We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lianna Nielsen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lianna below.
Lianna, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.
A few years ago I was looking to expand my health coaching business. Up until that point, I was mainly working one-on-one with clients, and was inspired to launch a group program online. Most of my business back then came through my community in New York and expanding virtually seemed exciting and scary. I ended up hiring a business coach who helped me to create a framework for the program but it was up to me to come up with the content. For weeks I felt like I was banging my head against the wall trying to create something that I thought would “sell.” I felt stuck and self-conscious and most of my ideas seemed very generic. Then I had an idea: what if I simply focused on putting together the course that I would be most excited to teach? I started to compile all of the information and tools that had helped my clients heal and thrive over the years. I included the ideas and science I was most excited about, and made it personal to me and my experience. I ended up creating a holistic nutrition program that combine not just nutrition science, but hormone and blood sugar information, neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness. I combine my nutrition training with my previous acting training (specifically learning to listen to and inhabit my body) and all the tools I had used on my personal healing journey from an autoimmune disease, depression, anxiety and bulimia–which is what led me to study holistic nutrition in the first place. I was terrified to launch it. It seemed a little weird, and was by far the most personal thing that I had ever created, so the stakes felt extremely high. The lead up and initial launch were honestly terrifying, but it taught me something: that I had become someone who would not let fear get in her way. The program ended up being a huge success and allowed me to expand my client base across the US and slowly into other countries. Taking the risk to think outside of the box, to include my personal journey and a variety of perhaps seemingly unrelated tools, has ended up helping so many women heal their relationship with food and their bodies.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I was running around New York City in my 20’s acting, doing comedy, and bartending for extra cash, when my body started to fall apart. It happened slowly: there was a bit of a decline in my energy, subtle weight gain, hair loss, my anxiety and depression started to become a problem, and before I knew it, I had developed all kinds of digestive issues including intestinal bleeding. I was running around seeing all kinds of different doctors and therapists and getting no clear answers beyond “undiagnosable autoimmune condition.” Everyone wanted to put me on some sort of medication without knowing what was actually wrong. Finally a doctor laid out what she thought were my only two options: come back in a year when things got worse or go on steroids–which came will a whole host of unpleasant side effects that could potentially make me feel worse. I knew there had to be a better way.
I compiled all of my test results and started doing my own research. I found a book on the microbiome and started learning everything I could about what was going on inside my failing and inflamed digestive system. It didn’t take long to discover how the connection to my mental health struggles, compromised hormones, lack of energy–every single issue I was having–was related to what was happening in my gut. I found a diet that supported the healing and rebalancing of the microbes in the gut and decided to give it a shot. I was blown away that 12 days into a four to six month protocol years of anxiety and depression completely disappeared. In the coming months, most of my symptoms would reverse with simple dietary changes, a handful of supplements, and some lifestyle changes. I was fascinated and desperate to learn more about how the mind/body connection had lead to my healing. I ended up studying at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition to become a health coach.
I initially was only health coaching part time out of passion. I had developed a Nutrition for Performance course that I taught at an acting conservatory in New York in addition to seeing individual clients, but was still mainly focused on my acting career. Over the years my business continued to grow naturally, and though I loved it, I never considered letting go of acting–until the pandemic. When the pandemic hit it was the first time in 14 years that I had stopped auditioning, and to my surprise, I was relieved. At the same time, we were globally experiencing a physical and mental health crisis and the need for my services sky rocketed. I couldn’t believe how much happier I was coaching full time.
Shifting my focus to my coaching business allowed me to see where there were gaps in the industry. Because I ultimately had to find my own way back to health, I knew I had a combination of tools and resources that were unique. I started to combine my nutrition training with the physical training I had from my years studying at an acting conservatory. I brought in all of the tools I had learned in 10+ years of therapy and mindfulness training in order to support both my mental health and nerves when it came to performing. I had struggled for many years with bulimia, so I also brought my personal recovery work into my business.
My work now combines holistic nutrition, hormone and blood sugar education, with tools that help you listen to and inhabit your body in (order to decipher your signals and cravings), with neuroscience and mindfulness, to facilitate healing as well as physical and mental optimization. I approach health holistically with the understanding that everything is connected and there is truly no difference between your physical and mental health. To achieve optimal health and a happy life, we have to look outside of our bodies as well, at the quality of our relationships and how we spend our time, as everything contributes to our wellbeing.
These days I offer both one-on-one coaching (for both men and women) and group programs specifically for women. The one-on-one coaching start’s with a specific focus on what each individual needs physically to optimize the body, and therefore the mind. We start from the outside and move inside to then reprogram thought and belief systems to find clarity, boost creativity, and achieve your life goals.
My group programs for women focus on healing the relationship with food and the body for optimal health (which can include weight-loss, hormone balance, gut health, etc.) but ultimately providing food freedom and a deeper understanding of what they need to thrive in their bodies and lives.
Both my group and one-on-one work focus on cultivating a deeper sense of listening and trust when it comes to your body. When you know exactly what your body needs, and can decipher and trust your body’s innate signals and messages, it opens you up to create and life and body you love.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Since childhood, I was fascinated by acting. One of my aunts was a performer and I always had a fantasy about becoming an actress. Towards the end of my time at university, I started to take acting classes and then took the leap to move to New York to train and audition. As far as career paths go, it’s definitely a challenging one. New York itself is a tough place to live and it can be a thankless career, but I loved it. I spent 14 years in New York studying and acting and by the end of my time there had done a fair amount of TV, film, and theater. I had poured my heart and soul into that career and it had become a large part of my identity.
During my last few years in New York I started to become disenchanted with the work. I would book a job and be on set counting the hours until I got to go home (and that was supposed to be the good part). Even though there was a subtle whisper from my inner knowing that there was more for me elsewhere, I refused to listen because I had decided that I would devote my life to being an actress. At the same time, in between takes or in the green room, I would be reading books on gut health or neuroscience and enthusiastically sharing what I was learning with anyone who would listen. I couldn’t admit that I wanted to lean fully into my health coaching business because it didn’t fit into my definition of success.
With the pandemic putting all production on hold, it was the first time I had a break in my acting career. I was shocked with how relieved I was not to be auditioning and forever hustling. At the same time, old and new clients were reaching out to me because they needed support. I started coaching full-time and it felt like the missing piece I didn’t know I was yearning for. It took me about a year to admit to myself I’d never go back to acting and worse–I didn’t miss it at all.
It was a very strange experience letting go of my self-concept and something that I had either been dreaming about or pursuing my entire life. I was so afraid that it meant I was a failure, and even worse, that I would be perceived that way. As silly as it might sound–it was terrifying.
Letting go of my acting career, therefore my identity, and completely pivoting to what had been a hobby took stepping out of my comfort zone and through fear. I didn’t know how to run a business and I had never relied on my health coaching to support me full time. Acting is a tough industry, but you’re often working with a team, this was me stepping out into the world solo. I only had myself to rely on and to blame if things didn’t work out. It was the hardest yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.
It hasn’t been easy, and growing a business has a lot of up’s and down’s, but I wouldn’t change a thing. We may only have one shot at life and I believe you always have to go for it.
Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?
To be successful as an entrepreneur–or really in any line of work–you need to be able to do two things: listen to and trust yourself. Each one of us has something special and unique to offer that is just yours. Being able to tap into your gifts/your zone of genius is going to make you a success in any field. Sadly, the ability to listen and trust is not something that is taught or valued culturally. So many of us are taught to go outside of ourselves for answers or advice, but truly when it comes to your life, health, career, success, etc.–you are the only one who knows what’s best for you. Cultivating that listening and trust can be the difference between success and failure, or perhaps worse: mediocrity.
How does one do this? I always recommend by starting with the body. The brain thinks but the body knows. There is more wisdom available to you when using the entire nervous system (the whole body) to make decisions vs. just one part of it (your brain). It’s hard to know how you feel and what you think when you are filling your body full of stimulants, never sleeping enough, and not moving your body regularly. When we can optimize the body, we get a clear head and better access to our true wants, needs, and creativity. Caring for your body and regularly taking time in silence (I’m a big fan of cultivating a meditation practice) is a wonderful place to start when it comes to honoring your innate inner wisdom. These practices will give you the energy and ability to follow through with what your body is telling you–even if it’s scary or doesn’t make sense.
When in doubt, remember: you are the only one who knows exactly what you need to be successful (and you are also the one who get’s to define what success looks like for you).
Contact Info:
- Website: www.healthybylianna.com
- Instagram: healthybylianna
- Facebook: healthybylianna
- Linkedin: lianna nielsen
- Twitter: @liannanielsen
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCB7m0Sb3HLAtEJqBkmcEmg
- Other: Podcast: Love Through It https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/love-through-it-with-lianna-nielsen/id1680239705
Image Credits
Emilia Aghamirzai of FatChix Inc. and Jordan Matter