Chariti’s Story

Chariti Gent, a Madison-based Co-Active Life and Leadership Coach for Women, met Tracie through a networking organization, and took advantage of an initial one-on-one consultation she was eligible for through the connection.  She was immediately drawn to Tracie’s message of “eat real food,” especially since for years her weight had yo-yoed up and down with Weight Watchers.  “I’d always been a little bothered by the program.  Sure it was all about calories and low fat, but so much of the food was over-processed and full of chemicals,” she notes.  “I’d been thinking for a while that I wanted to live cleaner and more naturally, and then my appointment with Tracie just put it all into place.  Everything she said resonated with me.”

Chariti, who feels like she’s had weight issues as far back as she can remember, also had a friend die too young of breast cancer.  “She came to believe that her diet had a lot to do with her illness, and it made me rethink my own choices.  So much of what Tracie said made sense.  ‘Healing and boosting the metabolism.  Eating real food. Combining food so our bodies are processing things in the best possible way.’”

After her initial consultation, Chariti took the 8-week What’s On Your Plate? class, and is starting one-on-one work with Tracie this month.  “I’m a believer,” she says.  “I’d done a little work with it over the past few months, and didn’t realize how much even that little bit impacted me until I went on a long-week-end visit to my mother’s house, where nothing was what I’d consider ‘Tracie approved.’  I felt awful after that trip, and that’s when it really hit home how great Tracie’s program really is.”

Chariti feels so strongly about it, that she wrote her own recommendation for Tracie (Thanks, Chariti!):

Tracie Hittman…WOW! What can I say. There are few professionals I’ve met in my life who’ve had such a profound impact on me personally in so short a time. Tracie is one of them. What makes Tracie so special?

1.     Passion. If you’ve ever had a chance to talk with Tracie, you know that “clean eating” is not only something she practices but she really PREACHES it, too (to those with willing ears, of course!). By that, I mean that Tracie truly, sincerely believes 180% in what she advocates with regard to taking control of and taking care of our health and bodies—from how we’re treating it to what we’re putting into it. I find that passion so igniting and inspiring, and it makes me want to learn more and do things nutritionally “better” – both for myself and for my family.

2.     Knowledge. Tracie is a wealth of information about all things nutrition and health. Her knowledge is based on research, sound reasoning and straightforward logic. And her “teachings” are simple and easy to learn: never eat a carb or protein alone; never eat it if your great grandma didn’t; and never eat anything you can’t pronounce. Of course, there are some nuances and subtleties to all of this, but by and large Tracie lays out an information-rich platter of content for you chew on and then gives you choices for how you want to proceed, depending on your overall health goals.

3.     Approach. Tracie’s approach to good health and clean eating is novel and fresh. As a die-hard Weight Watcher for nearly 10 years, I am now converted to Tracie’s way of eating, which is TRULY more of a lifestyle than a diet. I don’t count calories, track points, or weigh fat grams anymore. I simply make sure that I’m eating in a way that is healthy, whole, clean, and balanced. Many of my struggles with weight are due to underlying hormone issues. Tracie is teaching me how to increase my metabolism (i.e. my hormonal system) slowly over time so that I don’t re-gain the weight I lose. She has recently pointed me toward seeking medical attention for conditions like hypothyroidism, and she gives me solid support for trying to understand my emotional connection to food (i.e., my food addiction). This is something I’ve never been able to tackle while following traditional weight loss programs and “diets.” Ahhhh…it’s so refreshing.

Overall, Tracie Hittman has truly changed my life. I am forever grateful to her for helping me to understand the importance of “what’s on my plate.” I have never eaten cleaner or felt better about food choices for myself and my family as I do now. Thank you, Tracie. I look forward to working with you more in the months to come.