Meet Nicole

I received my training to practice Health Counseling at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, which is the only nutrition school integrating all the different dietary theories—combining the knowledge of traditional philosophies with modern concepts like the USDA food pyramid, the glycemic index, the Zone and raw foods. For more information about my education, please go to www.integrativenutrition.com.

I’m a Certified Holistic Health and Wellness Coach and  a member of the AADP – American Association of Drugless Practitioners.

My Own Health Journey

My search for a healthier life was a direct result of my struggles with a high-intensity, high-stress lifestyle. I was yo-yo dieting (in 30lb swings) and suffered from sugar addiction. Cheese, bread, chocolate, coffee, repeat. That was how I got through my day for many years. For a while, Pepto Bismol (cold, from the fridge) was my drink of choice.

I suffered through sleepless nights of senseless brain activity (sometimes, I’d wake up and find my brain in mid-sentence) and I was always tired. My shoulders and neck became like steel cables but after years of hard work and sacrifice, I had made it. But what was it I made exactly? I had no time (or inclination) for exercise; I was wolfing lunch at my desk while I worked, eating dinner at 9 or 10 o’clock, and rarely felt happy in the mirror.

I was dulled down and on the sidelines of my own life. I was at odds with food: I loved it but something wasn’t right. Even when I would “be good” I couldn’t lose any weight. I was beginning to realize that what I was eating and how I was living my life was contributing to my health issues in a big way.

When I first started my health journey, I was inspired and dove right in and became a vegan. Admittedly, I got a little carried away at first (let’s say, preachy). My friends called me the militant vegan. They even had a song. (Lovely.) I experienced a vast improvement in my health, but felt it still wasn’t the perfect fit.

Continually looking for the answer in a diet … my journey has taken me through many different dietary choices, from the infamous restriction and calorie counting of Weight Watchers, to macrobiotic, Mediterranean, to plain old vegetarianism. I was a pescatarian for a stint, then a raw foodie. I’ve done cleanses and fasts with everything from lemons to brown rice. You name it… I’ve probably been there.

Then one day – after years of struggling to maintain all these intense, rule-obsessed diets – it finally hit me. The diet you choose isn’t nearly important as your relationship with food -  your lifestyle, and your relationship with your body. And I had lost my connection.

This huge insight gave me the courage to listen for the negative self-talk that was keeping me from fully loving and appreciating myself and food. And it instantly liberated me from feeling chained to the idea of needing the “perfect diet.”

I went on a journey of self-discovery where I learned that it is not only okay, but crucial to love your food, your life and your body with passion and indulgence. It’s critical to relearn how to nourish yourself from the inside out, at every opportunity. What’s more, I’ve put together programs that anyone can use to reinvigorate their passion and zest for the process of eating well … while transforming their body, mind and heart in the process.

Now I want to share it with you…