My Story
Hi! I’m Elizabeth, creator of this website and all its content. I welcome you to read my story and hopefully I will hear yours later on.
My interest in nutrition and training hasn’t always been like it is nowadays. In my childhood, I was always involved in sports and physical activity (gym goer) and never struggled with weight issues or health issues. It wasn’t until my teens, at 15 years old that I was diagnosed with PCOS and insulin resistance. This syndrome in the upcoming years made adolescence somewhat of a struggle. You see, this endocrine imbalance made me gain weight in a accelerated way mostly around my abdomen, made me suffer from very bad cystic acne on my face, accompanied with hirsutism and amenorrhea. It also left me with overall low energy and cravings for sugar out of this world. Not to mention that the medical advice and treatments I was provided never solved any of these symptoms.
By my early 20s I had already developed an eating disorder: binge eating, which was fueled by restricted diets, self confidence issues and punishing behavior with exercise. After graduating college, I developed an immense interest in training (more of the science behind it and how our bodies work) and later on in nutrition. I was trying immensely and desperately to solve the hormonal and weight issues caused by PCOS.
Through out this journey and by healing my own symptoms through diet and training, I have been able to keep a steady weight, keep my insulin resistance in check, my energy up and regular cycles. Needless to say, I enjoy food again and look forward to my training sessions!
Even though it was a struggle living with PCOS it was also a blessing. Through out my journey I fell in love with this field and realized that I wanted to pursue this as my career. For this reason, I decided to get certified as a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) through the National Academy of Sports Science and also take another of their certifications in nutrition as a Fitness Nutrition Specialist (FNS). Working with clients these past years has reinforced the idea of how nutrition and training can impact your physical and mental health.
Additionally, I enrolled in a post-bachelors program in Human Nutrition and Dietetics to support my clients.
I hope you enjoy this page for its content and services, and hopefully we can develop a wonderful relationship.
Truly yours,
Elizabeth Leal, RD, LD, CDCES.