Understanding that taste is the absolute key motivator when we eat, holistic health coach and founder of RASA, Mia Rigden is focused on proving that healthy is delicious. Trained at the French Culinary Institute, her sophisticated foodie knowledge helps Mia inspire her clients and followers with health tips, cleanses, and yummy recipes that don’t make you feel like you are missing out on your way to wellness.

Wellness philosophy:

I’m not dogmatic, but I do have one hard rule when it comes to nutrition: delicious first! Our broken diet culture has proven time and time again that diets and restricted eating programs do not work. The only way to make a sustainable lifestyle change is to understand your eating patterns and find healthy routines that you enjoy and fit into your lifestyle.

Client approach:

I find that people generally know what they should be eating. The problem is that they don’t do it. I like to look not just at what you eat, but also why and how you eat, to find areas where we can make simple changes that will make a big difference. When you start eating nourishing, balanced meals, you will learn to crave them, and no longer have to stress about the choices you make. Eating a healthy meal because you genuinely want it is a lot different from feeling like you should have something when you'd rather eat something else. It takes work to get to that place — but that’s where I come in.

Aha! health moment:

When I realized that I didn’t need to label myself as “gluten free”, “dairy free”, “paleo” or whatever… The more I learned about what felt good in my body, the more I started to crave those foods, and didn’t feel like I needed a rule book or a label to define the way I eat.

Fuel:

Vegetables!!! I try to eat five to seven servings of vegetables (preferably the green kind) every day. Eating a variety of plant-based foods energizes me and strengthens my gut, which allows me to indulge from time to time without feeling horrible or guilty. I also make sure to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night. Good quality sleep should not be underestimated!

Strength training:

I’m obsessed with modelFit in New York, LA, and online when I travel. I also love the Lagree Fitness method. I am generally a better person when I’m doing yoga a few times a week. Sky Ting Yoga in Williamsburg is my jam.

Beauty from the Inside Out:

When you feel good, you look good. Full stop. Eating high quality, nutrient dense foods is immensely important for your energy levels, gut, skin and general wellbeing. Most of the ingredients you hear about when it comes to beauty—like collagen and retinol—are actually found in foods and/or can be synthesized in the body when it is well nourished and functioning properly.

Current favorite smoothie:

I like to start my day with protein, fiber, fat and greens. Not only does that keep me full and satisfied until lunch, but it also provides a ton of nutrition and starting the day with a low sugar meal helps to mitigate cravings. There is a smoothie at Kreation in LA that I’ve been copying for years now. It’s so refreshing, hydrating and satisfying, especially during warmer months.

Blend all ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth:

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder
• 1 handful spinach
• 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled
• 1 tbsp almond butter
• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup almond milk

Vice:

Wine! I especially love natural wine and just discovered Dry Farm Wines, a health focused wine membership out of Napa. Their wines are amazing, and of course, I love that they use organic grapes and have no additives.

Beauty obsessions:

Over the past few years I have switched completely to non-toxic beauty products. For skin care, I’m obsessed with Linné Botanicals. For makeup, I’m a big fan of Juice Beauty, Kosas Cosmetics, Ilia and Maya Chia.

Mantra:

Be generous. If you can help someone, do it.