Isla Mujeres is a thin sliver of an island, eight miles off the coast of Cancun.

Legend has it that prior to Columbian times, this island was sacred to goddess Ixchel, the Goddess of fertility, reason, medicine, and the moon. Early sailors kept finding iconography of goddesses on the island, which is how it received its nickname, “The Isle of Women.”

That, combined with its gentle trade winds and sandy beaches, makes Isla Mujeres a prime spot for holistic nutritionist Lucia Di Cesare to host her wellness retreats.

“There is an energy there that is remarkable. Not to mention the beautiful Caribbean. Because it's a small island, you're getting that salt air that you're breathing in ... I find that if we can take time along the ocean to do our breathing exercise, some stretches there, the impact is phenomenal. You just feel so great, so energized.”

But another major reason Lucia hosts her wellness retreats here: the unbridled access to fresh food.

“We have unlimited access to fresh fruits and a lot of healthy foods,” she tells us on the Making It Real podcast.

As a nutritionist who doesn’t always stick to the recipe, Lucia will go to markets and find the freshest, healthiest food she can find before whipping up a recipe in the kitchen.

What Lucia does with these foods is creative and a bit unexpected.

“We’re Not All The Same,” How Lucia Keeps Recipes as Diverse as Her Clients

During these wellness retreats, Lucia focuses on many aspects of wellness: meditation, yoga, exercise, breathing, and of course, healthy foods.

But she’s not the type of nutritionist to just give her clients all the same meal plan, regardless of their tastes and preferences.

“My whole perspective is we're not all the same,” says Lucia, “I’m open to modifying. I just want little steps to be made in the right direction. I always try to maintain that really personal touch. I want to make sure I’m focusing on each individual and that they’re getting what they need out of this.”

But how does Lucia achieve this level of individual attention to all her nutrition clients?

Meal Garden helps.

This nutrition practice management tool helps Lucia source thousands of dietitian-approved recipes, create her own, and easily share with her clients.

“When I'm working with one-on-one coaching clients, I always provide them with a meal plan… and that's where Meal Garden comes in,” says Lucia, “I am so pleased with how the presentation looks when I print out a meal plan. And the fact that I can also look for other recipes, not just my own there. And I do try to show people, hey look, these are my very own, you can do the same thing. Because my whole thing is that healthy living should be simple.”

She goes on to say how much she loves the immense database of dietitian-approved recipes in Meal Garden, “There are so many different options there and I always can find something to fit in and fill the meal gap.”

Improvising in the Kitchen: Taking Client Meals off the Beaten Path

But Meal Garden doesn’t just help Lucia share meal plans with one-on-one coaching clients.

This tool allows her to share on-the-spot creations with her wellness retreat clients who hope to recreate the magic once they return home.

“Sometimes I make up recipes on the spot too, depending what’s fresh from the market. And then everyone’s like, “Well, what did you just do? I want to be able to make this.” Quickly I need to get to Meal Garden, create it, then I share the link with everyone for that recipe so they can try it at home.”

— Lucia Di Cesare, Holistic Nutritionist

Lucia wants her clients to take a slice of their wellness retreat home with them. “No matter where the person comes from, they can access it from anywhere.”

How to Reach Lucia

Check out Lucia’s website at simplyhealthyliving.ca, follow her on instagram, and learn more about her wellness retreats by clicking here.

Further Reading:

4 Tips on How to Create Meal Plans Your Clients Will Actually Follow

How This Nutritionist Teaches Clients How to Make Daily Decisions for Long Term Success

Why Feeling Calm Matters for Both You and Your Health Coaching Clients

Understanding Body Dysmorphia (& How to Navigate It With Your Health Coaching Clients)

Client Engagement, retreats

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