In 2009 clients at Rachelle Wood Nutrition lost over 18 000 pounds! Yes indeed, PEI is floating higher above sea level.  Better yet, over the past 5 years my nutritional consulting practice has helped Prince Edward Islanders lose over 50 000 pounds (and counting).  From Alberton to Souris and all points inbetween, Islanders have been sheding major amounts of weight.  Through making simple dietary and lifestyle changes, with many reaching a healthy body weight and optiomal health and wellness.

As a Holistic Nutritionist and Small Business Owner, I take great pride in improving the health and wellness of fellow Islanders. From workplace Lunch and Learn sessions, to 6 week group Weight Loss Challenges, to CSNN classrooms across Canada I have helped to share my knowledge and expertise with so many wonderful people.  Blogging and social networking sites have opened my eyes to some of the world’s healthing living online communities. For my year in review for 2009 I would especially like to thank those who I met for the first time wether in person or online.

This year I welcomed to my staff Registered Holistic Nutritionist Susan Foster (April 2009) and Suzanne Friolet (September 2009).  Susan is also a graduate of the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition, Halifax campus.  She had battled weight issues most of her life and now enjoys educating clients who to achieve a healthy weight loss. Susan enjoys writing blog posts and shares a comical writing style. Suzanne is a Quantum Leap Certified Life Coach who works in the Summerside location on Tuesdays with me. Suzanne loves to research health and wellness and enjoys empowering others to make simple changes to improve quality of life. She is a mother of 2 children.

In January 2009 Mary MacKay from he Guardian newspaper, Charlottetown PEI, wrote an article about me and my company. You see, I’ve lost 100 pounds from my heaviest weight.  I quess you could say I was my very first client. This puts a personal spin on my consulting services, and in all honesty was the reason behind me studying at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in 2001.  The story was picked up by the Canadian Press and was printed in 12 newspapers from BC- NS. I began getting fan mail from all across the country from people who were motivated by my story to lose weight and/or study nutrition.  The story was even picked up by a USA newspaper chain and printed in NY and California.

Although I keep to a very tight scheudal (with many trips to the mainland for work) I try to give back to them community whenever I can. I volunteer to speak for the Charlottetown Overeaters Anonymous Chapter once per month and enjoy educating them about nutrition. This year I hosted a Client Celebrity Weight Loss Challenge where we raised money for a local charity, The PEI Humane Society. I also hosted an in office food drive last winter and donated over 100 pounds of food to families in need.

My biggest accomplishment of 2009 was winning the PEI Business Women’s Associations Emerging Business Award in May.  This was the first year for the awards, so winning the very first one is such an honour and a privilage. My kind hearted health inspiring clients make the 80 hour work weeks much more tollerable. I feel a great sense of accomplishment and personal satisfaction through helping them and others. 

During the spring 2009 aside from my busy nutritional consulting practice I began teaching at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition in Moncton, NB.  My courses of instruction were, “Business Mastery”, and “The Body Mind Spirit Connection”.   How ironic, Nutrition, Business and Spirituality are 3 of my favorite things! In the fall I went on a CSNN Ontario tour, which had me teaching workshops at the Ottawa and Toronto locations. 

I spent 4 weeks in Ontario this year, and attended many nutritional conferences and schedualed meetings. One of my most memorable was the CSNNAA Holistic Nutrition Conference in May 2009 where I was a booth exhibitor.  I also enjoyed attending the Whole Life Expo in November 2009.  In Spetember 2009, I was voted in as the Maritime Representative for the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition Nutrition Alumni. This position requires me to represent the voice of Eastern Canada within my profession. 

My office locations changed throughout the year. After much consideration, in August 2009 I closed my Souris office. It seems that traveling across the Link was taking a tole on me and I was getting exhausted. Many of my Souris clients come to see me on, “town days as long as the weather is good”.  I enjoy everyone of them and am from eastern PEI as well, (Tarantum to be exact with is just before Fort Augustus). With Suzannes help in September I opened a Summerside office location first within Atlantis Health Spa but within 2 months switched locations to the Vibe Health and Wellness. I am very happy in the new location and enjoy working with Carol, Shawn and Amanda so much on Tuesdays.

My biggest challenge this year was balancing an 80+ hour work week with living a healthy lifestyle. From January 2009 I made exercise a huge priorityand included many forms of activity throughout the year.  I worked out at the gym and was faithful to Ufit this fall. In the summer I road my mountain bike across the many rails to trails in PEI as well as in the Bay of Fundy.  I spent 2 days kayakying and camping in St Margrets Bay, NS (no blackberry allowed), and now this winter am hooked on spin class at MacQueens indoor cycling studio.  Another great workout in Charlottetown is kettlebell training with Wendy at the Whole Way.  I’ve only tried it once but loved it, and will work it into my 2010 exercise schedual, I promise.

Time management is the glue that sticks my agenda together.  Though sometimes a little sleep deprived, I actively live as an example for my clients and should you say practice what I preech. My clients motivate me as much as I to them. For that I am truly blessed.  My secret is my memory, my clients will tell you, and “she never forgets anything and can even remember what I ate last week.”  

What does the future hold for me and my company? Online development and world wide nutritional education by creating online software for my successful customized weight loss program. In January 2010 you will be able to lose weight with me online by subscription. I am so excited to launch this next stage of development for my company and look forward to working with the online community. In 2010 Rachelle Wood Nutrition will begin changing the way the entire world eats!

So 2009 was a year to remember in more ways than one! My New Years promise is to continue following my own personal mission statement taken from my website bio, 

Rachelle's Mission Statement: To share my knowledge and passion for natural nutrition by inspiring my clients to achieve a healthy body weight and lifestyle. To act as a role model and continue my own health journey through education and clinical experience.


Yours in good health and whole hearted holistic happiness,



Rachelle Wood, Registered Holistic Nutritionist
CEO and company founder of Rachelle Wood Nutrition Inc.