Pri Pri's Journey: Food Nutrition

Hey guys, it's Pri Pri! Today, I'm here to talk to you about my journey of starting That NutriGenius. So, as the founder, I get asked so many questions about the website. How did your team meet? When did you start the blog? What inspired you to teach others? That last question is one that I especially love answering because there is such an amazing story behind it.

That NutriGenius is a website that was created for the sole purpose of teaching people about nutrition. However, nutrition can mean different things to different people. When you think of nutrition, you think of food that nourishes the body. When I think of nutrition, I think of that good stuff that not only makes you feel good, but look good! From skin and food nutrition, I wanted to bring the best of both worlds, because these aspects have played such important roles in my life.

But, I can't just sum it up in one go. Food nutrition and skin nutrition have impacted my life in different ways, so it's only fair that they each get a moment in the spotlight. Today, I'm here to talk about my journey into food nutrition. How it influenced me throughout the years and still continues to play a big part in my life.

Childhood

When I was a kid, I never even thought of nutrition, much less heard of the word. See, my parents were both immigrants when they came to the United States, so even after I was born, they were still adjusting to the change. For lack of better wording, I grew up kind of... poor. Since both my parents continuously worked to make a living, they were always busy. Don't get me wrong here. They made it a priority to spend as much time as they could with their child.

When I mean busy, I mean that their minds were preoccupied with other things. Bills, taxes, loans... adult stuff. So, out of all those matters, nutrition wasn't up on the list, specifically food nutrition. And... it honestly showed in my lifestyle. In the morning, before school, I would eat some bread and butter for breakfast. Almost every day after school, one of my parents would take me to chow down on some fast food. You know... nuggets from McDonalds, burritos from Taco Bell, or burgers from Jack-in-the-Box.

Of course, as a foodie, I just needed something tasty to eat and fast food usually did the trick. However, over time, the consequences of bad eating began to show. As well as gaining an unhealthy amount of weight, I also took on a few health issues. As I went through elementary school, other kids made small comments that I never registered in my mind. I lived in my own world, completely unaware of what they were even saying. Little did I know, as you grow up, these comments can begin to take a toll on you.

Teen Years

I think I was 11 years old when my family moved. My dad had begun a business with his brothers, which was becoming more successful over time. So, of course, we had gone to a new city to be closer to them.

And... a new city for me meant a new school. That's right. I was officially starting middle school. It was already nerve-wracking to be a new student, but to be a new student in a place where you knew no one... that felt much worse. When I walked in on the first day, I immediately became self-conscious. As I saw other girls wearing crop tops and low-waist jeans, I became MUCH more aware of my body. Oof. But, not as much as I was in high school.

It was like entering a different dimension. A bigger campus, new faces, and... more of me being self-conscious. Was my shirt too tight? Do my thighs look too big? Why does her body look so much different than mine? As I would walk the halls as a freshman, I tried to hide my face and stay to the side. All those comments that I heard from the past came crashing down. Seeing as our lifestyle changed drastically, I was even encouraged by my family to eat healthier and lose weight.

One day out of the blue, that's what I decided to do. However, I definitely didn't go about it the right way. I completely RUINED my relationship with food, all through the heavy restriction of carbs and sugar and anything considered "unhealthy". Over 5 months, I did lose the weight that I wanted. I was happy... but also not happy. I felt physically weak and a bit on edge. Anytime I thought of eating a snack or yummy treat, I panicked and enforced more restrictions. It was a loop that kept repeating itself.

I knew I didn't want to do this forever. I definitely couldn't keep it that way. So, I began to do what anyone in my situation would do, tackle the root of the problem. I watched and listened to the lectures of famous nutritionists and dietitians. I learned about restriction and balance, proper diets, the numerous benefits of eating healthy, and so much more. As I began incorporating these things into my life, everything changed. My relationship with food was better and I was healthier than I had ever been!

Now

Fast forward to today, I'm an even bigger nutrition fanatic! I have the greatest team of NutriGeniuses with me. They are all amazing people who stuck by me with every step I took! Our whole team met during our time at university. We were in different majors but had the same elective course in nutrition. For our final project, we were asked to make some sort of collection piece to display the talents of everyone in our chosen groups.

Little did we know, that those last few weeks would be life-changing. I remember when I shared the idea of a blog I started in my senior year of high school, and the others had taken a liking to that idea. After a lot of work and effort, we created a blog that showcased our knowledge of nutrition.

Now, along with my team of NutriGeniuses, I get to teach people about all aspects of nutrition. I get to help people change their lives for the better. This truly is the greatest joy that comes from That NutriGenius.