I AM READY TO HELP
"Weight and gut issues can make us feel like food is the enemy. Let me help you find ways to love food again!"
— Lisa Garcia MS, RDN, LD, CLT
Weight & Gut Expert
Personally ...
I understand what it is like to struggle with poor eating habits, manage stress by eating, and battle belly fat and weight gain. Before becoming a registered dietitian nutritionist, I worked in high-stress jobs for nearly two decades. I dealt with stress by eating. Chocolate was must have food – multiple times a day!
I’ve also struggled with gut health issues. In college, I struggled with reflux and IBS-C was just miserable for about a year despite being treated at a good medical center. That was decades ago, but I still remember it like it was yesterday and wish that I knew then what I know now.
Food sensitivities are also no stranger to me. I’ve been that person who felt like her body had turned against her and was crying in pain on the bathroom floor. I was so scared that the pain would come back the next time I ate. Food had always been enjoyable for me, and then it was causing me pain and very unpleasant things in my body. Fortunately, this was only a few years ago, and I had my training and expertise in gut health to figure out what was going on and how to handle it. I’m back to being able to enjoy eating and my life again!
What do I have a hard time resisting?
Besides chocolate?! Cookbooks! I stopped counting when I got to 352 cookbooks and that was years ago.
What do I do for fun?
Garden. Cook. Read what my grandmother called “mental martinis” aka romantic novels. I’ve recently gotten bitten by the photography bug and am fascinated by landscapes and skyscapes.
What’s my favorite food?
That’s a hard one because I love so many foods. Don’t ask me to pick one. It’s impossible for me to choose and it varies by season, although dark chocolate will ALWAYS be on the list.
What makes me laugh?
My cat (aka “the grey tornado”) and my husband. I also have a fondness for horrible puns.
What did my husband do that made me fall in love with him before we married?
It wasn’t him being romantic and bringing me roses, or chocolate, although he did all those things. It was him bringing shrimp for my cat. 19 years later he was still spoiling her, and I was even more in love with him.
How did I become the passionate food lover I am?
It’s because of three amazing women:
My great-grandmother. A feisty woman who took a four-year-old into her garden and canning pantry.
My grandmother (on the other side) who read cookbooks like novels.
My mom who exposed me to so many different foods despite a tight budget. (Your cookies are still the best, mom!)
BACKED BY EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
A healthier…happier life!
I have dealt with being overweight and a compulsive overeater for my whole life. I have seen many mental health professionals about my weight and food choices. Lisa is the first person to help me make real changes in how I see food, how I eat my food and how I can control my caloric intake.
Cristy
