Michelle Freitas is a Certified Holistic Health Coach specialising in sugar addiction and weight loss. Based in Santa Monica, LA, Michelle is a published author in the field of sugar addiction, and has written articles for MindBodyGreen and The Fix.

When she’s not coaching clients through her Sexy Slim Down program, Michelle loves playing in the kitchen and whipping up delicious, healthy meals.

Michelle’s also a truly inspiring health babe, having been through her own health challenges and sugar-addiction, before emerging on her journey to wellness. Best of all, she’s now helping others to do the same.  ♥

Please welcome Michelle. xx

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What inspired your journey to wellness?

My journey to wellness started when I was overweight and had a mean addiction to sugar. I had been diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis and was using cake, cookies and chocolate to sooth myself emotionally.

I was at rock bottom and had to do something about my never-ending desire for sweets. It was a long road but I can safely say that my consumption of sugar is within a normal range today and my weight is back normal.

What’s the best thing about being a Health Coach?

I find it incredibly enjoyable to talk about health, nutrition and cooking, but most of all I love the discovery process with my clients. It feels so good to discover the root of a behavior around food and help my client work through it.

What’s your favourite way to keep fit?

My favorite ways to keep fit are a combination of things. I enjoy yoga, hiking, and going for walks. Yoga is such a calming and centering practice that provides me with so much strength, grace and resilience in my life. Hiking and going for walks allow me to be outside and explore. I love nature and being among all the plants, animals and bugs while exercising.

How do you practice self-love and care?

My practice of self-love and care is an ongoing practice. The best way for me to start my day is with 8 hours of sleep. Right after I wake up, I meditate. It keeps my mind calm throughout the day and allows me the opportunity to respond rather than react to what happening during the day.

I eat healthily. Which doesn’t mean I eat perfectly. I listen to my body and give it what it wants. My diet is full of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and healthy protein. However, if I want a chocolate bar, I allow myself to have one.

I have hobbies. One of things I really enjoy is taking pictures. I will plan little trips in the area to just take pictures for fun. Over the years I have collected some beautiful pictures.

Most importantly, I always have something on the calendar to look forward to. I find this practice keeps me excited about life and gives me the energy to get through the harder days.

What’s your favourite way to relax and unwind?

My favorite way to unwind is by reading a good book, going for a walk, or catching a new movie at the theatre.

What’s got your toes tingling with excitement right now?

I’m working on a new project for my clients with sugar addiction. I’m still in the development phase but what I plan on creating is a 4 – 6 week course that will walk my clients through their sugar addiction. It will be completely online, easy to follow, and transformative. At the end of the process, my clients will have experienced recovery around sugar addiction, have more clarity and understanding about their addiction, and have a tool kit for living with it.

What’s one of your favourite refined-sugar-free recipes?

This Mexican Chocolate Pudding!

Print

Mexican Chocolate Pudding

Servings 2 Servings

Author Michelle Freitas

Ingredients

Pudding

• 2 ripe avocados
• ½ cup of raw cacao powder
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup
• 3-4 servings of stevia
• ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Whipped Cream

• 1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours - be sure to buy the full fat coconut milk and not the light or low fat. If you get the light coconut milk it won't have the solid cream, which is the part we need for this recipe.

Instructions

• First place a bowl in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours. This bowl will be used to make the whipped cream.
• Put all of the pudding ingredients into the food processor and puree until smooth. Scoop out of the processor and chill for a few hours before serving.
  2 ripe avocados, ½ cup of raw cacao powder, ¼ cup pure maple syrup, 3-4 servings of stevia, ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk, ½ tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp vanilla extract
• In the chilled bowl scoop the solid coconut milk out of the can with 1/4 cup of the liquid milk (save the rest of the liquid milk for other recipes). With a hand mixer, begin whipping the coconut cream on a low speed, then slowly increase to top speed. Whip the cream for about 2 minutes until peaks form.
  1 13.5 oz can of coconut milk
• When the pudding is chilled, serve with a nice dollop of cream on top.

Wow, that looks amazing! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Michelle. xx

Get to know this inspiring health babe better:

Via her Website + Twitter + Instagram. Visit MichelleFreitas.com to set up your free 20-minute Discovery Session. And while you’re there, download your free copy of her eBook: Guiltless Desserts – because life’s too short to not enjoy dessert!

Join me on a journey from traditional old desserts laden with refined sugar, trans-fats, lactose, gluten, preservatives and cholesterol…

To sparkly Superfood Smoothies glittering with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, fibre, and most importantly – scrumptious flavour!

The days of healthy food tasting bad are OVER, my friend. There’s a new Sheriff in town (and he’s delicious).

First stop on this Love Train?  Behold… the Tiramisu Smoothie!

Heavenly Smoothie Tips

Base Basics:

• Use organic, unsweetened coconut water instead of plain filtered water to add easy, low- GI sweetness.  This was you can use less actual sweetener and have less of an impact on your blood-sugar levels.
• Frozen bananas add icy-cold creaminess. Use very ripe bananas and peel and break them in half before freezing for easy single serve portions (and less work for your blender). These are also great to have on hand for one-ingredient ice-cream!
• Pre-soak nuts in a bowl or jar of water in the fridge overnight to aid digestion and make blending easier.

Sweetening the Deal:

• Low GI sweeteners provide a slow release of energy, efficiently fuelling you without the nasty highs and lows experienced with most commercial sugars.
• Medjool Dates have a GI of 55, taste like sweet caramel, and boast high levels of fibre.  They’re also loaded with antioxidants, potassium, copper, magnesium, Vitamins A, B6, C and K, niacin, calcium and iron.
• Coconut Sugar has a GI of just 35, tastes like rich toffee, and is a rich source of Vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6, potassium, magnesium, zinc and iron.
• Although these sweet loves are much healthier than sugar, they should still be used sparingly. For super sparkly health, reach for the Green Juice every day and save the Dessert SuperSmoothies (like this Tiramisu Smoothie!) for special weekend treats.

Print

Tiramisu Smoothie

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Vegan Sparkles

Ingredients

BASE

• 1/2 cup espresso cooled
• 1/4 cup coconut water
• 2 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1/2 frozen banana peeled
• 2 tbsp almond meal
• 1 tsp organic coconut sugar
• 2-3 medjool dates pitted
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp maca optional
• 1 tsp mesquite optional
• Pinch sea salt

CREAM

• 3/4 cup macadamias presoaked overnight
• 1/2 cup coconut water

Instructions

• Combine all Base ingredients in blender first. Blend on high-speed. Pour into glass.
• Rinse blender and macadamias. Blend Cream ingredients until smooth and creamy, and layer on top of Base layer in your glass. Enjoy!

 
You know those special people you come across once in a blue moon who just radiate warmth and sincerity? Vanessa Millar is one of those people. I feel so incredibly blessed that our IIN studies brought us together. She is one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met.

Vanessa’s also a truly inspiring health babe, having been through hellish darkness before emerging as a Yoga Teacher, Health Coach, and Reiki Practitioner. You can get a taste of her work here and via her beautiful website Learn.Grow.Heal.

Please welcome Vanessa. xx

What inspired your health journey?

My journey to wellness started at rock bottom. We all get wake up calls of different kinds during our lives and the universe definitely sent me a fair few before I really ‘got the message’ and started doing what I was put on this earth for. Losing my mother, getting divorced, becoming a single mum of two tiny kids in a new city and struggling with an auto-immune thyroid condition and a self-loathing like no other, I was spent. Feeling hopeless, helpless and freakin’ tired all the time I was faced with a choice – to give up or to give it all I’ve got. Luckily I chose the second option and now, here I am.

What’s the best thing about being a health coach / yoga teacher / reiki practitioner?

I still pinch myself when realise that this is my job. Every day I get to meet and work with the most amazing, inspiring, honest, open and fabulous women, for which I feel truly blessed. Seeing them kick major goals, make the most challenging changes look easy, and have those incredibly joyous “a-ha” moments is just so crazy fulfilling. I am in love and I cannot wait to wake up tomorrow and go again.

What’s your favourite way to keep fit?

I LOVE to run, go to yoga and swim in the ocean. I also used to ride my bike a lot back in Melbourne, but my beloved lycra seems to be taking a backseat right now, Perth is just too hilly (haha). I did try Personal Training for the first time last week. One of my goals this year is to get stronger… and I think it’s working (ouch!).

How do you practice self-care?

I believe self-love and care can be practiced in every moment of every day, in one super simple way… loving-kindness. My one and only goal most days is to be kind to myself with what I eat, drink and think, and to be kind to others in my words, actions and thoughts. I wholeheartedly believe that if this is my foundation the rest will just fall into place.

What’s your favourite way to relax and unwind?

I am such a beach girl! When I need some “me” time, I’ll take myself down to the seaside and soak up the incredible energy mother nature provides us. I will do a little meditation, listen to some tunes, do some journalling or read a fab book and just generally get my zen on. One of my all-time favourite quotes is from author, Isak Dinesin… “the cure for anything is salt water, tears, sweat or the sea.” I take that one quite literally and I am sticking to it.

What’s got your toes tingling with excitement right now?

I am just about bursting at the seams getting ready to officially launch my super exciting wellness coaching program next month. It wraps up all that I have learned and everything that has benefited me in the past, from food to changing limiting beliefs and going after your dreams, exercise to spirituality, and of course a little yoga and reiki just for good measure, all into one little package. I really cannot wait to get out there help more women gain confidence, completely love who they see in the mirror, embrace fearlessness and chase their dreams down… relentlessly.

What’s your favourite healthy recipe?

Ok, so I have a tiny (read: huge) obsession with cacao and there is one dessert that I just cannot stop making. It is incredibly delicious and tastes oh so indulgent, but it is not, really, I promise. Every time I am asked to “bring a plate” to a party, this.is.it. My raw caramel slice, even better than the traditional version, and oh so good for you…

Print

Raw Caramel Slice of Heaven

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Author Vanessa Millar

Ingredients

Base

• 1 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup macadamias
• 1/8 cup Coconut Oil
• 4 Medjool Dates

Filling

• 30 Medjool Dates yep that's quite a few
• Pinch of Salt or two
• 1/4 cup Coconut oil
• 1/4 cup of Almond Butter

Chocolate Topping

• 3-4 Tbsp Raw Cacao
• 3 Tbsp Coconut Syrup or other sweetener of your choice
• 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
• Pinch of Salt

Instructions

• Blend the almonds and macadamias in a food processor until it forms a large piece crumble then add dates (pitted) and process until it forms a small-piece crumble, then add in melted coconut oil and blend to combine.
• Press the mixture firmly into the base of a slice pan lined with baking paper.
• Pit the dates (yep all of them) and place them into your food processor. Blend until it forms a chewy looking ball (you may need to do a few batches). Add the salt and melted coconut oil and blend to combine.
• Smooth the filling over the base.
• Now for the chocolate! Place a glass bowl over warm water and whisk the coconut oil and cacao, adding the coconut syrup, agave, rice or maple syrup to make a glossy mixture.
• Pour over the filling layer, allow to cool and harden a little before topping with chopped macadamias.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours (or freeze for 20 minutes if you are short on time).
• Enjoy!

Ooh, that look scrumptious! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Ness. xx