I spent a large part of my teen and adult life struggling to look a certain way. A way that was not realistic for my body. Starting at a very young age, I remember wondering why my sister could eat absolutely anything (we’re talking chicken fingers, fries, and candy bars) and never gain a pound, while I had to watch everything I put in my mouth.

By the time I reached Duke University for undergrad, my body image was so out of whack. I looked in the mirror and saw a reflection that was very different than what was actually there. I tried to survive on coffee and a Balance Bar to get through the day. It worked…I got VERY skinny. However, I also got sick, grumpy, tired, disorganized, cloudy, pimply and, overall, very unhappy. Was it worth it? Absolutely not, but tell that to a competitive 21-year-old!

After Duke, I moved to New York City and found myself eating out and drinking too much wine every night with my girlfriends. As you can imagine, I put the weight right back on. This yo-yo continued for many years until I found my now husband, Oliver. At first, it was tricky because he has the build of a football player (think 6’1, 250) and can take down some food. I realized that if I was going to keep up with him, I would be in trouble. I knew I needed to come up with a plan. How could I eat and drink and have fun with my new boyfriend and not put on a lot of weight??

This is when I developed my perfect program, which has morphed into LivLight. First things first, I found a balance (not Balance Bars!). I learned that I could eat anything I wanted, just not all of the time. I would LivLight most of the time, so I could splurge when I wanted to. Around the same time, I heard about the world’s leading nutrition school, The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN). IIN, based in New York City, is a one-of-a-kind nutrition school that integrates 100’s of dietary theories, while focusing on whole real food. However, it was not until a few years later that I had the opportunity to attend IIN and I could not wait to help other people find their perfect program. IIN taught me to find the right foods for each unique person and that one person’s food is another person’s poison. There is not ONE magic diet that will work for everyone, but everyone can find what is perfect for them.

I named my company LivLight as an ode to Oliver, who we call Liv, because once I found him, I developed the confidence to be who I am and find my healthiest self. He loves me even with those few extra pounds. I may not be the skinniest I’ve ever been, but I feel better than ever.

After a few years of strictly health coaching, I decided to expand LivLight. It is now what I call a lifestyle guide to health and well-being and is curated by yours truly! I am excited to share great information in all six sections of my site; food, style, fitness, beauty, wellness, and family. I will feature fabulous people, products, recipes, health tips, and so much more! I hope you will join me on my journey and learn to live a little lighter along the way!