No one was surprised when Andrea Beazley announced she had quit her job to start her own business.

She had worked in fashion for years but all she seemed to talk about was nutrition. Good Health Girl seemed a perfect fit.

“People saw the passion I had for nutrition and how much I had always loved it,” Ms Beazley said.

“I had been reading nutrition books throughout my career. It was a very weird habit; I’m always reading magazines and journals and all of that.

“Everyone knew that was eventually the plan — to start my own nutrition business — so they were all expecting it and very excited for me.”

She followed her Bermudian husband, Daryl Fubler, to the Island from Nova Scotia, Canada, nine years ago. He has since been the “guinea pig” for her food trials.

“He drinks my green smoothies every morning and eats all my meals,” Ms Beazley said. “I tend to introduce lots of new foods that he hasn’t eaten or tried; most of the time it’s successful.

“He lets me get away with throwing the quinoa and vegetables into stuff.”

The 37-year-old first noticed the positive effects of eating whole, unrefined foods when she was in high school.

“As soon as I started eating junk and processed foods, for even just a few days, I didn’t feel the same way as I did when I was eating more vegetables,” she said. “I always wanted to get right back on track. I wanted to reach for the salad or smoothies.

“I like to cook a lot and buy local and organic produce, but it does take a little more creativity when cooking with lots of vegetables. It’s easy to throw a piece of chicken breast on something, but when you’re trying to turn portobello mushrooms and vegetables into a hearty meal, it’s more of a challenge.”

Vegetables and whole grains are the focus of her plates; meats are a side dish.

When done right, meals become less expensive, she said.

“Turning to a more plant-based diet can be affordable. One of the biggest misconceptions about healthy eating is that it’s too expensive.

“You don’t have to buy everything organic. You can pick and choose which vegetables and fruits to go organic with, and that can help with your budget.

“It’s also helpful if you do more meal planning. It’s more manageable, especially if you have a family. You just cook everything in bigger batches and make extra leftovers for lunch.”

Salads with boiled eggs are her diet staples, along with lots of vegetables, nuts and olive oil; anything with avocado tops her list of favourites.

At this time of year she loves lentils and vegetable soups to help “power up through the day”.

Ms Beazley qualified as a registered holistic nutritionist with the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in 2011; soon after she was certified as a wellness coach.

She began offering one-on-one coaching sessions and group workshops this week.

Her goal is to teach people how to make healthier food choices that will eventually change their lifestyles.

“It’s not about cutting out foods or making foods the bad guy, but it’s about counselling and leaning towards healthy options more often,” she said.

“Once that becomes part of your life you notice you are more vibrant, healthy and energetic.

“It’s not about a drastic overhaul of their lives. We talk about making a few little changes to their daily routines that can go a long way.

“We also set goals and I become their accountability partner in making those a reality.”

“I’m hoping to present people with something that isn’t so structured but more education-based, so they can make the best decisions for their life.

“I’m ready to work with people and help them reach their goals.”

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