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By Alexandra Catalano, Buzzworthy Blogs

My name is Alexandra Catalano and I am a certified health consultant, keynote speaker and creator of the popular lifestyle brand Eat Cute, which provides nutritional counseling, exercise and diet plans, cute eats, eco-chic tips and a whole lot of love and laughter. As a young teen, there was always something I longed for: beautiful hair, soft clear skin and a lean toned body. I tried every diet there was: low carb, high protein, low fat, the lemonade diet, the master cleanse and many more. It was hard because there were so many hot new diets with conflicting philosophies. It seemed impossible to keep up and to know what was true and what was just a trend.

In college, I saw the desperation for health grow even stronger, especially among my sorority sisters. I saw hundreds of students put on massive amounts of weight just in the first few months of college. I would watch friends struggle with their weight and look too unhealthy and even in some cases, use dangerous methods to shed pounds. Nutrition was always serious and strict. Dieting was never a fun process and was often painful. I felt tired and hungry most of the time and had dark circles under my eyes. I kept thinking, “Why is this so hard?” It had to be simpler… and it was!

After college I discovered how truly passionate I was about health and began reading tons of books on holistic nutrition. I liked the idea of healing and nourishing your body with food! I then continued my education at The Institute of Integrative Nutrition where I learned over 100 dietary theories and took workshops all over Los Angeles. Then my whole life changed. I used food as my medicine. I had energy, my hair was shiny and I was effortlessly lean, while still being able to eat and enjoy food. And thus began my journey to creating Eat Cute.

It became my passion project to help college students learn how to get proper nutrition and take better care of their bodies. College is one of the most thrilling times of a young adult’s life. It is the first time students make choices about the foods they eat and the substances they put into their bodies. Some of these decisions can become overwhelming and frustrating at times. Although college is the perfect setting for self-discovery, it can also be a place where nutrition takes a back seat to getting good grades and fitting in. These poor eating habits can drastically impact a person beyond college and are often carried into adult life. Through my lectures and presentations at college campuses, I found students to be intelligent, compassionate, and talented individuals who possess tremendous potential to change the world. Unfortunately, the importance of nutrition is not taught in college. As a college graduate, I understood the nature of those social pressures and wanted to do something about it.

I created the Eat Cute brand with the goal of providing nutritional counseling, diet and exercise plans, healthy recipes, eco-chic tips and a whole lot of love! My latest book, From Beer Bongs To Broccoli – The College Kid’s Guide To Health and Wellness, was written in a humorous, but truthful way to capture the attention of today’s college student. My book will educate them with practical action steps that promote conscious decision-making when it comes to food. If students were taught the proper way to love and respect their bodies, they might also begin to show love and respect towards others, as well as the environment.

Once I wrote my book and established my brand, I was ready for more! When I saw the audition notice for Supermarket Superstar, a new series hosted by Stacy Kiebler and the legendary Mrs. Fields as part of the exciting panel of judges, I knew I had to try out. One of the best ways I could get people to eat better and spread my Eat Cute health movement was to create a healthy product that would enable people with busy schedules to enjoy healthy organic and vitamin rich foods. With my product I intended to create an online community where they could share and support one another. This would be a perfect way to impact change and start my movement on a macro level!

I went to the open call. There were hundreds of people there pitching their products. Not only where there hundreds of people auditioning that day, they were also holding auditions all over the United States. I knew it would be impossible, but I went with my product and my pitch for my brand! At the audition it was crazy to see how many people just like myself all had products and dreams of being on supermarket shelves. I was one of the last people to pitch my product. As I was pitching they were actually starting to pack up the room. I didn’t even think anyone was listening. Nevertheless, I continued with my pitch with energy and conviction because I truly believe in Eat Cute, my product and my book.

I think that is the most important part of my whole journey. I believe so deeply and passionately in what I am doing that nothing can stop me. I love Eat Cute and know that it can change others lives just as it has changed mine. I believe that if everyone changed their diet, they would have the energy, clarity of mind and heart to follow their dreams and that is what Eat Cute is all about.

Stop Dieting… Start Eating Cute!

Alexandra Catalano is the creator of the Eat Cute brand, author of “From Beer Bongs to Broccoli: The College Kids Guide to Health and Wellness” and contestant on Supermarket Superstar on Lifetime Network.

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