{"id":44062,"date":"2025-07-10T17:13:18","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T00:13:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/3rdactmagazine.com\/?p=44062"},"modified":"2025-07-10T17:13:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T00:13:18","slug":"kristen-coffield-champion-of-active-grandparenting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/3rdactmagazine.com\/kristen-coffield-champion-of-active-grandparenting\/current-issue\/","title":{"rendered":"Kristen Coffield\u2014Champion of Active Grandparenting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grandfluencer Kristen Coffield is the face and the force behind the Active Grandparenting<\/span>TM<\/span> movement!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGrandparenting isn’t a parent redo\u2014that ship has sailed,\u201d Coffield says. \u201cYou already had your shot to parent, but grandparenting is an entirely new gig.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The founder of The Culinary Cure<\/span>TM<\/span>, Coffield, 66, has been in the women\u2019s culinary wellness space for two decades. A chef since her college days, Coffield had a catering company for many years. She switched her focus to food as medicine when her mom\u2019s cancer came back in 2009. Coffield also developed healthy subscription meal plans for high-performing athletes and executives\u2014this was way before Blue Apron. Most recently, she coached women going through midlife changes to energize their lives.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

About a year ago, when she became a grandparent for the second time, Coffield shared a video on Instagram that catapulted her in a new direction.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI posted a video of me picking up a baby, holding a baby, sitting down on the floor, and standing up without using my hands,\u201d Coffield says. \u201cI talked about the importance of being fit for grandparenting, and the Instagram reel went viral.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It now has 1.2 million views, one of six or seven of hers in the millions of views category.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cIt struck a chord with women who hadn\u2019t been motivated to get fit and be healthy,\u201d she said. \u201cWomen tend to put everybody else first, but when you put self-care in the context of being a better grandparent, it\u2019s a different story.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Coffield, active grandparents are more capable\u2014they have more mobility, stability, flexibility, and strength\u2014and are more in-demand as you become a helpful contributor to your children and their families. Being fit\u2014physically, emotionally, and psychologically\u2014will not only help you to grandparent better but also it will help you age better.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a game changer for grandparents and Coffield\u2019s career.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cParents are overwhelmed and stressed out,\u201d she explains. \u201cWhen we can show up as a helpful support system, it changes our relationship with our kids and in turn gives us more access to the grandchildren.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYour kids don’t want your advice\u2014they can get all the parenting advice they need in two seconds on the internet\u2014they want your help,\u201d she continues. \u201cThis is a new job with a new job description and a new boss.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Coffield created the Active Grandparenting 101 training program, an online course with videos, worksheets, and resources on wellness, exercise, communication, tech, and family activities and recipes. She is, after all, still a chef. She also put together an <\/span>Active Grandparenting Cookbook, <\/span><\/i>and, twice a year, runs a virtual 21-day active grandparenting wellness reset. Hydration is a huge part of her platform.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHydration affects your sleep, your mood, and your energy,\u201d she explains. \u201cIf you can’t get hydrated, you\u2019re going to have a hard time because you won\u2019t have the muscle pliability that it takes to get up and down off the floor 50 times a day.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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On Grandfluencing<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A year ago, Coffield\u2019s email got a ton of new subscribers. Her Instagram, which went from 20,000 to 215,000 engaged followers, also blew up. Her audience likes that she is a real person, who understands their struggles and challenges.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a big learning curve for embracing modern grandparenting, but grandparents\u2014especially grandmothers\u2014want this information,\u201d she explains. \u201cWhat\u2019s really interesting is for this demographic on Instagram, a lot of these accounts are private. Most of these women are on Instagram for information.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Since the kids of GenXers and Baby Boomers are getting married later and having kids later, her followers are becoming grandparents later.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSince they\u2019re older when becoming grandparents for the first time, people are highly motivated to get healthy and get in shape,\u201d she says. \u201cThat way, they have more years to spend with this new, delightful human that\u2019s just come into their lives.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For third act-ers who\u2019ve got something to say and want to develop an Instagram following, Coffield suggests starting with a good mindset. Social media can make you feel bad, when you compare yourself\u2014and your follower count\u2014with other people.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was on Instagram for a solid decade, working really hard to reach my audience, so I could share incredible value,\u201d Coffield recalls. \u201cI bet I had 3,500 posts on my Instagram, not including my live videos and my stories, so I\u2019m no overnight success. I worked hard for a long time before ever getting noticed.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you decide to go on social media, Coffield believes it\u2019s vital to really know who you\u2019re talking to\u2014you can\u2019t talk to everyone\u2014and to understand who will resonate with your message, if you can.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBefore Active Grandparenting, I was using Instagram to talk about how women could use fasting as a tool to live younger, longer, and better,\u201d she recalls. \u201cI had a whole angle with reverse fasting because I don\u2019t think anybody should go through the whole day without eating. I got a little traction with that and then a lot of traction with the grandparenting angle.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Coffield is a perfect example of niching down.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I went from targeting women over 50 to active grandparents, suddenly I was resonating with my demographics,\u201d she says. \u201cSuddenly all those people who I worked so hard to create messaging for could hear me because now I was speaking their language.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Coffield\u2019s friend, a meditation specialist, had a message too broad for her to get any traction. Once she niched down and focused on how to use meditation to combat the stress of artificial intelligence, she noticed a vast improvement.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t speak to the masses, you have to speak to your narrow margin of people,\u201d Coffield says. \u201cWhen you do that, it\u2019s easier for them to find you.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Then, of course, you need to put yourself out there. For most people, that’s the biggest stumbling block.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhether it\u2019s becoming a social media influencer or losing five pounds, the first step is to decide to do it,\u201d Coffield says. \u201cThen, you tell everybody, so you can’t back out \u2026 and you figure it out.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When Coffield first went on Instagram, her children were horrified. \u201cThey’re like, \u2018Mom, you can\u2019t say that, you can\u2019t do that on Instagram,\u2019\u201d she recalls. \u201cAnd I’m like, \u2018Well, why not?\u2019 I just did it and learned along the way.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Part of being a social media influencer, at any age, is becoming a brand. Coffield says to take a good photo\u2014even a selfie\u2014and make sure it\u2019s distinctive.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPick some colors you like that pop on your little avatar and create a good bio,\u201d she says. \u201cPeople who want to follow you need to know why and what you are offering.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For instance, Coffield\u2019s Instagram is <\/span>@KristenCoffield<\/span><\/a>, and you can tell from her bio what she does and who she serves. She offers a free hydration training, so people can take action right away. And her posts and videos offer value on her expertise.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe biggest mistake that people make on social media is not educating their followers or people who just find them on who they are,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are on Instagram either to be entertained or to gain knowledge, so decide what it is you\u2019re doing and do it,\u201d Coffield continues. \u201cDon’t be shy about letting people know how you can help them and don\u2019t be shy about self-promotion\u2014that is what Instagram is. It\u2019s truly a marketing tool.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You Are Never Too Old<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s a new endeavor or a social media persona, don\u2019t limit yourself. It\u2019s never too late to try something new.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFirst of all, every day is a miracle that you get to wake up and have another day,\u201d Coffield says. \u201cYou can just wake up tomorrow and decide to be the next Grandma Moses of painting.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Coffield believes the best time to decide to do something new is first thing in the morning. She has her own powerful, 15-minute routine.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe first thing I do when I wake up in those first seconds is I acknowledge that I am awake,\u201d she explains. \u201cI take a deep breath and I flip the switch from my subconscious unconscious mind into my conscious mind where the first thoughts that I feed my mind are positive.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think about all the exciting opportunities for my day.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Whatever you feed your mind and body is so powerful. Positive thoughts lead to good things. The opposite is also true.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s say, your alarm goes off, but you go back to sleep. Now you\u2019re late,\u201d she says. \u201cNext thing, the shampoo bottle drops on your toe, then you run into the kitchen and spill coffee. You get in your car and it seems like you hit every red light,\u201d she says. \u201cThat day is not going to get better because you set into motion the negative.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When you flip the switch and feed your mind positivity\u2014affirmations, positive self-talk\u2014those thoughts become your reality.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMore people smile at you in a store, the person in front of you in line buys you a cup of coffee, you get a parking meter that\u2019s already got money on it, you hit all the green lights,\u201d Coffield says. \u201cThat’s how it works.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019re never too old. It\u2019s never too late.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cLife is not linear, it’s circular,\u201d Coffield says. \u201cEvery day, when you wake up, it’s the beginning of the circle. The mistake we make is thinking it’s linear and we’re running out of time instead of seeing it as circular and that every day is a fresh start.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Debra Eckerling is a freelance writer, goal-strategist, workshop leader, and award-winning author and podcaster. The creator of The DEB Method for Goal-Setting Simplified, Eckerling hosts the <\/span><\/i>GoalChat<\/span> and <\/span><\/i>Taste Buds with Deb<\/span> podcasts and is the author of <\/span><\/i>Your Goal Guide<\/span> and <\/span><\/i>52 Secrets for Goal-Setting and Goal-Getting.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Exploring the Evolving Role of Grandparents<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n