A Little Bit About Me

2nd grade school picture

So where shall I begin?! My name is Erica Ikeda and I am currently living in Hawaii. Growing up in a small town with my mother going to school full time left me the cook of the house at a very young age. I remember eating sugary cereals, waffles, bagels, pop tarts, French fries, and yes those yummy toaster strudels with a sugary filling and more sugar on top on a regular basis. Little Debbie cupcakes, ice cream, chips, and soda were always in the house and I had full range of these foods whenever I liked. I never liked red meat even as a kid, but I loved everything else a little too much. My weight was a problem and I realized this even in kindergarten when my teacher weighed us in front of the class and I was double the weight than most of the other kids! I was conscious of my overweight self- but not too sure how to change it. Luckily I had a good sense of humor and was outgoing so I had friends, but I was insecure and never felt pretty or popular. In 9th grade I lost some weight by walking everywhere by default since my mom worked and I hated being stuck at home. Once I lost a little bit, I was ready to lose more! By college I was in great shape. I worked out hard, but my diet was not the best. I was consuming low fat, fat free, sugar free everything! I looked amazing, but I now know those products are loaded with chemicals and sugar. After I graduated college with my Biotechnology degree, I ended up working as a group fitness instructor at a high end spa in the Pocono mountains. This is when I got into the best shape I have ever been in. I was teaching several classes a day, plus taking guests hiking and biking. After I left the spa I moved to San Francisco where I volunteered at a Bikram yoga studio and continued to stay in shape. There were so many health food stores that sometimes I would just wander in and spend hours looking at all the products that were still somewhat new to me.

March 2011

 A vacation to Hawaii- that ended in me falling in love with my husband and staying- lead me to an even healthier look into food. I researched schools and finally decided on The Institute For Integrative Nutrition. This school changed my life in so many positive ways. It taught me that being healthy is not just what we consume- but a lifestyle. Relationships, spirituality, career, family, diet, and exercise are all just as important and need to be in balance to be your best self. I graduated with a certificate as a Holistic Health Counselor, and my American Association of Drugless Practitioners certificate. I got married right after graduating, and a little over a year later had my sweet baby girl! Life has been crazy and I haven't had any paying clients yet, but I did help my mom lose 100 pounds in a year! So the point of this blog is to create a discussion on holistic living with a realistic approach. By writing this blog, I hope to create a dialogue on a healthier lifestyle.

January 2013 with my baby girl