Courtney Ross
Moxie Fitness, Founder
Functional Medicine PractitionerACE Certified Personal Trainer
ACE Certified Health Coach
Advanced Sports and Exercise Nutrition Advisor
AASDN Certified Nutrition Specialist
NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist
Gluten Free Society Tier 1 Certified
AFAA Certified Group Fitness Instructor
Functional Aging Certificate
TRX Certified Trainer
Cleveland, Ohio
Brief Introduction/Tell Us About yourself (where you are from, etc)
I have been a Clevelander all my life. I was a pretty sickly kid. Knowing what I do now, I understand why. My background was in modeling. That was my life in most of my 20’s. I worked for clients ranging from Victoria’s Secret to Fisher Price. I also have about 25 years of runway experience at this point. I still do some modeling on the side. I live in a commercial market so there is still work for someone my age. And I wanted to have longevity in that field so I knew I had to take care of myself. That and having some minor surgery that forced me to be sedentary, started my fitness journey. I really love to learn about the body so I dove into nutrition. Food is medicine, food is fuel. I had a relationship with someone who had mental health issues and my desire to help him started my journey into functional medicine. That was done out of love. The more I learned the more fascinated I became and I couldn’t get enough.
Why made you pursue a career in nutrition?
Wanting to be healthy and be able to extend my modeling career and help my clients overcome their weight issues.
How did you become passionate about healthy eating?
It really wasn’t hard if you know what is being done to our food supply. Seeing the additives and preservatives and the pesticides and what they do to the body can make anyone want to make better choices.
What kind of training did you undergo / certification you received?
My certifications are above. Some were really difficult. It is a lot more than just calories. Food is what fuels the body and what is good for one body isn’t necessarily good for another. However food can truly help the body heal if you make the right choices. It is pretty amazing.
What do people look for in a nutritionist or dietician?
Honestly, I don’t think most people know what to look for. So many will just leave with a meal plan that sticks to a certain number of calories. That is fine if you have bad habits that need to be eliminated. You will see some results but what if you have a parasite infection, mold toxicity or something along those lines? Calorie restriction is not going to cut it. So many people simply don’t know where to start though and getting a good education from a professional is invaluable.
How has your approach to nutrition changed over the years?
I’ve been doing this a long time. When I started, it was the “thing” to eat 6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism going. Now we know that isn’t necessarily the best approach. In fact, it’s not for the vast majority of people. That is a big part of what I love. The science keeps changing and evolving.
What do you eat in a typical day?
I typically don’t eat breakfast. I intermittent fast. I lift in the morning, fasted. Sometimes I don’t eat until about noon, but I listen to my body to see what it needs. Then I always keep organic veggies prepped and ready. Never been a huge vegetable fan so if they aren’t convenient, I won’t bother. Now, I grab some roasted broccoli from the fridge and snack on it cold. I only eat grass fed beef. I also always have organic fruit on hand. I do love fruit so there are always a few types of berries and apples etc. I really don’t eat bread because I won’t eat GMO grains if I have a choice. Same with corn. I eat pretty simple food. Just want the quality to be good. My downfall is sweets. I like to bake and will modify recipes to make them healthier where I can.
What’s the easiest thing to correct nutrition-wise?
Eliminating the bad stuff. Just take it out of the diet.
What are the five best foods to incorporate into your diet?
Organic fruits and vegetables, organic eggs and dairy (if you eat it) and grass fed or organic lean meats and good fats.
What’s one change that a person can make to their nutrition that will get them the best results?
Stop drinking your calories. Even many smoothies. You get more from eating the whole food if you can swing it. You get the fiber and other nutrients that get discarded.
What nutrition trends are you paying attention to?
Keto is pretty hot right now. A lot of people are asking about Keto.
Plant based living is becoming more and more popular. When eating a mostly plant based / vegetarian diet, are there certain foods to focus on to make sure we’re getting enough nutrients and protein?
Lentil, beans and nuts/seeds. Some people don’t do well with legumes but if you can, eat them. Soy also. It has been vilified but should not have been if it is non-GMO/organic.
Speaking of plant based, what are some of the benefits of drinking chlorophyll water?
Chlorophyll is said to have anti inflammatory properties. Also it can aid in gut health, wound healing, immune support and blood detoxification.
What’s one of your favorite organic/natural supplements or vitamins you recommend?
Hmmm, one of the most universally helpful is liposomal glutathione. It is the body’s master antioxidant. There are quite a few that I use. Just depends on the goal.
Any favorite health / nutrition podcasts or books you recommend to our readers?
Dr Mark Hyman has a few good podcasts. Definitely worth listening to.
Where can our readers find you? (Instagram, Facebook, etc).
Instagram @_moxie_fitness_cle
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/moxiefitnessohiollc/
Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/pwloss/
