You are the author for multiple best-selling books, a tv host, a columnist, the official nutritionist of NYC ballet and a mother of 3! How do you manage to juggle these aspects of your life and make it all work?
I’ve become a master juggler! I work insanely hard, but I choose work projects I truly love, so while it can sometimes feel exhausting, it’s also incredibly rewarding and fun. It also helps that I hire smart people who help me every step of the way. Plus, I have a wonderfully supportive family. They’re always there for me—cheering me on, testing recipes, offering good advice and a helping hand.
How did you get your start and what was your initial inspiration?
For as long as I can remember, I was drawn to all things health. If you were to ask my mom, I was making messes in her kitchen—or, as I like to say, concocting healthy creations—ever since I was a little girl. I was also a competitive gymnast most of my young adult life, so I always cared greatly about health and wellness. In college, I studied kinesiology (I was a total science nerd) and then planned to attend medical school, but before I went down that path, I got a graduate degree in clinical nutrition. It was love at first class—and I knew I had found my calling.
To this day, whenever someone comes up to me to tell me that one of my recipes has become a family favorite or one of my tips has helped them drop weight or boost their energy or lower their cholesterol or got their kids eating veggies, there’s no better feeling in the world. It is such a rewarding and fulfilling career, and I’m beyond blessed to be in a position to help people change their lives for the better. I love my job!
How do you carve out "me" time with all of those responsibilities?
I take my “me time” when I can get it, and it’s not always “me time” in the typical/conventional sense. For instance, I try to start every day by taking a minute or two to think about a few things I’m grateful for—my family, my job, my health, my adorable fur baby. This puts me in a good frame of mind for the day ahead. I’ll also enjoy a few moments of deep breathing or stretching in between emails or conference calls.
And I love my time in the kitchen—it’s my therapy. It’s a double bonus when I recruit my family or friends to help with prep or cooking (or even sit at the island sipping wine while I cook), because I’m experimenting and creating fun and healthy recipes and spending quality time with my kids or husband or girlfriends. I view all of these moments as “me time.”
As a passionate hardworking mama, what is the best and the hardest part of these two full-time jobs?
The hardest parts: Balance. Being present. Disconnecting from work. I always try my best to make sure I’m not living my business life when I’m at home living my personal life… (I say “try”…because I’m constantly working at this and reminding myself to be in the present and to savor the moment).
Congratulations on your new book “Yummy Yoga”! The book is so much fun and perfect for engaging our little ones who are just learning. Can you tell us more about the book? How have your children inspired your work?
Thanks! I had so much fun working on it and am glad people are excited about it!
I’ve always had a passion for helping kids foster a love for good health. Early in my career, I worked in pediatric cardiology at Mount Sinai Hospital. I also had the chance to implement health programs in communities that were identified as being high risk for obesity, heart disease and type 2 diabetes (specifically Harlem and East Harlem in New York City). For years, I taught nutrition and exercise classes to children in kindergarten all the way through 12th grade—it was one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve ever had! It was so inspiring to watch these impressionable kids sop up the information and make dramatic changes. It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe. From working with thousands of kids throughout my career—and raising three of my own—I’ve learned two important things:
It can often be TOUGH to get little ones to try new healthy foods. They’re much more likely to latch on when we make it fun, exciting and interactive.
So when my college friend, Bonnie Stephens, a brilliant photographer and yogi… sent me a “food sculpture” she had built and photographed… my brain started spinning. I knew there was something super cool and creative here. And then, YUMMY YOGA was born – we built playful yoga poses made out of healthy foods that kids can mimic… and then I designed tasty kid-friendly recipes to go along with each of them. The goal is that the fun poses make the foods more enticing and crave-worthy!
My huge hope is that this book will help parents, grandparents, teachers, caregivers – even older siblings—encourage their precious little ones to latch on to good health.
You’re a professional nutritionist and a fitness and health icon... What are your go-to healthy snack brands for your kids?
I’m obsessed with making my own homemade creations—they’re so quick and easy.
As moms, the day can escape us, what is your best time-saving trick?
Take advantage of your slow cooker—it’s like having your very own personal chef! Just toss everything into the magic pot in the AM and you come home to an amazing delish and healthful meal. Plus, the kitchen smells divine. Of course, there are other cooking gadgets that I love and use all the time—my Instant pot, air fryer, spiralizer, blender, food processor and so on. But my slow cooker always takes the top spot.
Here are two fave slow cooker recipes:
What are your favorite healthy, family-friendly restaurants in NYC?
Waverly Diner and Malaparte.
What is the best advice anyone's ever given you? Or what is your "mantra" / words to live by?
Life is hard, food should be easy!