Gratitude for the next-level enhancements to my mind, body, and soul…
My journey to invest in my health started in 2019 when I started to get into a daily fitness routine for the first time in years to reach my goal of looking fantastic for my destination wedding in Jamaica in Feb. 2020. While that was a good start, it was only half the battle.
Leveling up my daily nutrition situation was the other very important half of the battle. I just didn’t know it until I started to plateau with my fitness results, the so-called-“nutrition” plan I was following via the fitness program (Beachbody) I signed up for really wasn’t working, and I found myself frustrated with only having so much time left to see results before my big day which was fast-approaching.
I started working with Allison in Jan. 2020 and, when I look back, the only thing I would do differently is start working with her sooner (it would have alleviated some of the pressure and stress I put on myself to reach my weight/health/etc. goals before my wedding day). But, honestly, even with the short 1.5 months before my wedding day after we started working together, I experienced the results I hoped for to feel great, confident, and beautiful for my wedding week in Jamaica! The power of working with someone like Allison and having a next-level, daily nutrition routine thanks to her expertise is incredible.
I had the opportunity of working with, learning from, and sharing a love of healthy food (being the passionate foodies we are) with Allison every day for 3.5 months in the beginning of 2020. In a year that threw everyone unexpected curveballs and chaos to some degree, I firmly believe that those 3.5 months set me up to be the healthiest I’ve been in years, and during a year when being healthy is of the utmost importance.
Being “the healthiest I’ve been in years“ looks a little something like this:
- Making new, exciting, healthier food choices daily (that are just as easy as the not-so-great choices and fit perfectly with MY lifestyle)
- Consuming more water than I ever thought I’d be able to in a day
- Prioritizing sleep above other things that I thought were more important
- Using safer, cleaner products (from something as simple as cooking with parchment paper and avocado oil instead of tin foil and olive oil to revamping the beauty and cleaning products I use on the daily)
- Getting more creative about how to stay active (utilizing apartment building stairs on rainy days when working from home, incorporating yoga into a fitness routine, appreciating the power of a good walk, etc.)
- And stress management techniques
Lastly, not only did I gain a plethora of nutritional knowledge that I will carry with me forever, but I also gained a friend out of the experience.
Dear Allison, you’re a true gem in this world, a real inspiration to me, and I’m forever grateful for everything you did to help me enhance my life for the better from a mind, body and soul perspective!
With love and eternal gratitude,
Jess
P.S. – Your YouTube channel full of creative, amazing healthy food recipes is absolute GOLD!
IBS-Constipation
This is by far the easiest testimonial I have ever had to write. I can only hope to get my thoughts down in a reasonable amount of words. I had the pleasure of meeting Allison through a recommendation from a good friend. The recommendation was led by issues with my stomach. I was dealing with severe bloat and discomfort that seemed to be only getting worse. I went to multiple doctors, had an array of testing done, to be told I had IBS with constipation. I was given medication that wasn’t very helpful and was told to try the “fodmap” diet. I was left feeling discouraged, overwhelmed and upset but then I met Allison. Allison was a pleasure to work with from the start. I always felt comfortable with her and she gave me the attention I was craving that physicians could not give me in the past. I can honestly say, within the first 2 weeks I started to feel like a new person. I always felt supported and as though everything she was doing was specific for my needs. I never felt alone on our journey. If I was having a bad day, or out to eat on a Friday night and not sure what to eat, Allison was only a text/phone call away to help. Allison changed my life, in LESS THAN A YEAR. After dealing with issues FOR MULTIPLE YEARS, I still cannot believe how quickly things changed. Allison is all about a realistic lifestyle and YUMMY food choices. I never felt hungry or deprived. I always thought I ate “healthy” but didn’t realize how many foods that I thought were “healthy” had processed items. At first, there was a learning curve. I used to be overwhelmed when I walked into a grocery store, but now I can food shop with confidence and ease. I know what brands to choose without even thinking about it. I thought I was going to have to give up my favorite food quesadillas/tacos, BUT NOPE! I probably eat them more than I did in the past! You can tell that Allison loves what she does, which makes her so fun and easy to work with. I would highly recommend Allison. I am happy to know that she is always there when I need her.
Dr. A. Conte
Garwood, NJ
Sugar Induced Eczema
Before and After
Hello. My name is Annalise and I’m 12 years old.
I have had eczema for as long as I can remember.
I have been to lots of doctors. They sometimes hurt me by scraping skin they need to test, or gave me creams that did not work. They’re called steroid creams and it worked at first, but then stopped, making my skin look and feel worse.
My mom’s friend, Miss Allison, came to my house and put together an eating program for me to find the trigger food that made my skin upset. I wasn’t so happy at first because I love to eat candy and pasta. After a while we discovered I’m allergic to sugar.
I’m so sad because candy makes me happy, but what makes me happier is that people don’t ask if I have a disease anymore. I can also wear normal shirts, because my skin has cleared up with NO medicine and NO doctors and NO pain!! Thank you Miss Allison for helping me to get my confidence back. I look at food differently now and have learned to read labels.
Thank you for helping me!
You are the best!!
The New Me
Before and After
I first met Allison in March of 2018, the moment I finally decided to take control of my health. At that time I was significantly overweight, incredibly discouraged, and entirely unconfident in myself both physically and emotionally. I remember weighing my absolute highest at that time and looking in the mirror with utter disappointment and disgust. I had attempted to lose weight numerous times beforehand- yet they were never sustainable approaches. I would engage in periods of extreme dieting and exercise just to return to my old habits weeks later. My crash efforts proved detrimental, for each time I abandoned a “diet”, I ended up putting on more weight.
Finally, it became enough. I consulted my mom and decided now was the time to make a change- one that would be everlasting and effective. Being the incredibly loving and supportive mother that she is, my mom did everything in her power to support me in beginning my health and fitness journey. She introduced me to Allison and directly after our first meeting I knew she was the powerful guiding force I needed in my life. I’ll admit, I was initially skeptical, stubborn, and hesitant in response to her advice. I was fearful of new food suggestions and doubtful of the changes I would need to implement. Nevertheless, I knew Allison was extremely well educated and knew exactly what she was talking about. I decided to put my full faith and trust in her, and it completely changed my life.
Beginning this journey with her was the best decision I have ever made. She taught me so much about food and even took the time to come food shopping with my mom and I! Within the first few months of working with her I had already grown so much. I learned a ton of information about nutrition and was finally aware of the things I was consuming. I was trying a variety of new foods and was genuinely enjoying all of it! I felt incredible, noticing improvements in both my energy levels and the clarity of my skin.
What motivated me the most however, were the astonishing physical results. Now, after working with Allison for just over nine months total, I have lost approximately 54 pounds! Never in a million years would I have thought I could undergo such a drastic physical transformation. I have gained a significant amount of confidence and can finally look in the mirror with pride. Allison is constantly by my side, available whenever I need her. We text on a daily basis and I love to send her pictures of the innovative meals I create! Allison is truly an incredible woman. Her intelligence, guidance, and friendship are truly irreplaceable. She has thoroughly changed my life, and for that, I am eternally grateful.
Amanda
Verona, NJ
A Leaky Gut and Yeast Overgrowth
Symptoms:
bloating, constipation, fatigue, lack of focus, irritable, and basically not my high energy happy self
It was honestly a shocking experience. I had a healthy digestive system and overall good health to something tragic and disheartening like this. I was in pain. I was bloated, constipated, fatigued, exhausted, unable to focus, irritable, and any other adjective to explain someone I was not or ever was. I was frustrated, so sad, and angry. I was not myself. I went to quite a few doctor’s appointments thinking someone will be able to help me. My first visit was the hospital, because I had a pain in my left side for 3 weeks. One day, it became unbearable, and I could not handle it. They did not find one thing wrong, based on my blood tests or cat scan, so the physician diagnosed me with acute constipation. I was not constipated prior to this hospital visit. I had regular bowel movements, at least two per day, so no complaints in that department! The physician prescribed me a laxative to take orally. Ironically, I started to feel the symptoms of constipation, and was unable to have bowel movements. Confused and still not feeling well, I made an appointment and met with an allergist. I thought to myself that I must have some type of food sensitivity or allergy. I will never forget what the allergist said to me. Without any type of testing performed, he claimed I could not be allergic to any food, and it ALWAYS stems from environmental allergies (two years prior, I had an allergy test that showed positive to dairy).
On to the next! My next visit was to a holistic chiropractor. He treats patients by means of kinesiology and nutrition. I trusted and put my faith in him. He diagnosed me and said I had adrenal fatigue and allergies/sensitivities to dairy, corn, and gluten. He handed me a bunch of supplements of which include goji juice, adrenal complex, hepatatone, RepairVite, virus protection, and a few others. I followed his protocol, but again, no results. My symptoms were just the same. I was desperate and became more stressed. I could not understand. What is going on?!
I wish I went to Allison in the beginning. I wished I just asked for her help and guidance. I am not sure why I did not think of her in the first place. After I explained my entire story to her, she offered her help without question. She gave me an entire protocol and was there for me every step of the way, literally, every phone call or text (daily), she was there! I learn from her always. Allison is my mentor, my big sister, and my friend. As part of her evaluation, Allison asked me to perform a test to measure if I could quite possibly have an overgrowth of yeast. I was definitely surprised! I did the same test one year ago, with her. Results were perfect and clean. Those did not matter anymore. Yes, my current results were horrible! I had severe yeast overgrowth. This was attacking my gut, deteriorating my immune system, and was the cause of my horrid symptoms. I had increased intestinal permeability, aka, leaky gut syndrome! I had crazy sugar cravings, which makes sense because yeast feeds off of sugar. I tested myself monthly to measure my progress, as I continued the protocol Allison gave me. I am fortunate to say today, that my yeast overgrowth is almost clear and under control!
My current protocol includes leaky gut repair twice per day, veganzyme half hour before every meal, a strong probiotic, oil of oregano, a daily immune boosting smoothie, and most importantly meditation and decreasing stress.
I am steering clear from foods that would be hard on my already stressed digestive system. These include Cruciferous vegetables, beans, nuts, sugars, and much more. I’ve been eating mostly acorn squash, butternut squash, peas, carrots, leek, garlic, ginger, cilantro, basil, parsley, mushrooms, some spinach, avocado, eggs, ground turkey, cod, and salmon. This was very difficult for me to adjust to and I had my fallback moments. I’m not used to eating much meat and usually thrived off of having beans, nuts, and my favorite bean pasta. I can’t wait to have them again, but I know my body doesn’t want them right now. It’ll be ready when it heals.
I had to think back and brainstorm. What had happened in my life, within the past few months or so, that could have caused my body to become so out of whack and irritated? Well, very recently, I moved thousands of miles away after finishing my Bachelors Degree, broke-up with a long-term boyfriend, started a new job, started my Masters Degree, left behind and terribly missed my friends back home, and developed poor sleeping patterns. My new life overwhelmed me. It all happened in the blink of an eye. The stress, 2 rounds of antibiotics (wisdom teeth surgery and an infection), along with a change of environment and routine, all had an effect on my health. I have learned so much from this experience:
1. Never forget about yourself! Make yourself a priority. It is not being selfish, just mindful and smart.
2. Listen to your body. It is always telling you something.
3. Reduce, reduce, reduce, and reduce stress!
4. Never take good health for granted.
5. Feel the feels. Let yourself cry, yell, and smile. Get it out, shake it out, and get back to your real self.
We all go through struggles. It is how you break through them and allow yourself to grow from those experiences. Make your experiences worth while. Take care of yourself. Give your body extra love and allow it to heal.
Kristen
Hilton Head, NC
Never Settle
Before Healthy Lifestyle Change
After
One night while watching TV, splayed out on the couch, eating a Ring Ding and chasing it with a beer, my wife came over to me and said, “If you don’t care about yourself, why should anybody else?” Initially, those words hurt, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized it’s true. I carefully counted calories and exercised and within a 18 months, I dropped 75 pounds. I changed my lifestyle and that was that, but that wasn’t that. About 4 years ago, my weight started creeping upwards.
What if you spent your life curing the symptoms but never affecting the root cause? Maybe you’d be okay for a while, but eventually you’d be right back where you started. In fact, you’d be worse off. You’d be stacking quick fix on top of quick fix until you couldn’t tell symptom from the cure’s side effect. All of these quick fixes are aimed at various symptoms, but not the root cause. It’s like being in a hamster wheel. You’re trying to move forward, but you end up exactly where you started, just more worn down.
I was a skinny kid, but one summer in junior high school I blew up, and I’ve been struggling with my weight ever since. I reached my heaviest weight 16 years ago, right after I got married, I blew up to 222 pounds. I was eating and drinking and just sitting around. It’s a brutal combination. Everyday I promised I’d do something and everyday ended exactly the same.
I’d start exercising and really tracking calories and I lose some weight, but not as much. When I’d reach my a low weight, I’d be heavier than previous time.
Then two and a ½ years ago, I started regaining weight. So I started exercising lost some weight, but this time I discovered that the pain in my right knee wasn’t IT band syndrome as initially diagnosed, an MRI revealed it was a torn ACL, meniscus, cartilage damage, and a bone bruise. I was shut down, and now the weight was really piling back on.
At this point I was in a really dark place. I thought, “well, that’s life.”
I was ready to just accept that you:
get old
get fat
And eventually, you get used to it.
The start of the new year, I went to a friend’s New Year’s Eve party, but I needed to walk another friend’s dog. I dropped my wife and daughter off, and would join them after the dog walk.
My wife brought a big batch of her Asian glazed chicken wings. There were 75 wings in the batch. In the ½ hour it took to walk the dog and return to the party, the wings were gone. One individual ate about two thirds of the wings with the other guests eating the remaining 25. The guy that ate them wasn’t the slight bit phased by his behavior, but his wife was appalled.
I was in disbelief, but it made me think. Was my new “that’s life” belief system consisting of get old, get fat, get used to it, really a thing? Am I really going to end up like chicken wing guy? No way.
I revisited my orthopedist and was cleared to exercise. I signed up with Allison, and I’ve made it my mission to not just lose weight, but to find out why I’m gaining weight in the first place. I am examining every aspect of my life, not just the food and exercise, but stress, time management, and personal fulfillment. I’ve learned so much, and I’ve done something I’ve never done in all these years of losing and gaining, I’ve started to address the root cause of the excessive eating.
I don’t consider this a diet. I’m not counting calories, or wiping out entire food categories to bring the weight down. I’ve finally learned what food is, and what food isn’t. As much as this is about me and the comfort I derive from food, it’s also about looking at what food’s purpose really is.
I’ve set very ambitious short term goals that I have until Mid December to achieve. After I know that I will never be finished. This is now a life long process. When I tell people this, they sound sad, as if a friend died, but I can’t imagine going back to the hamster wheel I’ve been on for most of my life.
Bruce B.
Tenafly, NJ
Captain Marlin Scott, Founder of FishMonster
Fishmonster Website
Everyone should listen to what Captain Marlin Scott has to say about sugar and the damaging effects it has on our health. I was honored to have such an amazing and close conversation about food, the food industry, sugar addiction, how sugar is ruining our ecosystem (from someone who sees it first hand as he spends his life in nature), and the damaging effects chemicals and toxins have on and in our bodies. Stay tuned because we have big projects we are working on together in the future. Together, we will help to educate others about the carcinogenic effects of sugar, why you need to stay away, and how to successfully stay strong against it and the sugar companies. We are both excited for this.
Sugar is an addiction and one of the main causes for inflammation which leads to diabetes, obesity, weight gain, cancer, HBP, HC, ADD/ADHD, migraines and headaches, dental issues, etc.
What the food industry is doing is pure evil and should be illegal. Be careful of the foods you are consuming, read labels, be cautious, and extra smart. Be smarter than these food companies.
Food is meant for two things and two things ONLY.
Food is meant to heal and nourish you!
Respect your body and treat it like gold.
And My Body Was introduced To Something It Truly Needed..
When I first met Allison I was a stressed out, sugar addicted, dehydrated, overweight 45 year old with chronic inflammation, autoimmune issues and hormonal acne. I needed a change.
In walked the gorgeous Allison who with grace, calm, knowledge, love, forgiveness and non judgement sat with me, LISTENED to me and guided me towards a life of real food, fresh, beautiful and colorful ingredients, lots of water, exercise and a mindset of gratitude.
Allison is not just a super knowledgeable nutritionist, she is a life coach, therapist, teacher, friend, cheerleader, chef & fitness instructor/advisor.
Hers is a completely holistic approach which is just what I needed; because while food is a huge piece of the puzzle- it’s not the ONLY piece of the puzzle.
Allison “gets it” because she’s been there, she struggled, learned, studied hard, worked hard and got to the other side. She is an inspiration.
Allison literally walked me through the food store aisles and patiently taught me how to read labels; what to look for and avoid.
Allison responds to every email, text & phone call and never makes me feel foolish or annoying. She has a smile on her face and in her voice constantly.
She is a goddess.
I am truly in awe of her and feel blessed & grateful to have her in my corner.
I am still a work in progress but she makes me feel like “I got this” – as she always says.
My mind, body & heart thank you Allison! xoxo <3
Lisa L.
Teaneck, NJ
A Positive Change In More Ways Than One
I have had an autoimmune disease for over 20 years, as well as many other health issues. I have tried all of the diets and quick fixes on the market and have always been left feeling hungry and dissatisfied. I was always searching for the magical answer!
In 2010, I was introduced to Allison, and my life took a dramatic turn for the better! She has been instrumental in helping me restructure my dietary plan and educating me on the essentials of proper nutrition along with supplementing my diet to ensure that I get all of my vitamins and nutrients through eating real, living food. She has introduced me to many new foods group and has helped me expand my knowledge of organic and conventional produce.
Since I started working with Allison 5 years ago, she assisted me in changing my diet. I have been able to stop taking my blood pressure medication and some of the toxic arthritis medications. Allison has always been willing to listen to all of my questions and about different foods, supplements or diets that I have read about and always gives me her honest opinion. She explains why something might not be based on sound scientific research and how to differentiate between all of the misinformation that is available. She has always given me sound nutritional advice and I trust her opinion implicitly.
Allison is very passionate about her work. She enjoys working with people helping them to improve their health and is willing to do whatever it takes to help you achieve your goal. She is one of the nicest, most passionate, patient, and honest people I have ever met and it has truly been a pleasure working with her.
Lisa S.
Long Valley, NJ
Finally, the change I needed……
I have been dieting practically my whole life. My weight has been a struggle for as long as I can remember. I tried every diet they put out- Beverly Hills, South Beach, Weight Watchers- just to name a few. I would lose some weight and always found myself back at square one. On top of my weight issues, I suffered for years from stomach issues, ranging from heartburn to IBS. I have made changes over the years to help alleviate some of the pain I felt, but nothing was full-proof. That is, until Allison came into my life.
I met Allison two years ago at the Bar Method in Englewood. I was taking one of her classes and I found myself always engaging in conversation with her after her classes. She was always easy to talk to and she made everyone feel good about themselves. I sampled Allison’s nutritional treats that she gave out at the Bar and her reputation preceded her. I was stuck in a rut and knew I needed to make some lifestyle changes. I wasn’t feeling 100% and had put on some weight. I set up an appointment with Allison and the rest is history. I remember thinking how thorough she was and how much care she put into the program she gave me. It was not a one size-fit-all program, which I very much appreciated. Allison put some tough challenges on me; chewing gum was the hardest (I used to chew constantly). But I am happy to say I have been “gum free” for 5 months! I don’t even crave it anymore. I lost weight and inches (I fit into clothes that haven’t fit me in years!) and went down two jeans sizes. I have never felt better and haven’t used a pill in months. I also felt energized and really good about myself. Allison responded to every email and text I sent and never made me feel like a burden. I have never encountered a nutritionist like her, and I have seen many.
Allison is a loyal person and extremely educated in her field. Her passion for her trade is obvious. I am so happy to have her in my life and am extremely grateful to her.
Sharon H.
Teaneck, NJ
Life Altering
I was a 43 year old sedentary Surgeon in November 2013. My entire life I was an athlete, and a good one, good enough to get paid to play professionally.
I guess I continued to see myself that way and was in denial as to what I really had become, which was an overweight, sedentary, pre-diabetic, hypertensive ticking time bomb.
I saw a photo of myself and was shocked, stunned to say the least, at what I saw. I knew immediately I needed help. It was then that I sought guidance in both nutrition and training from Allison of VivaTotalHealth.
Being an accomplished athlete herself, she was able relate to and understood my situation. Over the course of the next year, she completely changed my life. I had not realized how tired I was all the time, how depressed I was and felt this way everyday. I mean, I was fairly young and successful. What did I have to be depressed about?
Never realizing, or for that matter caring, that stopping for pizza on the way to Burger King, because the pizzeria was closer to my office, was not normal, especially after having 2 breakfast fast food sandwiches a few hours before that.
Allison has a very unique style. I am still not quite sure how she does it, but she gets you to do what she knows is best for you and somehow makes you think it was your own idea. Quite amazing.
Anyway, 15 months later, I workout 7-10 times a week (strength training and cardio), no longer eat any fast food (none!) and almost completely removed white flour and gluten from my diet. I drink Organic Raw Meal protein shakes and chia drinks daily.
My blood sugar is low end of normal, blood pressure dropped from 150/90 mmHg to 105/60 mmHg. I went from 6’0″ tall 236 pounds to 198 pounds while shrinking from 38 to 31 size pants. I am a much happier person in general. I sleep better and have about 1000 times more energy. My torn labrum from an old baseball injury which constantly hurt, never hurts. I can bench press almost 150 pounds more now then I could before I met Allison, while at the same time losing almost 40 pounds.
As a doctor, I can attest that her knowledge of how the body functions is, in my experience, unrivaled. She is the most positive uplifting person you could ever know.
In 14 months, my entire life did a 180 change for the better. I can say without hesitation this woman can change your life, and quite possibly save it. I know she saved me from sure disaster.
Change your life. Contact VivaTotalHealth today.
Dr. H
Westfield, NJ
A Change and Learning Experience For My Family and Myself
Allison is a very driven and motivated person in all aspects of her life. She is a true leader with a powerful and energetic personality. She is incredibly knowledgeable of everything you would want to know about living a healthy lifestyle. Her expertise in nutrition and exercise is not just her job, it’s her life. By sharing her wisdom with others, she is helping to make this world a better place, one person at a time.
I remember when I was younger, my family and I would eat fast food and drink soda regularly. We were accustomed to it. One day, she took the initiative to convince us to stop drinking soda altogether, pretty much by physically taking the bottles out of the fridge and pouring them out into the sink. From then on, soda was not allowed in the house. This process was not an easy feat for her. She had some resistance, especially from my younger brother and me, only because we did not realize the significance of what she was trying to do for us at the time. Our brains were programmed to crave sugar. Looking back, this was a pivotal and life-changing moment for my family. Her intervention brought to light our addiction to sugar, and her hands-on approach gave us the tools to change our bad habits. To this day, soda is not a part of my diet, and I attribute that to her.
Allison has also given me several important useful tips along the way; one is to check the labels on produce at the grocery store. If the number on the label starts with a 9 followed by four other numbers, that means it is organically grown.
Our society needs a fresh perspective like Allison’s. Many people are not aware of the damage they are doing to their bodies on a daily basis, and the ones that are may not know how simple it can be to change. Awareness, education, purpose, and practice are the keys to a brighter future. Trust your life with Allison, and watch your life transform.
No matter how you were brought up and in no matter what environment, you can change your habits and make healthy choices. Your mind and body depend on YOU to make the right decisions. Allison will help you change your life in ways you did not even know needed changing.
Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change. Take the first step. Contact VivaTotalHealth!
Theresa T.
Parsippany, NJ
A Bride and a Continued Relationship
I met Allison before my wedding in 2011. I don’t think there is a bride out there that doesn’t want to look amazing on her wedding day, and I was no different. I have always been athletic, ran a lot, played sports in high school and would meet up with friends to go to a yoga or spin class. I never was concerned with what I ate, but I loved to eat and explore new restaurants. At the time Allison was a trainer at a gym in Hoboken, and a friend of mine was working out with her. I asked if Allison would train us together – I had worked with other trainers in the past, and never really “clicked” with anyone. They all pushed “their program” on me instead of listening to what I wanted. When I met Allison I was not thinking of overall changes to my lifestyle, just someone to hold me accountable to make sure that I looked amazing on my wedding day. I was not expecting what I got.
Allison is very insightful about all aspects of healthy living – from physical fitness programs, trigger point therapy to nutrition. As I mentioned, nutrition was the last thing I was seeking from our relationship. However, after a few sessions I asked her why I was not seeing the same results as I had my entire life, and very sweetly Allison said that I need to fuel my body correctly if I want to see changes. Thinking she was going to start to tell me to eliminate carbs and eat protein shakes, I dismissed her words. However, throughout the years I have known her, I have started to listen to her tidbits of advice.
Allison’s philosophy is simple – being healthy is not participating in the latest fad diet, or eliminating food groups, such as carbs, from your diet. Healthy is understanding what nutrients your food is giving you and where your food is coming from. Healthy is trying new things – for example, green juices – and realizing you like them. Food should fuel and energize you – not make you feel lethargic.
With me, the learning has been a slow progression. I knew that I couldn’t eat the way I was eating and expect to see results just by working out hard. So I asked Allison for help in this department. I started to create food journals every week and send them to Allison – she would provide input / suggestions on what I could / should be adding to my meals, and most importantly she helped me notice trends in my eating – bored, tired, stressed, all of the above? In turn, I started to pick up on some of her healthy habits. I learned why fad diets were just that, and that being conscious of what you eat and fueling your body with whole organic clean food and greens changes not only what is seen on the outside but how you feel on the inside. In working with Allison I have learned that I can still enjoy eating out but am satisfied eating different foods. I am learning the balance of what not feeling deprived is – have a piece of organic dark chocolate, not a snickers bar, but that if I do eat the snickers bar, to move on.
There is nothing fad about Allison or the philosophy of VivaTotalHealth. Staying to the core of the nutrients will provide lifelong results. Allison has made me aware of the power of food.
Meghan W.
Glen Ridge, NJ
Some Things Do Change…For The Better!
I met Allison in 2011 when I was living in Hoboken. I was really into running and kickboxing, but over time I felt like I was bulking up and I was stagnant with my weight.
I have been an athlete my entire life. I played lacrosse and soccer in college and I have completed a few marathons over the last couple of years, but I aways had those last few pounds that I wanted to get rid of but could not figure out what I was doing wrong.
I always thought I was a smart eater until I really sat down with Allison. We discussed what I ate on a daily basis. She didn’t just make suggestions, but she would really explain the science behind why I should swap one food for another, which made it more interesting. I never thought I would be the girl who would drink green juice or put flaxseed in my yogurt, but now my body craves those things.
Allison took me under her wing and really tailored a program to fit my lifestyle and taught me how small changes could make such a powerful impact on my body.
She has trained me during many phases of my life; pre-marriage, marriage and now I am excepting my first child in two months.
Allison is extremely passionate about what she does and truly wants the best for you. You can work out all you want and try the latest diet trend, but you will most likely not find lasting success. If you really want to learn about your body, such as combining exercise and fueling with the right ingredients and it’s affect on how you can lose weight, contact VivaNutritionista. Your philosophy, just as mine did, may change.
Kathleen G.
Westfield, NJ
Devotion, Loyalty and Admiration
I met Allison as a client at The Bar Method in Englewood, New Jersey over three years ago (2012). Allison exhibited a level of enthusiasm seldom seen today. When teaching, her skill, warmth and sensitivity are her greatest assets. She encourages all participants in her class to train to their highest potential.
In the time I have known Allison, I unfortunately suffered a back injury. I tried the customary fixes: chiropractic, massage therapy, accupuncture; all with no success. A teacher at The Bar Method suggested I meet with Allison for Trigger Point Therapy. To my joy and amazement, Allison helped me handle the pain until doctors determined what needed to be done. Back surgery was later performed. She was a constant and consistent source of strength and support when I had lost all hope.
In addition, Allison’s knowledge in nutrition is immense. She has helped me change my diet thus affecting my health and well-being.
On a personal level, her devotion and loyalty to friends and family is without end. My relationship with Allison began professionally, but has grown into one of sincere friendship and admiration.
Wendy H.
Tenafly, NJ