About

Hello there! I’m Natalie.

Joey Wins…and you can too!

Have you ever wanted to begin a healthy lifestyle, but felt overwhelmed by the seemingly endless plethora of information, products, books, websites, nagging friends, etc.?? How do you know whom to listen to or what will work?

Breathe easy friends and grab some carrot sticks. This is the place for answers.

This site is for people who need a guide in their journey to health. I am by no means an omniscient being with knowledge far surpassing you mere mortals. Alas, I am just a girl with a passion for discovering the best possible ways to feed my face, body, heart, and soul in the healthiest, most balanced way possible. Cause let’s face it: who doesn’t want to look and feel freakin’ sexy?!

Although I grew up in a healthy conscious home (I often bragged to my classmates about my mom’s six pack), my fascination with health started a few years ago after I started college [Insert Wayne’s World dream sequence]…

In  2008, I gleefully accepted my admission to Syracuse University’s School of Architecture, determined to be one of the world’s top designers. But after one too many fast food binges, all nighters, and 35 pounds later, I was not a happy camper. I had been so sleep deprived and stressed that my health took a back seat. I vowed to never put my body and happiness second again. I graduated in 2012 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design with a minor in both Architecture and Sociology.

The year before graduation, I thought back to that stressful time in school where I had neglected my health. I said to myself: “Self, why did that happen? What can we do to prevent that from ever happening again?” I answered myself: “Look it up dummy!” And so began the research.

I watched documentaries, read books, started a fitness program. I became enthralled with the information I had never known before. I often wondered how such information was never common knowledge. I felt pretty sure that I knew what I wanted to do next.

Much to the dismay of my Nana who cooked her glorious Turkey and Brisket Thanksgiving dinner, I came out as a vegan. Although it was seriously hard to refuse her unbelievable comfort food, I persevered. I realized that, although I will cherish those memories of gefilte fish, potato knishes, and apple pie (she paints and knits too. My Nana’s a badass), the food itself was simply associated with the joy I experienced while being with my family. We tend to link food to such comfort and can confuse it with happiness itself. I became aware that my addictive patterns with food were something I could control.

Love food…don’t be in love with food. 

It has been a couple of years since I began my love affair with gaining information about healthy lifestyles and almost a year since I’ve come out of the metaphorical vegan closet (it was getting warm in there). I lost the weight I put on in college and made a conscious decision to devote my time to packing on the facts rather than the pounds. I even received my certification in Plant Based Nutrition from Cornell University, and am on my way to become a Registered Dietician!

This site is not an attempt to promote veganism. I believe everyone should tolerate everyone else’s choices (This simple idea could have saved us a lot of time and effort throughout history, eh?) However, the information I came to agree with most, and will continue to review, does support a plant-based, cruelty free lifestyle. I am not here to convince you to buy into trends or join a cult (yikes!). I’m not even here to sell anything. I am here to open eyes, and mouths, to discover what can help us get to the place we all want to be: Happy and healthy (and sexy).

Whether you are a vegan, vegetarian, or vi-curious, this site can be your bff!

So, how does this site work? This site is about STUFF. I wish to educate you about the truths behind the stuff you are putting in and on you. As I try new products, I review them with my most honest opinion and tell you why and how things work or don’t work. You will understand what is in the stuff you use and how their elements work for or against you. I am on this journey with you! So learn from what I already have experienced and I will continue to relay my ever-growing knowledge about the do’s and don’ts of this healthy lifestyle of ours.

Checkity check out my site for new posts on nutrition, fitness, beauty, and all the stuff that goes with it.

Enjoy :D