A little life update - making some major career moves

3/16/2016

A little life update - making some major career moves

It's hard to believe it's been almost three and a half years since I first launched Weeknight Bite. Over 150 recipes, 85 videos, and countless hours later, what I thought would be a simple creative outlet has turned into a hobby that I truly love. By far, my favorite part of working on Weeknight Bite is hearing that YOU made one of my recipes and it made you realize how easy it is to incorporate healthy meals into your lives. That makes it all so worth it!

Since graduating from USC in 2009, I've been navigating my way through the corporate world, learning a ton about insurance and making amazing friends along the way, but I always had it in the back of my mind that one day I'd take the leap to truly pursue my passion. 3 years ago, I went to cooking school in Italy with my best friend - an absolutely incredible and delicious experience! I returned home and enrolled in a cooking program at the New School of Cooking, learning everything you'd dream about traditional French cooking, while consuming about 200 pounds of butter. While these programs were amazing experiences, I realized that cooking was just half of what I wanted to do. I dreamed of finding a career where I could combine my love of food with my passion for health and wellness. I wanted to do something that would allow me to help others implement healthy habits in their own lives to become the best, healthiest, and happiest version of themselves.

While sticking with my insurance job, I thought, why not bring some wellness into the office. I started a Health Challenge with 30 women and we all committed to improving our health throughout this 6-week challenge. Each of us put some money in the pot (for extra incentive!) and I kept track of all of the women's measurements, sent out healthy recipe ideas, and we all chose to ditch the coffee cake and donuts for veggie and protein-filled meals and snacks. It was amazing to see the results over such a short period of time. I came home every day so excited to tell my husband "one woman has already lost 3 inches!"... "another woman started adding mid-day workouts to her routine!"...  "another lady is so much happier and brighter everyday!" While my day job was great, this Healthy Challenge was one of the most rewarding parts of my career, and it really had nothing to do with my job description. I knew in my heart that pursuing a career in nutrition was exactly what I had to do. Next step was figuring out how to get started.

I spent hours upon hours researching programs, reaching out to students and alumni of different schools, and talking with Holistic Nutritionists, Registered Dietitians, and Health Coaches to hear about the paths they took. It amazed me how willing people were to help, share their experiences, and provide their advice. It just shows how passionate people are in this industry! After all of the research, I decided that it's officially time to say goodbye to my insurance job and enroll in the Nutrition Consultant program through Bauman College. I have already started the program and am loving every minute. After a year and a half, I will be certified as a Holistic Nutritionist and able to work directly with clients to improve their health. I couldn't be more excited! 

What does this mean for Weeknight Bite? Nothing really! Everything will be the same as always, and as I continue through my program, I'll just be able to share even more healthy habits, superfood tips, and nutritious recipes.

Thank you all of being part of this journey with me and for supporting me (and Weeknight Bite) every step of the way. It means the world!