Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Nara Reed. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Nara, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

The best advice I gave one of my clients was “live in the moment.” I had a client lets call her “Lesley.” Lesley was a busy professional and she struggled with losing weight and many life obstacles. She was single, without children, worked long hours, very family oriented, and was always on the move. She was a self-made go to person for everyone and her favorite restaurants knew her by name.

Before contacting me for nutrition coaching, she tried many different diet plans that was successful in helping her get the weight off, but she would always gain it back plus more. She knew how to eat healthy and how to prepare her meals yet nothing stuck long-term.

When I began coaching Lesley, I immediately realized that her busy lifestyle had the biggest impact over her health, wellness, nutrition, and mindset. While her goal was to lose weight with my support, it was important for me to help her recognize the bigger picture. Lesley only wanted to focus on what to eat, portions, detoxing, and pounds off.

As we began to work on cleaning up her diet, I would always shift the subject matter to non-diet approach strategies that would reinforce her eating/binging episodes was related to her behaviors and busyness. I would say “Slow down, welcome the silence and live in the moment.” Silence for her was a trigger that often led to eating ice cream alone with some tears typically.

When Lesley realized that her choices in food was due to her fear of being alone, we began to modify her daily commitments and daily routines to open up space for her to focus on her wellness. Chipping away things that caused distress verse accumulating more “tasks” became our motto.

Lesley benefitted greatly by allowing me to support her nutritional and mentally. Using my mind, body, and soul approach to wellness, helped her to open and close doors that she had been mentally struggling with for years. Lesley eventually developed a better work/life balance, began journaling, meditating, preparing meals at home and dating. Silence became her safe place and “me time.” She also began going to therapy and yoga classes. As she began to destress and focus on learning herself, she began to develop lasting habits, coping skills, and achieve her wellness and weight loss goals.

Nara, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

While I was completing my education as a young mother and wife, I became very overwhelmed with the responsibilities of taking care of my family, establishing a career, and a community non-profit organization for women and teen moms. I was accomplishing all of those roles with hopes to beat all odds as a young teen mom. In trying to keep up with those personal tasks and my relationships, my general state of health suffered tremendously. As a result, my lack of self-awareness over the years resulted in weight gain, symptoms of depression and anxiety, a very large fibroid, and nearly losing my life to a Pulmonary Embolism. Going through all of those issues had a significate impact on my life, so I realized that I had to make some changes

My educational journey began in Family Planning and Midwifery with a minor in Nutrition. As I flourished in my nutrition minor, I learned more about health, wellness, and fitness in which I became more passionate about. Thereafter, I changed my major and graduate with a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics, and became a Dietitian.

Based on what I learned and changes I wanted for myself, I began routinely exercising, practicing yoga, and meditating, all while identifying and implementing the true meaning of self-worth. Once I gave myself time to heal, and realize that I was enough outside of all the things I could do for others, my true self began to manifest. Within my professional and social life, I began to talk more with other women about weight-loss, depression, and other wellness issues.

I realized that many people struggled with similar problems that no diet plan can fix. Our wellness and eating habits were related to the behaviors we created as habits that did not support a healthy mindset and body. What I’ve learned educational, personal, and professional is that having a stable mental health and work/life balance is the best recipe for a healthy lifestyle. So, after years of helping women in the Public Health sector, and supporting many people on their health and wellness journeys, I decided to fuse my two passions and life experiences together and became a Certified Health Coach and started my business Modified Nutrition Health Coach, LLC.

Branching out as somewhat as an introverted person was not easy. I was afraid that no one would take me seriously because I didn’t have a huge social media following or platform. To help me get started, I took several courses in wellness and business to further my knowledge in holistically. My mission was to change lives, and support the individuals who does the supporting in their homes and communities,

Once I started my business and established a great clientele -base, while maintaining a full-time job, I began to struggle again with work/life balance. I had to reevaluate my daily routine in order to maintain my wellness, a healthy household, and marriage. Being a nurturer can definitely be challenging, but setting boundaries and prioritizing has kept me centered and intentional. Going through a pandemic, made all of those objectives just as spicy haha.

As a Dietitian and Certified Health Coach, I provide support to busy and overwhelmed people that struggle with weight management, depression, anxiety, and work/life challenges. With a non-diet approach concept. my clients and I work together to curate a healthy lifestyle, full with positive habits, coping skills, and daily routines to help meet their ultimate level of health, wellness, and nutritional goals long-term.

What sets me apart from others is that I’m not perfect and I don’t teach perfection. My one-on-one holistic health program will help identify the areas that one may struggle in and together we break down the invisible barriers that hold them bound. I guide them through their life and nutrition cycle to help optimize their health by teaching them: work/life balance, destressing strategies, how to identify triggers, coping skills, personal accountability, theory to sugar craving, mental blocks, and ways to conquer poor sleeping habits.

Every human being is different and have their own special needs that should be individualized. My plans are customized to provide clients with therapeutic care, not a cookie jar diet plan. We start with unlearning and relearning nutrition and wellness, just as I did myself. The goal is to optimize their life and teach them how to live freely by reclaiming what is most important to them, and this is what I’m known for.

What I’m most proud of is witnessing the light bulb moments. I love hearing how I made an impact in their lives, no matter how big or small. To have peers that once thought they were broken, to realize that their happiness is not measured by the numbers on the scale that will always waiver. To finally understand that they never had to submit to food, that they only had to submit to their own inner self, love, guidance, peace, and clarity. Not roles and dreadful habits that did not serve the outcomes they wanted for themselves.

Outside of coaching clients, I offer group classes, perform live cooking demonstrations, and host community workshops. I also have an online store called Empowering Journey which are located on Etsy and my website. I’m a published author of two Wellness Journals called Empower + Inspire Wellness Planner, and For the Love of Self: Mindset & Wellness 90-Day Journal.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

What helped me build my reputation within my market is being as authentic as I can be and relatable. The clients I have worked with see that. Being personable has been the driving force to building my clientele. People love to share their achievements and struggles they have overcome. In turn, they recommend me to others, post great reviews, and share their experiences.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele is that each client is different, has different struggles and life paths. Not having a cookie cutter approach to wellness, allows me to show up and be present in my coaching.

Contact Info:

• Website: mnhcoach.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthcoach_nara/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/modifiedcoach/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nara-reed-90a371163
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/modified-nutrition-health-coach-grand-prairie
• Other: https://www.alignable.com/arlington-tx/modified-nutrition-health-coach