Hi, I’m the Calorista. I’m 34 years old, and Poptarts changed my life.  No, seriously!  I have always worked hard to eat right and exercise, but there in my cupboard sat the thing I considered my arch nemesis, the Poptart.  I kept trying to quit eating them cold-turkey, but that would always result in a shameful 2 am, whole-box Poptart fiasco.  I was spinning out of control on a Poptart sugar high.

If you've ever tried to completely deny yourself the thing you love, you know that it only makes you crave it more.  I finally realized that I shouldn’t cut Poptarts out of my life completely, but instead find the lowest calorie, most nutritious (yet still tasty) Poptart out there to eat in moderation. After all, my food affair with my beloved couldn't be denied.  It was only after learning how to find this important balance that I not only reached my target weight, but have maintained it for nearly 11 years now.

I believe that everyone has their own personal "food affair" (or two or three!), and that my Poptart experience applies to anyone who's every tried to lose weight or eat more healthfully. Let’s be honest, fad diets, food abstinence and quick fixes simply do not work.  In the end, people always end up going back to what they love.

That is why I created Calorista. I wanted to bring together those who love and celebrate food to share knowledge and help others manage their food affairs so they can eat the things they love and lose weight nutritiously and healthfully...for the long haul. 

Eating foods that are packed with nutrition is critical to maintaining a healthy weight.  These are the foods that will actually keep us feeling full while costing us a minimum of calories. This is why I prefer natural and organic foods - I have a hard time believing that filling our bodies with hydrogenated oils, High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) and artificial flavors, colors and sweeteners is really giving us the nutrients we need to be truly healthy and energized (not to mention making us feel MORE hungry).  I think the most important thing is to all be AWARE of what we are eating so that we can make smart choices and recognize and find the best options out there.  I've noticed that the more I pay attention to what's really in the bad foods, the less I eat them, and eventually, the less I crave them.  Magical, really. By making the right substitutions, we can all live healthfully, happily and literally have our cake (or Poptart) and eat it too!