March 15, 1999. A day imprinted in my memory.

I walked into the doctor's office, reluctantly, looking for answers. My symptoms were itchy ears and throat, coughing and fainting spells...he gave me a prescription for Prozac and said I needed to change some things in my life. He was one of three who had recommended the drug to me but this time it really scared me.

You see, obesity, diabetes and a host of others ailments runs in my family and I had been fighting with obesity for years. Now, by today's obesity trend, I guess I wasn't so bad. 80 pounds overweight is minor in comparison to the plague of obesity today but nonetheless I was in such bad health that I had every "itis" under the sun. Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic Bronchitis/Sinusitis, Tendinitis, Epstein Barr and of course...Clinical Depression.

In all the years of owning my sorry state of being I became one with it all as if it was my identity. My standard phrases included "my bronchitis" and such. What a horribly miserable way to live!

This third diagnosis scared me so deeply that I actually took the prescription to the pharmacy to have it filled and while I waited called my mom. We both cried at the challenge that lay before us. Living a life on meds to make me happy was not the way I wanted to spend my days.

After careful research and soul searching I owned up to an eating disorder, compulsive overeating to be exact. At my best, or really my worst, I could eat an entire medium pan pizza with a pint of chocolate brownie ice cream washed down by a 2 liter bottle of ginger-ale. That was normal. I thought, if I go to culinary school and learn how to make foods healthy for me my problems would be solved...and at that moment my entire life changed course. Glorious!

While in school I found that I had an amazing opportunity to help others who suffered the way I had and spent countless hours researching nutrition and wellness. I chose to walk the talk so that I could be a living example for the people I would be helping. After about two years in the industry I had the honor of working with the Well Max center at La Quinta resort in creating menu options for the on-site restaurants to attend to their medical wellness clients.

Shortly there after I left to become a personal trainer, bootcamp and yoga instructor. For over 7 years now my business has afforded me the opportunity to teach healthy cooking classes at local cooking schools and to do demos at the farmers' market. I take clients on grocery shopping trips to educate on proper shopping techniques and have done in-home cooking classes with food preparation for dietary success. My client base spans across the globe with holistic life coaching in-person, by phone and online. 

When I say that your program is custom tailored to suit your needs, I mean it! I take all of my years of real world experience and pour that love into you.