Why should I follow a whole-foods plant-based diet?

This is the most important question you can ask yourself, and only you can determine the ‘why.’ The answer might come to you automatically, or you might need to take some time to think through what is motivating you to consider this change. Without that clarity, even the most motivated person will fall back into old and familiar eating habits, so this is an important step in your journey.

For me, it was because I was scared shitless of cancer and wanted to do anything in my power to prevent myself from getting it. (Dietary factors account for at least 30% of all cancers in Western countries. AACR) Later in my journey, I discovered the powerful health benefits of a plant-based diet. And after years of not eating meat, I started to delve into animal welfare and the positive environmental impact my lifestyle was having. Your ‘why’ has to be personal, but here are a few thought-starters to get those gears churning:

• First and foremost, to feel good. If not good, then better then how you currently feel. No one likes waking up feeling groggy and stiff. Taking control of your diet and making small changes like upping your fiber and water intake are small changes you can make to feel your best. 

• Let me hear you say: health benefits! Boost your immune system and overall health now and for your future self. Reduce your risk of diet-related cancer, heart disease, high blood sugar and chronic related diseases including dementia. Get a diverse and resilient gut-ecosystem just by eating a largely plant-based diet.

• We’ve already mentioned feeling good, but do you also want to look good without dieting? Eating a primarily plant-based diet can help you naturally shed excess weight while feeling full and satisfied.

• Because you love animals and mother Earth. I am not going to include details here because I don’t want anyone to feel guilty for any of their dietary choices, but if you are interested in reading some articles or studies, please feel free to email me for more details.

Am I the right coach for you?

This depends on you. Are you someone who wants help making dietary changes—and wants to have fun while doing it? Do you believe that changes aren’t just about obtaining knowledge, but about how those changes make you feel emotionally and physically?  You aren’t looking for a quick fix or the latest trendy diet. You agree that dieting is hard and restrictive, and that there is nothing fun about that. You would like more energy but don’t know where to find it outside of your daily caffeine intake. You would like to adopt (or upgrade) a mostly vegetarian lifestyle but need help doing so healthfully. Or you just want to learn how to make eating more plants a regular part of your life.

What is a health coach?

A health coach is someone who is going to support you on your journey to adopting healthier habits, and who will focus on more than just food forms of nourishment. You might be eating bowls of organic kale on a daily basis, but if you forget to breathe in between bites and chew your food (maybe because you are stressed about work or your to-do list), then you’re likely going to feel like crap. Remember my Ted Lasso analogy? Just as a sports coach can help an athlete excel at a sport, a health coach can help you excel at living your best life for the long haul. A health coach works with someone on a broad range of health issues like food choices, stress reduction, exercise and relationships, to name a few—with a focus on the present and future, not the past (like therapists and mental health professionals might). A health coach focuses on a client’s strengths and helps them make immediate lifestyle changes towards their individualized goals. Applying even the simplest of changes in your life can be challenging, and that’s where a health coach’s support can make all the difference. A health coach excels at changes, understanding how habits form, how to take bite-sized steps to reverse them, and specializes in helping people overcome obstacles in pursuit of their goals.

Do you only work with people who want to become vegetarian?

No! I find it restrictive having to label myself as a predefined term by way of an eating category. I love eggs, and I sometimes eat dairy and fish, but I still eat a primarily whole-foods, plant-based diet. That technically makes me a flexitarian, but come on, who is going to say that? I want to help others who are looking to incorporate more whole and plant-based foods into their diet, but who may not know how to do so without sacrificing taste or satiety. I work with people who are looking to break stubborn food habits or those who are simply curious about how to implement healthier changes into their lifestyle, regardless of their food label. Everything we do is based on bite-sized changes, introducing plant-based meals to your diet one step at a time.

Why is there a lemon in your logo?

Can you think of a more perfect and versatile fruit? Not only are lemons full of vitamin C, wonderful for helping to detoxify your liver and alkalize your body, but they also make for a delicious cooking component and are beautiful to boot. You could also say that lemons are in my blood. My Nonny grew up on a lemon grove in Meta di Sorrento, Italy, before her family fled Mussolini and came to the United States. I always think of her squeezing lemon atop sautéed spinach and remember how much that little squeeze brought the vegetable to life. I think it can do the same for you!