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<< Kiran’s (Realistic) Quest to Cut Out Processed Foods Recipe: Whole-Wheat Banana (Nut) Muffins >>

AMY’S ROAD TO THE INSTITUTE FORINTEGRATIVE NUTRITION (+ RECIPE)

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by LISA on APRIL 28, 2014

This is a guest post by our blog team member, Amy, who recently graduated from the Institute for

Integrative Nutrition! We are super proud of her accomplishment and thought others might be

interested in her story (including what she plans to do with her brand new

certification). A big congrats to Amy!

Amy’s StoryI have had a fairly contentious relationship with food for much of my life. As a child I was overweight

and ate a lot of standard American junk food. As a teenager, I would often hear, “You have such a

pretty face” which only left me wondering what was so bad about the rest of me. I went on a “doctor”

supervised diet my sophomore year in high school which led to rapid weight loss as well as to

boyfriends, which I had never really had before. And so began a 15 year struggle with various eating

disorders; anorexia, bulimia, and compulsive exercise, which culminated with a stay in a treatment

center when I was 28. While there, I interacted with many young girls not far from death who had so

much to offer this world, but all their energy, creativity, and life-force was going toward this one

thing…as was mine. At that point, I knew that I needed to heal my relationship with food so I could one

day help others heal theirs.

In my thirties, I finally realized that food was not the enemy, but I was focused very much on eating

no or low fat. During this time, I also became a wife and a mom. I was now feeding a family, and

convenience was “king.” Then came my forties when I began to really take notice that much of what I

was eating was leaving me feeling listless, foggy, bloated, and nauseous, and my younger son had

also developed a problem with eczema. I realized how terribly disconnected we had become from

the food that we were eating everyday. I knew it was time to transform my family’s eating habits.

Like 1.8K

Throughout my years of research, the

Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) (sample

the course here) would often pop up on my

radar. It always intrigued me, but I already had

a graduate degree in telecommunications

and didn’t think I could, as a mom, ever find

the energy to go back to school or change my career. However, a deep desire to help others end

their struggles with food and find a path to wellness, coupled with a bit of serendipity (a job with

Days of Real Food and a conversation with a successful local health coach), helped me decide to

take the plunge. Fast forward barely a year later, and I am an IIN graduate!

Getting Started With IINWhile finding myself a student again was a bit daunting, it was evident from the arrival of the

beautiful welcome package, that IIN was committed to helping me be successful. My tuition

covered everything I would need. The first few weeks were about getting acclimated, and I found

myself anxiously awaiting the more pithy content. That content quickly came in the form of week-

long modules (lectures, video, and powerpoint) which covered:

Holistic Wellness

Bio-Individuality

Primary Foods (Achieving Balance)

Whole Foods

150+ Dietary Theories

Food Politics

Cooking Basics

Coaching Skills

All Aspects Of Setting Up A Business And Launching A Meaningful Career

The first half of the program consisted of nutrition education, and the second half was business

training. Once the ball was rolling, school simply became a part of my routine, and with the flexibility

the course offers I never had any trouble fitting it in or meeting the requirements.

IIN’s comprehensive resources, library, templates, and marketing materials eliminated so much of

the creative guess work I would have had to have done on my own, which equated to a huge time

savings!

In a nutshell, IIN is a flexible, online year-long program that provides holistic nutrition education and

business training. There are no prerequisites required and you end up with a national certification

and college credits.

Accomplishments By GraduationAs with most things in life, you get out of it about as much as you are willing to put into it – so for me,

IIN’s program was satisfying and enriching from start to finish. In the space of one year, I became a

Certified Holistic Health Coach and started a coaching business, Spunky Avocado

partner as well as a beautifully functioning website and blog. IIN was there to help me every step of

the way, providing support and even hand holding whenever and wherever it was needed. One of

their tag lines is: “Could one conversation change your life?” Well, I can honestly say that it certainly

changed mine. If you have any interest in a career in holistic health and wellness or if you just want

to gain the wisdom for yourself and your family, I highly recommend the Institute For Integrative

Nutrition.

Special IIN OfferIf you’ve been in my shoes – relating to any part of my story – I highly recommend

conjunction with my story and since they are an affiliate partner, they’ve generously offered readers

of 100 Days of Real Food extensive savings on tuition if you sign up by May 9, 2014.

Update: Although this deal has expired, if you speak with IIN we suggest you mention 100

Days of Real Food and ask if there are any current promotions you might be able to take

advantage of. It doesn’t hurt to ask!

I thought about it for so many years and am so glad that I finally took the plunge! If you have any

questions about the program or my new health coaching business I’d love to hear from you in the

comments.

Layered Jar Salad RecipeOn a another note, the other half of Spunky Avocado (Niki) and I are delivering our favorite mason jar

salad to a friend who recently had her third baby. We figure she could use a break. This salad packs a

nutritious punch and a lot of great flavor. We thought we would share it with you, too. Enjoy!

“

Print

SOUTHWESTERN BARBECUE

SERVES: FAMILY SIZE-YIELDS 8 CUPS INGREDIENTS

1 cup salsa - your favorite recipe/variety (bottom layer)1 chopped avocado - the salsa acidity will keep it fresh½ cup loosely packed cilantro leaves - chopped½ cup grilled red onion - chopped¾ cup grilled yellow, orange, and red pepper - chopped½ cup grilled corn (cut fresh from cob)½ cup black beans - rinsed and drained¾ cup brown rice seasoned with a squeeze of lime4-5 cups romain lettuce - chopped (top layer)

INSTRUCTIONS

Grilling1. To grill corn in the husk: Soak in water for a few minutes

before placing husks directly on a medium heated grill.Turn the corn a few times to assure that one side doesnot get too charred. Then remove corn from direct heat -off to the side or to a top rack. Close the grill and allow itto continue to cook for 15 minutes. After the corn cools,remove the kernels from the cob with a sharp paringknife.

2. To grill onions and peppers: Quarter onions (removingthe smaller pieces) and peppers (removing the ribs andseeds). Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and lightly seasonwith sea salt. Grill until they begin to char on both sides.

Assembly1. Layer the ingredients as listed from bottom to top in a

GRILLED VEGGIE MASON JARSALAD

Recipe: Whole-Wheat Banana (Nut) Muffins >>

jar. Serve immediately or store in a refrigerator for up to 5days.

Tips1. You can add and subtract layers to this salad. You can

also simplify it by not using grilled ingredients (thoughyou should try this version at least once).

2. I make big batches of these and other grilled veggiesand freeze what I do not need immediately. They aregreat to have on hand for adding a lot of flavor tocountless dishes.

NOTES

We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.

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Comments

JULIE | January 5, 2015 at 12:37 am

Hi Amy. Thanks for sharing your story. I actually put myself on a strict

candida detox program starting in July 2013, which included no dairy

and gluten also, as well as no sugar, corn and much more. This all due to chronic

infections that doctors couldn’t figure out and help. After then getting chronic hives, I

put two and two together through my own research and turned to my knowledge in

natural/holistic healthcare to heal myself. I am what I call “my own best doctor” and

have improved quite a bit since taking over my own care. Having been a marketing

professional for 20 years with long hours and lots of stress, I began to use the

downtime off work to think about how to break the cycle and and live a healthier

lifestyle. I now know I want to apply my personal interests in helping myself and

others into a change in professional career. After becoming certified in Reiki, I began

reading about the IIN program and have been thinking about it for a while. I came

across this page and your post while researching IIN and other similar programs

online. I like the basic areas IIN covers, but am concerned about the format. My

mother and I watched the initial one-hour introduction video. We stared at a

powerpoint presentation practically the whole time. Although the content is of

interest, we found it hard to stay focused and engaged without seeing an actual

person talking to us. I am curious if you actually get to see an instructor lecturing

during the courses or are you always staring at a bunch of words on paper while

listening to a voice without a face? Also, did you attend any live conferences related

to this program? I appreciate any feedback that might help me finally start this

program or determine it’s not for me. Thanks.

Reply

AMY TAYLOR (COMMENT MODERATOR) | January 12, 2015 at

7:49 pm

Hi Julie. Thanks for your questions. My experience with IIN’s

format was very little “just looking at words on paper or a

screen”. Most of the lectures had visuals to go along with

their presentations and it was almost always a full bodied person that I

was looking at. :) You might have been looking at some of the support

materials vs the actual lecture. As I’ve mentioned before, the wealth of

information that I received from my time with IIN has been invaluable

and so very readily applied to my own life, my family life, and as

essential but gentle guidance for clients. INN does, in ways, challenge

some conventional nutrition wisdom. You would have heard about eating

real food, giving up processed food and sugar, returning to more

traditional foods, integrating super foods, fermented foods, etc. long

before it would be mentioned in mainstream health communities. In fact,

there are IIN students building upon their traditional nutrition

certifications with an IIN Certificate because they want a more

holistic/integrative approach to their counseling.

is the right fit for you and again, you will get as much out of it as you are

willing to put in. Let me know if I can answer any more questions.

also always happy to chat. Just let me know. :)

Reply

JULIE | January 5, 2015 at 12:45 am

PS. What does your certification say? Does it state it’s from IIN or an

affiliated college? I’ve read conflicting info about which school one

actually gets certified from once completing the IIN program. Once again, thank you

:)

Reply

DEVYN | January 11, 2015 at 6:41 pm

IIN is not certified. I am a pre-nursing student in a clinical

nutrition course, and I can tell you that ‘certified holistic

health coach’ is not a title of someone with sufficient training in nutrition

to over anyone medical advice.

I do love the recipe though!

Reply

AMY TAYLOR (COMMENT MODERATOR) | January 12, 2015 at

8:23 pm

Hi again, Julie. Be sure to check out IIN’s FAQ page:

http://www.integrativenutrition.com/admissions/FAQ

certificate from IIN that shows I successfully completed their health

coaching program. I continue to build upon my knowledge base daily

but do not know that I will pursue any type of official credentialing

beyond IIN. I’m quite satisfied. :) And, Devyn we are not offering medical

advice. Our role as coaches is to support and mentor our clients by

helping them make lasting changes that will that nourish many aspects

of their lives, changes which inspire good habits tailored to their

individual needs. Again, as coaches we don’t claim to be medical

professionals. I can say, however, that most doctors will tell you they had

precious little nutrition education in medical school.

I think that is starting to change. An ounce of prevention, after all…

truly, is there a better place to start preventing disease than by having

our medical professionals educating their patients on how to best

nourish each and every cell in their body? Shouldn’t our collective

mission, wherever we fall on the health/wellness career continuum, be

to support each other’s efforts to create a healthier world? ~Amy

Reply

LONI | February 13, 2015 at 2:55 pm

Amy, thank you for sharing your story! So many others have been

through similar difficulties, but it takes a lot of courage to share that will

us here. Stephanie, I would suggest looking into a degree in medical dietetics. I am a

registered dietitian and love my opportunity to work with clients (in the hospital, out

of my home, and at our local gym) to make healthy lifestyle changes that work for

them! I follow my own intuition when it comes to my clients. Whole foods work for

me and many others, but may not be the path for everyone. It is my passion to help

them achieve their goals in the healthiest way possible.

Reply

LIBBY | May 12, 2015 at 3:33 pm

Hi,

HI! Thanks for posting this article. I want to go back to school for a

degree in holistic nutrition and I’ve been overwhelmed by the number of schools out

there but I keep coming back to IIN. How many hours a week did you put into your

studies including class time and studying? I am a mother of 2 so I need to know what

I am getting my self into for time management purposes. Also after completing your

education at IIN, do you have clients that you work with? If so, how did you get your

name out to get those clients. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Reply

AMY TAYLOR (COMMENT MODERATOR) | May 14, 2015 at 10:15

am

Hi Libby. I would say that on average I would read, listen to

lectures/modules, research, etc about 4-6 hours a week.

individualized. My business partner and I went through IIN together so

that was helpful as far as keeping us both on task. :) We do have

coaching clients and we also have gotten a lot of traction coaching in the

eco-living niche. You can see our approach to our business at our

website and on Facebook: http://spunkyavocado.com/

https://www.facebook.com/spunkyavocado. We are having a great

time and still defining ourselves. It is a process.

our Trademarking process, too. :) I have found it all to be very life

enriching and am more motivated than ever to keep blazing a path!

Wishing you the same kind of experience. Happy to answer any other

questions, too.

Reply

JENNIFER | May 19, 2015 at 6:33 pm

What size jar-it looks bigger than quart size in the picture.

Yumm

Reply

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