Celebrated nutrition expert, trainer and author, Dan DeFigio has dedicated his life to educating his clients on how to eat and live healthier. As the bestselling author of Beating Sugar Addiction for Dummies (BeatingSugarAddiction.com) Dan has been featured on CNN’s Fit Nation, The Dr. Phil Show, Muscle & Fitness, SELF Magazine, VeryWell.com and a host of other media outlets.

Dan is incredibly knowledgeable about the connection between stress eating and sugar addiction and has helped thousands break this cycle. I’ve read his book—ahem, life changing— and I’ve had the good fortune to get to know Dan. It is evident to me how passionate he is about helping people, but also offering a refreshingly easy and understandable approach to a healthier mindset change. That is why it didn’t surprise me that he would graciously take time out of his busy schedule to answer our questions, share his valuable expertise and explain how his book can uplift positive change in our lives.

What is your day job? I’m in the wellness field. I own a fitness and nutrition service company in Nashville call Getting Fit. and I do private nutrition coaching for stress eaters and sugar addicts under the Beating Sugar brand.

Did you always want to be an author? I have been a voracious reader all my life, and I think that helps make one a better writer. People say I’m a good teacher, so writing is a great way to help and teach people on a wide scale.

What is your most recent book and what inspired you to write it? I am finishing Stress Eating: The Best Advice You Never Heard. One of the consistent things I hear from coaching clients is “Man, I wish someone would have told me this years ago!” So, I’m taking some of my coaching notes, emails, and mindset videos that have turned people’s lives around and turning them into book form.

How do you hope your book uplifts those who read it? People struggle with food choices, self-care, stress management and healthy lifestyle habits. Everyone knows what they SHOULD do, but actually putting it into practice requires that you CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK. My goal is to help people do that, and overcome the despair, shame and frustration that comes from yo-yo dieting.

What are you most excited about with this book? Getting two years’ worth of coaching into someone’s hands so they can start the journey of changing how they think about eating. Delivering what they need to hear most!

How did writing a book help your business take off? My flagship book is Beating Sugar Addiction for Dummies. Since the Dummies brand is well-known, having that book under my belt opened a lot of doors to media appearances and interviews.

What advice would you give to someone wanting to succeed in your professional industry? In wellness, a high-quality provider will be a source of not only information, but inspiration, motivation, accountability and healing. You can be great for people if you consistently come from a place of service. Everyone is on their own journey, and no one method, approach or product is the end-all answer.

How do you handle setbacks and criticism in regard to your business and writing? One of my business coaches taught me that you know you’re doing well when you get your first hater. 🙂 I’m always open to criticism because I like to hear what people think. So, for me, receiving criticism is easy. Setbacks are harder. Standing out from the noise and the stress is very difficult. Getting people’s attention is hard enough, let alone getting them to take the first step in getting help.

How do you hold yourself accountable and achieve the goals that you set forth? I belong to several business coaching groups/masterminds, and I have worked with several coaches/mentors over the last four years.

What do you find most fulfilling in the career that you’ve chosen? Helping people heal and become their very best is about the most rewarding feeling I can imagine.

What book uplifts you? I’ve been adding Native American studies and methods to my toolbox lately, so right now The Lakota Way and Seven Arrows are giving me plenty of uplifting spiritual work.

Anything else you’d like to share with your readers? Being honest and genuine must be the foundation of any platform or brand you’re trying to develop. For years I made the mistake of trying to craft my message according to what I was told people wanted/needed to hear. “Sales copy” is only good if it matches the real you.

Image Courtesy of Dan DeFigio