Alicia Lusardi

Alicia's interest in nutrition started when she studied abroad in Spain in 2012 to become fluent in Spanish. She was captivated by all the different food combinations and found herself exploring the grocery stores and food culture more than anything else! Being a college student at the time, she had limited access to kitchen appliances, was living on a strict budget, and was often bored of what limited food options were available on campus. She often spent time thinking up ways to combine simple foods from the store with what was offered in the café to make her own healthy and creative meals. Once she had access to a kitchen, she started experimenting and it became her playground. Above all, she loved cooking for friends/loved ones and substituting ingredients in various recipes to make them more nutrient-dense, satiating, and unique. She felt so fulfilled when she had these opportunities to show people that food can be delicious and healthy too! Aside from cooking/baking, exercise is also a huge area of interest. She initially incorporated it into her life as a way to manage stress and build self-confidence, and over time all the benefits she witnessed from trying out different types of movement motivated her to get certified in personal training. Throughout her career, she's worked with a variety of patients of different ages, genders, ethnic backgrounds, and lifestyles presenting with various conditions including (but not limited to): bariatric surgery, heart disease, pre/diabetes, eating disorders, emotional eating, gut issues, hypertension, high cholesterol, fatty liver, pre/post-natal, pregnancy, PCOS, hypothyroidism, and more. In her most recent job, she worked at a school district with kids from grades pre-K through 12 focusing on nutrition education, cooking demos, food allergies, finding ways to incorporate more local foods into meals served, and menu development. Additionally, she has experience working at a Gym as a personal trainer, teaching exercise classes, and developing meal and workout plans for clients.