“I used to spend way more time outside of my sessions — researching symptoms, building programs, checking logs — than I did actually with the client. Now, I generate a plan in ten minutes. All the work is done for me. I just get to talk to my clients, support my clients — and that’s what they appreciate most.”

— Jen Vasey

Back in 2024, I connected with the team at Metabolic Balance. At the time, they were trying to solve a tactical problem: centralized, coach-friendly recipes. I knew the pain point — it’s exactly what Meal Garden was built to address. So we started working together.

But the more time I spent with the program, the more I realized something:

This wasn’t just another protocol. It was a full, high-integrity system — built around something that actually works.

During our conversation, I shared this observation:

“Metabolic Balance sits at the intersection of blood testing and commercial weight loss programs. But when you combine that with their lifestyle and healthy eating approach — it becomes a truly powerful system.”

Jen and Laura both lit up.

They didn’t need to correct or clarify — they just said, “Exactly.”

And that was the theme of the whole conversation. What makes Metabolic Balance different isn’t just the lab work or the doctor-reviewed plans. It’s the way it gives coaches permission to stop guessing and start connecting.

“It’s not the plan that changes lives. It’s the connection.”

This system gives you that — and it makes it scalable.
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When paired with a platform like Meal Garden, it becomes a repeatable way to grow your business without burning out. It keeps clients engaged. It supports long-term memberships. And it helps you build something that’s actually fulfilling.

Now, Metabolic Balance is making a big push across North America. Their recent USA Today bestseller, The Metabolic Balance Kitchen, is proof that interest is building — not just among coaches, but among consumers, too.

In this post, I’m sharing highlights from a conversation I had with two people leading that charge:

Jen Vasey, CEO of Metabolic Balance Canada, and

Laura McLennan, one of their top-performing coaches.

We talked about how they got started, what makes this program work, and what it looks like to build a business that feels aligned.

If you’re a coach who’s looking for a simpler, smarter, and more sustainable way to make an impact — you’re in the right place.

👇 The post below pulls together key moments from our chat in April 2025.

🎥 [Insert link to full interview video]

🔗 Want to get started with Metabolic Balance or learn more about the Meal Garden integration?

👉 [Insert CTA link — e.g., "Become a Coach," "Request a Demo," or "Explore Meal Garden for MB Coaches"]

Finding Metabolic Balance

Jen and Laura have similar stories that resonate with you.

They both wanted to help people through better health.
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They both pursued certifications in nutrition.
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They both initially followed more traditional corporate roles, but neither found them fulfilling.

For Jen, her path started when someone introduced her to Metabolic Balance in 2016. At the time, she was a certified personal trainer. What really caught her attention was that this was a lab-based nutrition protocol — something that made intuitive sense. In 2020, during the height of COVID, while others were “drinking wine and baking bread,” Jen decided to get certified.

She didn’t do it to start a business. She did it because she wanted to help the people closest to her—her friends and her family. She quickly saw how powerful the program was. People started experiencing results that went well beyond weight loss—more energy, better sleep, and stronger motivation. As those clients shared their experiences with friends and family, demand grew.

“The number of lives I’ve been able to help change… I want to have a wider reach. More people need to experience this program.” — Jen Vasey.

For Laura, the journey was a bit different. She came from a background in biology and had certifications in live blood analysis and holistic nutrition. But despite all that, she was facing some personal health issues — and wasn’t finding answers.

She knew she didn’t want a protocol based on willpower or restriction. She wanted something rooted in science that could deliver tangible, measurable outcomes.

At 21:10 in the interview, she captured her motivation perfectly:

“If I could just find a program I could get behind, from a science perspective… It’s rooted in blood and biochemistry, and truly personalized. I can trust it scientifically and support it wholeheartedly. It’s not about willpower or restriction — it’s about giving the body what it needs, based on real data.”

Laura’s search for better outcomes started with herself, but it quickly turned into a commitment to helping others experience the same clarity and confidence.

An interesting dynamic emerges here:

Jen was focused on better outcomes for others.
Laura was initially focused on better outcomes for herself.

But both found Metabolic Balance and embraced it for the same powerful reason:

It works.

Who It’s For Snapshot

What sets Metabolic Balance apart 

There’s no shortage of nutrition protocols out there — but most fall into one of two camps:

You either get a coaching-focused program built around behavior change — but without any real diagnostic insight, you’re relying on symptomology, which can be vague, subjective, and incomplete.

Or, you get data from blood sample analysis — but no real system to help clients actually adopt and sustain the changes.

Metabolic Balance works differently.

At its core, it’s a personalized, lab-based nutrition program. Each client starts with a full blood panel. That data is then sent to Germany, where a team of doctors builds a custom nutrition plan based on the client’s biochemistry — not assumptions or symptoms.

This removes guesswork — and gives coaches a clear, unbiased map for how to help someone move forward.

“You can only go so far with symptomology. What blood work does is give you a clear, unbiased map of how to help someone.” — Jen Vasey

But the real differentiator? It allows coaches to do what they do best: coach.

Instead of spending hours building plans or searching for symptom-based solutions, practitioners get a roadmap — so they can spend more time in conversation, in support, and in accountability.

“The plan’s done. You just get it and go. That’s what gives you more time to actually help people.” — Jen Vasey

This shift is what led many experienced practitioners to make the switch.

“I actually transitioned away from other approaches, and now use Metabolic Balance with all my clients.” — Laura McLennan

That combination — personalized data + meaningful coaching — is what drives results.

In fact, a Journal of Metabolism report showed that the average MB client loses around 15 pounds and maintains that loss after a year. Even more impressive: 68% are still engaged with the program after 12 months — while most programs see drop-off rates of 90% or more by month six.

From the MB report:

‍“What we found is the reason people are so successful with the Metabolic Balance program is the motivation provided by the coaches, and the individualized nature of each plan.”

No pills. No gimmicks. No magic.

Just data, real food, and the right support system — all working together to create outcomes that last.

Results That Stick

‍“Bringing Metabolic Balance into my practice was the turning point. It’s not a gimmick — it’s just real food, personalized to each client. The results are stronger, my clients feel empowered, and it actually fits into real life.”

According to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism, Metabolic Balance delivers lasting results.

After 12 months:

• Participants lost an average of 6.8 kg (~15 lbs)
  
  
• 62.5% of participants lost at least 5% of their initial body weight
  
  
• 31.1% lost 10% or more
  
  

Beyond weight loss, the program delivered meaningful health benefits:

• Triglyceride, LDL, and total cholesterol levels improved significantly
  
  
• Metabolic syndrome diagnoses dropped from 14.2% to just 3.9% over the year
  
  

And unlike many commercial programs, Metabolic Balance showed strong retention:

• 68% of participants were still adhering to the program’s core principles after one year
  
  

That kind of long-term commitment is rare, and according to the study authors, it’s likely due to two things:

1. The personalized nutrition plans based on lab work
   
   
2. The ongoing support from certified coaches
   
   

Together, they created what the authors called “my nutrition program” — something participants felt connected to and proud to follow.

Changes and improvements

Metabolic Balance has always been grounded in science, but under Jen Vasey’s leadership in Canada, it’s also become a business system that supports coaches as much as it supports clients.

Laura put it best:

“Metabolic Balance Canada is top tier in their support for coaches. I’ve never worked with a company offering this much — any question, time, or platform. Jen’s a big part of that. She’s elevated the entire brand.”

Since stepping into the CEO role, Jen has focused on removing friction for coaches—simplifying the tools, amplifying the brand, and making it easier for practitioners to grow a business rather than just deliver a plan.

She recognized a few key truths:

• Not every coach is an entrepreneur
  
  
• Many don’t know where to start with outreach
  
  
• Success doesn’t happen by accident — it needs systems

So she built them.

Coaches now get access to:

• A growing content and training library
  
  
• Monthly business development sessions (“Thrive Thursdays”)
  
  
• A centralized coach directory that connects them to new clients
  
  
• Templates, toolkits, and social media support
  
  

And here’s what sets this apart: Jen is putting real money into brand awareness.

She’s investing in direct advertising and promotional efforts to grow Metabolic Balance’s reach in North America — and pairing that visibility with new infrastructure that connects incoming clients directly to certified coaches.

“You get a couple clients, they succeed — and then the referrals start rolling in. That’s how it works. But we’re not just waiting for word-of-mouth anymore — we’re building the front end, too.”

Jen puts it plainly:

“I’ve been in a place where I was doing meaningful work — but making very little. When I realized the value this program delivers, and what people are willing to pay for it… it changed everything. Now I can do what I love, and actually make a living doing it.”

It’s not just a certification anymore. It’s a platform — and a community of like-minded individuals, all working toward better outcomes for their clients, and better lifestyles for themselves.

It’s being built intentionally — so coaches can do their work, change lives, and grow without burning out.

What can coaches expect / The Secret Sauce

 If you work with clients in midlife — especially women — you already know what their lives look like:

They’re juggling careers, caring for kids and aging parents, managing relationships, and pushing through waves of stress, fatigue, and hormonal changes that they often don’t fully understand. They don’t need another restrictive plan or trendy supplement.

They need something that fits.
They need real food.
They need a clear, doable protocol.
They need someone they trust to walk with them through it.

That’s where Metabolic Balance shines.

It gives clients a personalized, doctor-reviewed plan based on their blood chemistry. There’s no guesswork — just a simple set of rules they can follow, built around meals they can make with ingredients from any grocery store.

And for coaches, it means you don’t have to play detective anymore. You don’t have to guess what might be going on. You start with clarity — and coach from confidence.

“You go from 77% accurate to 90% accurate — and that changes everything.”

And because it works, it’s easy to talk about. Coaches share the program without scripts or pressure — just belief. That authenticity builds trust, and trust builds momentum.

“When there’s belief in the program, there’s passion behind it — and that resonates. You don’t need a sales script. You just talk about what works.” — Laura McLennan

And the reward for showing up with that kind of alignment?

“Personally, I do accountability check-in Fridays with all of my clients, and I get to start every single weekend with, like, my cup absolutely overflowing with just so much gratitude.” — Jen Vasey

Where Meal Garden fit's in 

As Metabolic Balance has grown, one of the most common challenges coaches face — especially in Phase 3 and beyond — is helping clients find recipes that align with their plan, feel fresh, and don’t require constant back-and-forth.

It’s a minor issue that quickly becomes a big one.

That’s where Meal Garden comes in.

Over the past year, we’ve worked closely with Jen, Laura, and the broader Metabolic Balance team to build a dedicated Metabolic Balance Meal Garden — a shared space with curated recipes, ready-to-use resources, and a workflow supporting coaches and clients.

“When someone asks, ‘What do I eat?’ you need a fast, simple answer. Without a central system, it becomes a real hair-pulling experience.” — Jeff, from the interview

Now, coaches using Meal Garden can:

• Access hundreds of MB-aligned recipes (and contribute their own)
  
  
• Customize and share content with clients — no design tools needed
  
  
• Reduce time spent emailing PDFs or chasing down files
  
  
• Use one system for program delivery, updates, and content personalization
  
  
• Build and deliver long-term paid memberships that extend well beyond Phase 1 and 2
  
  <CHECK OUT THE VIDEO BELOW> 
  
  

This last point is critical: Meal Garden doesn’t just help with delivery — it helps with retention. It supports check-ins, engagement, and long-term coaching relationships — giving practitioners a way to stay connected, deliver value, and grow stable, recurring revenue.

“Every time a coach adds a recipe, the whole community benefits.” — Jen Vasey

This isn’t a static recipe vault. It’s a living resource, shaped by real practice, and built to scale the most valuable part of any wellness business: the relationship between coach and client.

Metabolic Balance plus Meal Garden helps you to deliver personalized nutrition at scale, without losing the human connection that makes it all work.

What did we miss (final thoughts) 

This is one of my favorite questions to ask near the end of a conversation.

It helps make sure the most important things don’t get left unsaid — the things that matter more than the mechanics of a program or the structure of a business.

True to form, Jen and Laura closed with what drives all of this: a commitment to client success, and a belief in the transformational power of the Metabolic Balance approach.

Laura put it simply:

“I had my own health scare, and I don’t want anyone else to have to get to that point. The foundation of health is food — it’s how we fuel our bodies. So a big part of my coaching is helping clients understand their why, and really get to the root of it.”

And for Jen, it’s the emotional payoff of doing work that changes lives:

“Every Friday I do accountability check-ins with my clients. I get to start my weekends with my cup absolutely overflowing — it’s so rewarding to do work that matters.”

It’s not just about helping clients feel better. It’s about building practices that feel aligned — where you wake up proud of the work you’re doing, and the people you’re doing it for.

Ready to Build Something That Lasts?

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