The Joy of Clean Eating

As a mother of 3 children (17, 3 and 1 year old) I too often finished the day with no energy.  I was also not happy with my physical appearance.  Both my husband and I had a goal to lose weight in a healthy way and to make it part of our lifestyle.  More importantly, we need to teach our children to make the best choices with food. 

We know there are many programs out there but we felt that Captivated by Nature’s particular program was well rounded.  This program includes eating wholesome, nutritional food, and adequate portions for health and weight control.

We both decided to begin a 30 day, Guided Meal Plan because we were ready for a lifestyle change.  Previously, our lifestyle included a lot of fast food.  We chose this plan because we needed additional guidance to make the change successful.

The first week of the program was a bit difficult because there was more cooking required.  So my husband and I decided to share the responsibilities.  This system worked out well for us since we learned to work together.  Our teamwork with Captivated by Nature and each other, led to our success.  We have learned how to motivate each other when obstacles occur. We still prepare most of our meals at home, but we do enjoy healthy options out as well from time to time.

Our lives have changed for the better in many ways but best of all we now have more energy to play with the kids. 

Service Coordinator, Regional Center

As I moved into the work force after graduating from UCLA, Class of 2005, I found myself gaining weight and my health declining.  I found it really difficult to lose weight with my busy life.  I was searching for a program that could help me discover a healthy life style as well as maintain my ideal weight.  However, I did not know about any programs that embodied changing your lifestyle as well, rather than just losing weight temporarily.

I found Captivated by Nature and scheduled a private consultation.  I was given an assessment of my current health status and received useful information about what kinds of foods were beneficial for my body.  I learned a lot.  This information empowered me to start making changes in my life.  Finally, what made a difference was going grocery shopping with one of the Captivated by Nature consultants.  This experience opened my eyes that it was possible to enjoy whole foods and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Now, I know a better way of eating and I can inspire others around me to eat healthier as well.  I love to show people the food I make and let them taste how delicious it is to eat whole foods.

Business Consultant, Accent Gold Solutions

My wife and I wanted to get on the same page with our fitness and health goals.  We were never able to do it on our own, and even got on each other’s nerves in our efforts to synchronize up our lives and health goals.  We floundered for about a year before realizing we needed some outside help to achieve our goals.

Maribel helped us by outlining a basic food and fitness strategy that we could work on together.  We had specific goals and objective ways to measure these goals. Working out together with Maribel as our Fitness Coach and Nutrition Consultant helped us to push ourselves harder than we would have otherwise.  We are so excited to have achieved our health goals and to have stopped annoying each other in the gym and the kitchen.

Minister, Jacksonville Church of Christ

Before we hired Maribel to be our personal trainer, my husband and I were working out together in our community gym.  Working out was very important to him.  Since I was sort of a newbie after I completed a work out I felt proud of myself.  My husband however, saw things differently.  Needless to say this led to a lot of stress in our relationship.  We hired Maribel and it literally changed my life.

I learned to LOVE strength training and she gave me that extra push and motivation I needed.  I saw my body transform with her coaching.  By transform, I mean my legs and arms had definition for the first time.  I looked and felt fit and confident in my body.  She also introduced us to clean eating and three years later we are still eating clean.  It has become our lifestyle.

I was impressed with how effective having a coach and motivator was for me.  She inspired me to want to do the same for others.  I went on to obtain a certification in Wellness Coaching and as a Zumba Instructor and now I do that part-time as well.  Thanks to Maribel, I learned to LOVE working out and eating nutritious food.

Today, I still work out regularly with Shaun T's Max 30 DVDs and provide wellness coaching occasionally.  I wish Maribel was here in Jacksonville because I would hire her again for extra motivation. 

Nemours Children’s Specialty Care

I currently work for the Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center, where I service people with developmental disabilities.  Working several hours and serving others often took my time which led me to eat out, not realizing what I was putting in my body.  During my Nutrition Consultation with Maribel, I learned about the foods that I should be eating.  This inspired me to do more research in how I feed my body.  I found that having a coach to go with me to the grocery store was useful because the Shopping Guidance helped me discover new fruits and vegetables that I can include in my everyday meals.  I learned that proper nutrition is a lifestyle that I'm more conscious of thanks to Maribel!

Service Coordinator, Eastern Los Angeles Regional Center