Former financial advisor finds passion in nutrition counseling
For Chelsea resident and mother of two Monica Gobba, good nutrition and an active lifestyle are not only a way of life, they are also her business. After working for years as a financial advisor, she made what she describes as a “very natural transition” from counseling people on their financial health to counseling them on nutritional health.
From health issues to health coach
She started full-time with her business, Live in Balance, in 2018 after her own health issues with food intolerances led her on a path to find answers to her struggles and, ultimately, to getting certified as an integrative nutritional health coach so she could help others.
Her gut issues started when she was in her 20s, and prompted her to seek treatment from traditional medicine doctors who diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Despite the diagnosis, she was unable to find a workable solution to her problem until a trainer put her in contact with an integrative medicine doctor.
“Through an education process I started learning about myself and the next step was to get certified as a nutrition coach, just for my own knowledge,” Gobba explains. The year-long program taught her different nutritional approaches, about how to nourish the body, the daily requirements of vitamins, physical fitness and having a good mindset. When she started applying what she learned, eating more high quality foods, avoiding certain ingredients and paying attention to what was going into her body, her symptoms improved.
“Our body is like an ecosystem and when it’s working right and everything is in balance (which is where the name of my company came from) you really feel good.”
Family support
Her family, including her son, Spencer, 19, and daughter, Marlo, 10, were supportive. “As I was going through my training process,” Gobba said, “my son came up to me saying ‘I am really happy you’re doing this for yourself, but you’re also doing it for us too.’”
Gobba notes the important role family plays in taking a nutritional approach to one’s well-being.
“This is all about not just the one person. What ends up happening is when I consult the one person, that flows into whoever is in their immediate household. It is much easier process if the entire household is educated.”
Rethinking food at home and at the store
Gobba meets one on one with her clients, talking to them about their nutritional lifestyle goals, including any dietary restrictions or allergies.
Some of her meetings include a tour of the client’s pantry or tour of the local market where Gobba explains the attributes of organic fruits and vegetables, quality ingredients and she also helps clients decipher food labels. She provides private cooking lessons, highlighting local and seasonal food ingredients, offering tips and recipes.
“Food is a pretty powerful entity in our life,” Gobba says. “Once you can master that and have control, it leads to feeling good, to being more active and more physical and stimulating the brain.”
Gobba said she is happy her health journey has led to her current career. “What I do is not work, it’s fun and really enjoyable. I get to spend my time in farmer’s markets, cooking delicious food and talking to wonderful people while making a difference in their world and in mine. If there’s a dream out there, go for it because it’s waiting for you.”
For more infio, call 313-550-4693 or email mgobbalib@gmail.com.
Q&A with Monica Gobba
Favorite activity in the Chelsea/Ann Arbor area for staying physically fit?
Walking or jogging.
Favorite go-to restaurant for a quick, healthy bite to eat?
The Common Grill in Chelsea. They easily accommodate my dietary restrictions.
Comfort foods you like to make and where you like to get your ingredients?
Homemade soups/broths. Plum Market, Whole Foods Market, farmer’s markets and now Agricole Farm Stop.
Favorite fall family activity in the area?
Biking and walking. You can’t beat the beautiful trails we are so lucky to have nearby.
