"I loved my hour-long coaching sessions each week."
In the middle of a very cold, snowy winter - when I feared my eating was getting out of hand - I found iBeamforLife on the Internet. I was thrilled from the very start with their excellent coach's warm, thoughtful coaching and the practical healthy nutritional information modules. I loved my hour-long coaching sessions each week. My coach listened to my issues with food, considered my whole lifestyle, and gave me excellent pointers and suggestions for helping me eat and feel better. I have a permanent email file for reference with all the notes she kept for me and the weekly modules on better eating. As a retired nurse, I found iBeamforLife to be just what I wanted in keeping me slimmer and healthier and I recommend this program highly for healthier living.
Sue R., Brookline, MA


"I was immediately impressed by my coach's professionalism, warmth, and knowledge."
I first became aware of iBeamforLife when I was volunteering with the 2010 Harbor to the Bay AIDS Bicycle Ride. Joe generously offered free nutrition counseling for our 300+ Riders, which really impressed me.

In 2011, I found myself under a lot of pressure at work and recovering from a moderate injury, which resulted in a steady increase of my weight, a loss of physical fitness, and energy levels that spiked and crashed throughout my workday. After work, I would force myself to the gym with a plan to work out, only to find my mental, emotional, and physical energy would completely evaporate by the time I changed in the locker room. I would head home frustrated with myself, thoughtlessly eat a big dinner, and then be unable to sleep because I was so anxious!

Instead of continuing to ignore my overall wellness (and my tighter pants) I decided to reinvest in myself. I had had positive results from using online nutrition and diet services in the past - but I also knew I needed more support than an online food tracker and counting calories. Remembering Joe's generosity, and wanting to support a local business, I checked out iBeamforLife's website. I decided to try the "Power of Three," to see if iBeamforLife could help me make the changes I knew Ineeded.

During our initial consultation, I was immediately impressed by my Coach Caitlin's professionalism, warmth, and knowledge. During our subsequent meetings, she encouraged me to steadily change the behaviors that had been dragging me down, and held me accountable to goals we set together. I was impressed by how much I learned - and accomplished - in the first three weeks, so I decided to continue reinvesting in myself.

It's been two months since I finished the full 10-week program, and I'm still on-track with meeting my goals! I've lost fat, gained muscle, stabilized my energy, and I've returned to physical fitness. Now, I know how to make holistic choices that allow me to handle my demanding work schedule, care for myself, and still have time and energy to enjoy my family. Because the lessons are reinforced over a 10-week period, the "new changes" I made have become "normal" and therefore sustainable. And, if I ever have questions, I refer back to the Modules that I worked on with Caitlin, and know that I can always rely on the iBeamforLife on-line community for ideas, recipes, and encouragement.

To this day, I'm still conscious of making healthy decisions and eating nutritious foods - and I still feel the results. I am proud that I made the decision to reinvest in myself, and thankful to Joe and Caitlin at iBeamforLife for helping me to get myself back on track!
Eric S., Boston, MA


"I actually found the whole experience fun and enjoyable."
Nutrition was always really important to me since my mother owned a health food store. We were always eating whole foods and I was the first kid to bring Akmak Crackers to school. So you would think eating well would always be a part of me. But, when I moved out of the house and life just got so busy, I didn’t take care of myself and eating healthy wasn’t at the top of my list. Working with my personal Food Coach, Melanie, helped me to focus and brought me back to the basics about what good eating is all about. The program reminded me how to create and make better food choices and showed me ways to keep it interesting. I felt like I was learning practical information (that my mother tried to teach me) about eating healthy foods.

I actually found the whole experience fun and enjoyable. During each week’s meeting we worked together to go over the reading materials and assignments, which made me reflect on and reinforce what I had learned. The curriculum also built upon what I had learned from the previous week as we went along. What worked best for me was that the curriculum was well laid out so that I could pick it up and read it when I had time and it wasn’t overwhelming.

On a more personal note, I had also been struggling to manage some health issues, and the program (along with medical care from my doctor) helped me to start to feel better. Not only did the program teach me about making healthier food choices, and actually give me more energy, but it also taught me about how to better take care of myself, overall.
Michael T., Boston, MA


"Now I can make the best food choices."
I have never liked cooking. My idea of home cooking used to be adding my own water. I didn't realize how much of my problem was related to not having an organized kitchen. Oh I had plenty of kitchen supplies, but mismatched pieces and hand-me down-pots and pans only served to make cooking a chore.

Having the right tools in my kitchen and learning how to use them correctly was only half the battle. Equally important to learning how to cook was learning what to EAT. Going to the grocery store is no longer a mystery. I not only cook my own food and eat better, I have learned to enjoy the process.

For me one of the greatest benefits of the program has been the ongoing support. I travel a lot for work. There are times when I can't cook because I am living out of a hotel; sometimes for months on end. Having someone to get advice from has allowed me to make the best food choices I can while away from home, and has helped me get back on track once I am back to my normal routine.
Jim Z., Belleville, MI


"It's so much easier to cook now."
First of all, what Joe taught me to do with my kitchen was amazing. It's so much easier to cook now and putting away the dishes is a snap. It seems so obvious, but with just a few small changes I'm not overwhelmed with the thought of cooking a meal on a busy day. I've even had 3 dinner guests in the last week because I have all this great food now!

I know what it means to really make healthy choices out there. Going through Whole Foods Market mindfully means I now realize what I'm grabbing on those busy weeks and what I might choose instead. I even stopped buying those "healthy" processed fast food products and actually saved money. Broccoli is just as fast and better for you. I've had a fresh veggie every day this week, what a concept (believe me, for me that’s a big deal)! It was fun to cook all those vegetables and have them taste so good without any major sauces or additives. It didn't take that long either! The resources Joe pointed me toward were great. The books and websites he provided were full of fun recipes. I never knew it all could be so varied and interesting. Thanks Joe.
Rene P., Stow, MA


"My Food Coach really heard my struggles."
My eating is all over the map. I don’t “diet”, never have, don’t like it, not even sure I “need” it. Typically, I gravitate toward far eastern food, it’s my choice always when we eat out, which I seem to do a lot. And my two sons, well, it’s one helping after another of convenience. They’re fast-food junkies. My husband is pretty much a meat and potatoes guy. I set out to expand my horizons, learn more about nutrition and what it could mean to get it from balanced eating, but really, I was worried that what I wanted for myself wouldn’t work for the rest of the family.

I am happy to share that my Food Coach (who I couldn’t wait to talk to) really heard my struggles, worked with me (my ups and downs), introduced me to some new food, and helped me to figure out a smarter, healthier mix and match. I think I have an approach now that we all enjoy and feel better about. Buying groceries and coming up with ideas and recipes isn’t a chore. I found my inner-chef. I feel like there is no turning back. Armed with this new ‘food education’, we are all living healthier and just feel better, stronger. (I think I look pretty good too).
Susan L., Albany, NY


"I am so grateful for all the knowledge and support I’ve received."
The iBeamforlife Program thoroughly changed the way that I think about health and nutrition. Through my study of the curriculum guides and phone sessions with my Food Coach, I learned new ways to eat that improved my overall health. My time in the program also helped me to improve my "relationship" with food. I no longer dread the process of planning, shopping, and preparing my meals. Each meal is like an adventure—but shorter and less expensive.

I never really thought about how food affected my mood, my energy level, and other choices in my life. Before this experience, I just picked up something that would be quick and easy. Thinking about my meals honestly just seemed like too much work and with my busy schedule, I never have much extra time. iBeamforLife proved to me that planning a healthy meal AND cooking it didn’t require much time at all. A few minutes of planning really can produce a healthy, good tasting meal that doesn’t leave me feeling unsatisfied and drained. The difference between iBeamforLife and all the other programs out there is really the one-on-one support I received from my Coach. Not only did he provide me with the help I needed to make changes in my diet and lifestyle, but he showed me how to keep all my favorite foods by putting a healthful twist on each meal. I am so grateful for all the knowledge and support I’ve received. If this program can work for me and my busy schedule, it can surely work for anyone else.
Kristen T., Boston, MA


"I understand how my choices affect my life and my health."
I have to admit that I resisted changing the way that I eat and the way that I prepare food, but after fighting colds all winter long, feeling exhausted all the time, and realizing that I was probably not making the best choices for my family, I decided to give it a try. Joe started out by helping me to understand food, and identify what types to always have on hand and what foods to have the courage to get rid of. His enthusiasm for nutrition was incredibly catching, especially when he took the time to explain how to prepare different kinds of food. He understood my concern about being able to put together a healthy meal on-the-go and made a point of sharing time-saving tips as well as providing recipe suggestions (including creative, healthy substitutions for my favorites).

The lessons that I learned on the program were immensely valuable, especially now that our family has moved overseas from Vermont. The knowledge I gained about grains and vegetables as well as the simple, reliable techniques for food preparation has made my transition into a different culture (both literally and figuratively) so much easier. I consulted iBeamforLife with the expectation that I would learn to "eat better"; I came away with a deeper understanding of how my choices affect my life and my health. What I learned, and what I am practicing is simply that, no matter what environment you are living in, you can still eat healthy, eat well and, equally important, feel confident in the kitchen.
Lisa B., Vermonter transplanted to Guangzhou, China

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