An education.

I started my nutrition and coaching practice because I love working with people and helping them reach their goals to live a healthier, happier life.

However, I quickly realized that as I build my practice, working with people is really only half of what I do. The other half is getting the word out there about what I do.  In simpler terms: marketing.

The idea of selling myself sends shivers up my spine. I immediately associate marketing with sleazy men, in shiny suits, with a glimmer of mischief in their eye as they slickly coerce me to buy something I don't really need.

In some cases, this is not far from the truth.

But if that's what marketing is,  then where does that leave me? I have a service to offer that I believe in, and I could sit in my apartment hoping that the gods bring clients my way, but that could take a little while...and I have bills to pay, and beyond that, I really love this work and I want to be doing even more of it!

So, I have been trying to open my heart and perspective into the world of marketing. The other day I was reading Seth Godin's blog and he said something that caused a major shift for me. He suggested adjusting your perspective on marketing form selling other people on what you do to... to educating people on what you do.

This minor change in words caused a major shift for me in how it feels to put myself out there. I don't need to put on an act or a show. I don't need to be anyone other than myself. I don't need to launch into an immediate sales pitch. I simply need to be myself, have a human interaction with people, and when appropriate, educate them on what I do.

I tested the strategy out the other night at a networking even sponsored by 85 Broads. I went alone, and it was intimidating at first, but a glass of prosecco helped me on my way. I ended up having 5 meaningful conversations with women (it was a women-only event) and in 2/5 of these conversations, the women said something along the lines of, "How amazing! I was just looking for a nutrition coach!" and they may just sign up to work with me. How's that for synchronicity.

On this blog I often hesitate to "sell" myself, but in light of these new found realizations, I thought I would switch the perspective and educate all you out there on what I do and some of the exciting things I am up to.

So, here it goes:

What I do:

I work with people, one on one or in small groups, to help them reach their nutrition and wellness goals. Some clients want to lose weight. Others want to make a switch in their diets and start eating healthier foods but don't know where to start.

In general, I don't believe in diets. Yeah, diets lead to weight-loss, but unless you keep that diet up forever, chances are you are going to gain that weight back. So I work with people to make simple sustainable changes: Adding in more veggies and water, learning how to food shop and create meal plans for the week, stress management techniques to ward off cravings and impulsive eating, etc.

Perhaps the most important aspect of my work is the emotional. Most people out there know what they should be doing. What they don't know is why they are not doing it! I help people answer that question. And I find that in answering it, everything else starts to fall into place.

It's pretty amazing work! Much deeper and more trans-formative than calorie counting.

What I'm up to these days: (in addition to working one-on-one clients)

I am really excited to announce that I am now the principal provider of nutrition support for the Fit 4 Life VIP Slim-down Program!

Here are some words from Emil, the founder of Fit 4 Life, about the Slim-Down Program:


It doesn’t matter if you’re new to fitness or a fitness nut, you’ll love the challenge of our supportive, results-based Slim Down Program.  We’ll be there rooting for you every step of the way on the journey to meet your fitness goals.

    * Lose the weight and keep it off!
    * Look and feel amazing in your clothes
    * Feel more balanced
    * Have more energy

Move at your own pace in 60-minute morning and evening classes that offer a perfect combination of fun, variety, and fat burning. In our small classes you will experience a mix of resistance training, ab work, fitness games, kickboxing, and cardio. Many of our clients have been with us for several years thanks to the great results they’ve seen.

Fit 4 Life is a fitness organization here in Brooklyn doing really great work. I've had a chance to see a few of their classes in action. They are dynamic, demanding, fun, sweaty, move-it-and-lose-it type classes. Plus, when the weather gets nice, (and it is SO nice here in NYC right now), class moves outside to Fort Greene Park!

Now, when you sign up for the VIP Slim-Down Program it includes one session a month with yours truly!

Work your butt off + transform your diet = smokin' hot YOU!

Check out the Fit 4 Life website for details and to sign up.

Oh, and Emil and I also have a potential Bridal Booty Camp type thing in the works as well! And yes, it was inspired by my own, shall we say, interest (read: trying so hard to not spiral into negative, self-loathing, bad body image days of yore), in toning things up for my own big day.

Stay tuned for details.

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Other happenings?

I am really excited to be partnering with The Re-defining Diet on this tele-seminar specifically for Parents of children who struggle with weight and food.

I had a great conversation with Sarah (one of the founders) the other day. We have such a similar approach and diet philosophy.

The topic of this call is so important. Parents often don't realize the deep impact their words can have. Many of the adult women I counsel still nurse wounds from little comments that parents, teachers, or family members made to them about their weight when they were in their tween/teen years.

This is a tele-seminar, so you can participate no matter where you are in the country! Please contact me if you want further information

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Remember a few weeks ago when I ranted and raved about the training I gave to after-school providers on nutrition and kids? Well they asked me back to do another one! And this time I get double the amount of time which means I can go so much deeper with the topic and include lots of activities and demonstrations.  It's a "train the trainer" model which means all these directors will be taking the information back to their sites and running their own training. And the ripples keep rippling...

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There is a bunch more to report on... I have a new website in the works, a partnership with a yoga teacher, and other workshops to report on, but I fear your "education" is rambling on at this point... so I'll save these for future posts.

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So, enough about me.

What do you think of me?

Haha. No...

My question to you, is: What do you have to be proud of right now? How does it feel to share it with others? If the answer is uncomfortable... go a bit deeper with yourself and find out why. Remember, people won't know all the great stuff you are up to unless you tell them. And most likely, they will benefit from having learned about it.

My challenge to you is to post about a recent accomplishment  in the comments section below.... Quit moaning and just do it. 

“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”

-Buddha