“I was first interested in working with Carmen because I had a general appreciation for the importance of health and wellbeing – but I had very little knowledge of my nutrition needs, what foods were good sources of my body’s required nutrition and whether I was taking care of my wellbeing holistically. Basically I had a lot of feelings about the importance of health and wellbeing, but very little facts, informed guidelines or practical approaches. In addition, I often ate as a reaction to stress or to “reward” myself when I needed a break – and of course in those moments I was not making healthy selections.
I worked with Carmen for 6 months and in this time I deepened my knowledge and appreciation of my body’s needs. The exercises and assignments we did provided a way to observe my body’s unique response to foods and eating habits and be present to what works for me and what doesn’t. One assignment I still implement is starting each day with a full glass of water – I observed that my body really benefited from this early morning hydration and I still do it, one year later. We also did exercises that explored my personality which provided context to allow myself to rest and enjoy quiet time as a source of primary nutrition.
At the end of the 6 months, I had completely expanded my interpretation of health and wellbeing, seeing all areas of life (physical activity, social time and quiet time) as a source of nourishment and replenishment. In particular, I developed a better appreciation for food as nourishment and energy – which created better eating choices. Even one year later, I rarely find myself eating as a reaction to stress. Carmen provided recommendations for great snack food options too!
As a Health & Nutrition Coach, Carmen was interested, thoughtful and understanding of my personal goals, she provided a great service and real results. Her suggestions were practical, interesting, flexible and responsive to my personal interests. I would recommend Carmen to anyone looking to really explore their personal health and also for coaching in how to easily make their wellbeing a priority in a busy, fast-paced DC lifestyle!
Michelle
North Bethesda, MD
October 2011
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“After meeting with Carmen once every two weeks for six months, the benefits and results were amazing: I lost a significant amount of weight and I lowered my blood pressure and cholesterol, but most of all, I became much more educated about nutrition and health in general. I not only feel better, but have a more positive and better outlook on life.
The sessions were tailored towards my needs and concerns, and at the same time Carmen got her points across. Unlike other programs, now I am able to incorporate what I learned into my everyday lifestyle. I highly recommend Carmen to anyone who simply wants to feel better physically and emotionally!"
MS
Rockville, MD
June 2011
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“After working with Carmen we have continued to use everything we learned throughout our 6 month program. The range of foods that Carmen introduced us to was eye opening. We now eat food with an increased knowledge of them and their effect on our health and wellbeing.
We continue to cook very healthy by using more dark leafy greens; we knew about kale, quinoa and various fruits but never learned how to cook and utilize them properly, now we are able to use them every day. Carmen also showed us how to read nutrition and ingredient labels. We now live a healthier and happy lifestyle and we can thank Carmen for educating us about various foods”.
Andrew & Cristiane
Chevy Chase, MD
June 2011
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"Throughout Carmen’s three month program I experienced great changes. My eating habits improved dramatically and little by little I established an exercise routine that was comfortable for me. I now eat a lot more vegetables and that has made a huge impact in my health, overcoming the constipation I used to suffer from. I now cook often, I feel healthier and happier, and am able to implement at home with my family the concepts learned from Carmen.
She is wonderful as a Health & Nutrition Coach and as a person. She always listened and dug deeper in order to answer my questions and concerns, and encouraged me to find new perspectives for the different situations in my life, and to always remain positive. More than a Coach, she has become a friend".
Sandy
Silver Spring, MD
August 2011
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"While working with Carmen I really found it helpful to have someone that held me accountable by taking an objective look at my diet and lifestyle and by following-up with me on a bi-weekly basis in order to give me concrete step-by-step suggestions for improvement.
Throughout the program Carmen realized that I would benefit from a more personalized approach and she took the time to take me on a guided tour to the health food store to teach me how to shop for healthy foods, how to read labels, etc. She also noticed my reluctance to cook certain vegetables that I was unfamiliar with and did a dark leafy green cooking demonstration for me, to show me how simple it can be"
MM
Silver Spring, MD
December 2010
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"After beginning yet another diet on my own, I resolved to sign up for Carmen's six-month program, which I started in January 2009, to learn about nutrition. I was motivated to improve my diet for weight and cholesterol reasons, but what I learned has been long-lasting and much more all-encompassing.
Carmen's approach is holistic, covering much more than just food. She first looked at my eating habits to determine where to begin, and regularly followed up and asked questions to plan what to cover next. She introduced me to grains and seasonings I'd never heard of before, and got me to start eating a larger variety of vegetables. Beyond diet, what I enjoyed learning about most included food energetics, primary food, personality types (Myers Briggs), and the benefits of journaling. Primary food is what feeds your soul, your passions, your desire to live fully. Being more aware of my primary foods helps me eat better, as does investigating causes of food cravings. Carmen helped me to see how it's all related. Throughout our wide-ranging discussions, Carmen was always professional and considerate. I appreciate the way she listened with understanding and without judgment.
I made major changes to my eating habits which have stuck, mostly because of Carmen's encouragement and the gradual way in which she introduced new topics and followed up over the months. I am finding it easier to make further changes now because of the good habits I started with Carmen".
LMV
Arlington, VA
July 2010
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"I thought I ate healthy but I was far from it, and if it wasn't for Carmen and her six-month program I would probably be undergoing chemotherapy right now. After refusing to embark on the usual treatment I understood I needed to make changes that would allow me to fight my cancer in a more natural way.
Shortly after this I met Carmen and learned about her work, and it made me realize that with the right level of support I could fight this battle by slowly implementing changes not only in my diet, but in my overall lifestyle. I decided to sign-up for her program and finished it months ago; I can say that it taught me how to take care of myself and my health by helping me discover the foods and activities that really worked for me.
Now I am much more aware as to the “what”, the “why” and the “how” when it comes to food and to the different activities in my life, I am able to make better choices because now I understand how the different foods work once they are in my system, and I understand how certain lifestyle options impact my wellbeing, either positively or negatively - my choice! I now know what is beneficial for me, what isn’t, and why.
I want to thank Carmen for what she does, for her dedication and patience throughout the program, and for the difference she’s made in my everyday life. I cannot only say that all those vegetables are working, but can also say that I am currently cancer-free! Her programs do work and the concepts learned stay with you for life".
Fatima Almeida
Rockville, MD
December 2009
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"I used to never go out without making sure I had a bottle of pain killers in my purse, whether for headaches, migraines, or for stress related muscle aches - I always carried some with me. Pain was part of my everyday life. Today I can say that it’s been a long time since I had to concern myself with that; I don’t make a point of taking any with me, nor do I buy pain killers anymore.
Today I can say that my quality of life has improved 100%. My headaches and migraines have completely disappeared. Through Carmen’s program, combined with her patience and dedication, I have learned that there is a close relationship between what I eat and the way I feel, and that ultimately, I am the one in control of how I feel. Not only that, but what I learned through Carmen’s program is information that I apply today with my entire family, and not just on myself.
Now I feel pride when I go food shopping, I enjoy looking at my cart and noticing that these days I buy ítems that I used to categorize as expensive, or more expensive than the ones I used to buy - it is quite clear to me now that what I do today is a very important kind of investment as I now invest in my health and well-being, and that of my family’s. In fact, if you look at it from a financial perspective, I am actually saving because with our new lifestyle we don’t need to go see a doctor as often, nor do we rely on medicine to feel better.
I am very happy with the changes we have implemented, with our new lifestyle, and to know that what encourages me to maintain these new habits is the fact that I feel good and healthy, makes it even better!"
Cecilia O.
Oklahoma City, OK
August 2009
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"Carmen's program provided an opportunity to review my existing eating habits and how those habits reflected upon my health goals. Carmen was kind and informative, and now I am actually cooking for myself, choosing organics, and my nutrition is improving as a result".
David Rich
Alexandria, VA
April 2009
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"While attending a fund raiser in DC I happened upon a free consultation invitation. Tried and true this experience -changed my life-.
The words holistic and organic rang a bell for me from her brochure. Western medicine was not working to resolve my mounting physical problems. What was the source of those problems if medicine was not healing me? I had gone blind in my right eye, my blood pressure was up, my stamina down, fatigue, loss of sleep, disorderly digestion, reflux, etc., and losing interest in life, confidence down, skin appearing haggard and old.
Fortunately for me I contacted CARMEN UGAS this summer for nutrition and weight loss counseling. Throughout my lifetime, I have tried many different ways to lose weight and have always failed despite my active ballet career. Through Carmen's program I learned how to understand the food I was consuming and how my body type works with various food groups.
Carmen did not restrict my eating habits but instructed me on how to read labels and introduce healthier items into my diet. She provided me with healthier alternatives, even when choosing chocolate! Carmen taught me which foods encourage a healthier lifestyle and healthier living. I already had a rigorous ballet schedule that constituted my exercise routine.
Through Carmen's program I stopped thinking about weight loss and began thinking that I was learning to change my life. Key words are -changing my life-. I was able to reduce my blood pressure, I am off my anxiety medication, I sleep soundly every night, I experience no reflux or intestinal disturbances, my stamina has increased, my social life has vastly improved because I have the energy to do things, I am even regaining vision and my skin glistens. All because I changed how I eat!
To date, I am pleased to say that I have lost body fat weight and continue to lose more. Improving my artist line is necessary for dance. I truly do not believe I would have learned everything I did and feel so good about reaching my goals without Carmen and her program. She is an erudite professional with a compassion and dedication to someone as artistically inclined as myself".
Cameron Sheilds
Arlington, VA
December 2008