True Signs of Wellbeing: The Secret to Stress-Free Wellness by Noa & Co-Founder Megan Pietersen
We’ve all been there: scrolling through endless feeds, convinced that wellness means complicated green juices, strenuous workouts, or, worst of all, the constant hunt for an “ideal” aesthetic. It’s exhausting, often unsustainable and, according to Noa & co-founder Megan Pietersen, completely misses the point.
“Discipline in one area really impacts every other part of your life. When you move your body, you pay more attention to what you eat.”
Megan is a successful entrepreneur, mother and wife and knows a thing or two about juggling. But instead of joining the hectic culture that requires perfect diets and impossible limits, the Noa & Co founder relies on a powerful secret weapon: a series of straightforward practices that ensure she stays grounded, healthy, and strong. “What I’ve noticed is that discipline in one area actually spills over into all other areas of your life. When you move your body, you become more conscious of what you eat. You drink more water and make healthier choices. Then suddenly it feels like everything is flowing in the right direction.” Here are her wellness markers.
1. Wellness goes beyond weight – mental health is important
True indicators of well-being might be a lot easier than you ever thought. “So many women still associate wellness with weight. When they think ‘wellness,’ they immediately think, ‘I need to lose weight,'” Megan explains. “But it’s really about your mental health – your sleep and how you feel every day.”
WELLNESS TIP: “Are you waking up rested? Are you coping well? Those are the true signs of well-being,” says Megan. With “Noa & Co” I was careful not to portray women in a way that reduces well-being to aesthetics. Wellness is about feeling good in your mind, body and spirit – and building a life that supports these three things.”
READ MORE: The 32 Best Sleep Products That’ll Take You to La-La Land, STAT
2. Try to prioritize self-care even when you don’t have time
We’ve all been there: We’re convinced we have to do everything, when sometimes the bravest step toward self-care is simply asking for support. “Entrepreneurs are known for having no boundaries – the work never really ends. In the early years I was just playing around, estimating order quantities and doing everything myself. That’s the reality of entrepreneurship – you wear every single hat,” says Megan.
WELLNESS TIP: “The only thing I’ve gotten really good at is recognizing what I’m not good at and then finding the right people to do it. The team we’ve built at Noa & Co values family and kindness.”
3. Make exercise your most important self-care rule
“As mothers, we often forget to treat ourselves with the same love and nourishment that we give our children,” says Megan. “Along with my faith and my family, exercise keeps me going. I’m a curvy girl; I don’t exercise to be skinny – that’s not the goal. For me, it’s about being strong enough to be around one day to help with my grandchildren.”
WELLNESS TIP: “At least four times a week, I take an hour somewhere, no matter how hectic things are. This hour is my therapy. No smartwatch, no notifications, no messages about orders or problems – just me recharging my batteries and investing something into my long-term health.”
4. Control your meals and your mental load
“I’m a huge advocate of meal prep; it just makes life a lot easier. I usually do it on Sundays, but not every week. JP is great at the braai, so he’ll do chicken pieces or a few proteins and I’ll prep the vegetables,” says Megan. “This way we have ready-to-go options on Monday and I can easily throw together salads or sides during the week. Working from home helps, but preparing these basics is a life saver.”
WELLNESS TIP: “For breakfast, I make something like chia pudding so it’s ready to go – and add the Noa & Co Vanilla Replenishing Protein Powder in the morning. Meal prep is one of those little things that helps keep the chaos under control.”
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5. Instill an ultimate nighttime routine
“A lot of people are very afraid of routine, but I really believe that families thrive on it,” says Megan. In fact, routine has been shown to help children feel secure by eliminating the anxiety that often accompanies uncertainty. It also helps parents. “Having structure in place means that when I travel or JP travels, no one has to manage each other in detail – the rhythm is already there. Consistency makes everything calmer and more connected.”
WELLNESS TIP: “From about five o’clock until bedtime, I turn off my phone because that’s our family time. We play Monopoly with the kids (they call it ‘Ponoply’ and absolutely love it!), eat dinner together, then it’s bath time for the girls. We are a household that goes to bed early because our daughters get up at the crack of dawn. Once the kids are asleep, JP and I chat for about 25 minutes, then the lights go out.”
Remember… It’s never too late to start living a good life. Check out the October 2025 digital edition of Women’s Health SA for the full report on Megan Pietersen and Noa & Co. Have fun reading!
