come for me because they were supposedly attracted to period blood. How insane was that, and I completely believed it for a time!
If you could give your younger self advice when you first got your period, what would you say?
I would probably high five myself and say, “wow, you’re a woman now”. And then I’d make a period survival list, filled with all the dos and don’ts (what food to avoid, buy more heating pads, fun stuff like that) and give it to my younger self. Lastly, I’d probably tell my younger self that you don’t have to be ashamed of your period, it’s a natural process, and we should be able to talk about it more.
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Read more about other inspirational women in our Nona Diaries series. Want to nominate any other women for this series? Email us or let us know here!
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