Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Gillespie.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
My first exposure to working in the area of health and nutrition serving in the Peace Corps in Yap, Micronesia, where my job was to raise awareness about the connection between processed foods and health issues including Type 2 Diabetes and Hypertension. At the time, I was an avid junk food eater who loved chili-cheese burritos, pizza, sweets, soda, and other not so healthy foods. I thought they chose the wrong person for the job, but I ended up loving it and was a perfect fit!
When I returned from Yap, I went back to some of my old eating habits and experienced some health issues. I was tired all the time, had low energy, and was falling asleep at my desk at work every day even though I thought I was eating healthy. My skin had frequent breakouts, I couldn’t sleep, I had brain fog and mood swings, and was surviving but not thriving. I was motivated to improve my health and met with a nutritionist who changed the way I thought about healthy eating. The very next day after changing my eating, I was not tired after lunch. It was so easy! If only I knew how to eat right for my type of metabolism sooner, I could have been feeling great all the time!
I was so inspired with the changes I saw in my health that I decided to go back to school for nutrition. I went to Nutrition Therapy Institute in Denver, Colorado because I liked their whole foods based approach to nutrition and healing. I also learned a lot from mentors about teaching people how to eat in harmony with their metabolism, blood work analysis, and mindful eating.
I started out working with family and friends and soon after decided to start my own practice.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No! Every client is different and needs not only personalized food recommendations, but also a personalized approach to implementing changes into their lifestyle. Some people like to implement changes quickly and some need to take things step by step. Some people need information while others want help exploring the emotional reasons behind their eating. My process can be rather time consuming, but I find that a one-size fits all approach just doesn’t work!
Being a solopreneur has also been a challenge. I love working with my clients but all the other things needed to run a business take up a lot more of my time than I thought. Doing book keeping, marketing, blogging, social media, website creating and maintenance, and everything else for myself is a lot of work!
Please tell us about Eat Better.
I specialize in helping people get in touch with their body and eat in harmony with their metabolism. There are so many diet’s out there it can be hard to figure out what to eat. I find that some people do well on a diet that has a significant amount of animal protein and fat, while others do best on a more plant based diet, and others do west somewhere right in the middle of those two. I help people figure out which way of eating will work the best for them through a series of questions and looking at their blood work if possible.
I also love doing grocery store tours, pantry makeovers and workshops to help people on their journey to better health.
I think what sets me apart from others is my personalized approach. My clients leave their initial session with a food plan personalized to their unique metabolism, their goals, food preferences, and lifestyle factors. I think it’s important to meet people where they are to help them achieve a higher level of health.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I’ve always been an adventurous eater. I was at a work function with my father and wanted to try a raw oyster and was probably 6-7 years old. The chef didn’t want to “waste” one on me because he thought I wouldn’t like it but my dad insisted on letting me try one. A lot of people were watching me to see if I would like it, and I did. I also ate brains and eggs for breakfast at a slumber party in High School. I still enjoy trying all sorts of traditional foods like organ meats, raw meat and dairy, and other things many people won’t eat.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MichelleGillespieNutrition.com
- Phone: 312-508-3993
- Email: MichelleGillespie.NTP@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eatbetterwithchelle/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleGillespie.NTP
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/michelle-gillespie-nutrition-chicago
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/HealthHacksChi/
[Photo by Karen Kring]
Image Credit:
Michelle Gillespie photos by Karen Kring
Food photos by Karen Kring
Photo of Karen Kring in grocery store with purple shirt in produce by David Villalobos
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