Inspired by her 101-year-old grandma's proverb, "Health is #1", Michelle Sugiyama engages, inspires, and empowers people to put themselves and their health first. For over 18 years, Michelle has been bridging the gap between “knowing you should be healthy and actually doing it”. With empathy, positivity, and personalized strategies, she is dedicated to helping others strive towards their best self for optimum productivity, health, and happiness. While science-based, she gives simple, effective, and practical tools to enjoy long lasting vitality and well-being in the areas of weight loss, nutrition, stress, exercise, and disease prevention.While Michelle is a mindful eating expert, the Founder of Mindful Eating, a National Board Certified-Master Certified Health Coach, Nutritional Chef, International Speaker, and Bestselling International Author, she did not begin her career in wellness. She received a M.S. in Chemistry and then quit corporate America after ten years. She graduated from Le Cordon Bleu and founded a personal chef company so families could eat healthy food around their own dinner table. She went back into corporate America as the highlight of numerous employee wellness programs with captivating workshops, webinars, and culinary demonstrations.As a health and wellness coach, Michelle builds strong relationships with empathy, listening, and collaboration to understand her client's unique needs. These qualities empowers them to make personal, practical, and effective choices to truly enjoy the golden half of life. From her own personal experience with an eating disorder, being too tired to exercise, feeling frustrated, out of control, and unhappy, she realized that her lifestyle would eventually kill her. After finding self-compassion and putting her health first, Michelle started to share these lessons and began her journey as a health coach. She works with her client's to determine what skills and strategies best fit into their lifestyle and how to overcome obstacles for sustainable wellness.Due to shelter in place, going 100% virtual has allowed Michelle to make a positive impact around the world. At this unprecedented time, many people are scared, lonely, eating more, and moving less. In order to address the crisis, her seminars and individualized coaching helps participants rebuild health and nutrition skills.Michelle’s other inspiration is her 10-year-old adopted daughter, Mikaila. Michelle truly "walks the talk" to be a good role model and enjoy her Golden Years family and friends.