Fans write to me often saying, “I eat when I’m bored. Can you help me stop?” And my answer is always, “Yes”! Bored eating (unlike stress-eating, which is a whole other issue) stems from a lack of passion. Without passion, it’s hard to feel true purpose – trust me, I know. I was there. So if you’re not sure what your true calling is or you can’t tell me, right now, in this minute, what your dreams are, I think the best thing you can possibly do for yourself is Give Back! It may sound trite, but in my experience, it’s true. For instance, if you’re having trouble making it to a gym, find a charity that has you running around or, in some way, burning calories. If you feel stuck in your job, try out a new industry, volunteering with a skill involved with your favorite hobby. And if you generally feel like others have it better, head down to a soup kitchen or local hospital for a bit of perspective. You have no idea what could result.

When it comes to charity, they always say the person giving ends up being rewarded even more than the one receiving. And I’m living proof! In fact, I can say, without a shadow of a doubt that I would never be living the life that I’m so blessed to live if I hadn’t signed up to help with so many causes. I never planned to be a chef. My career found me: When I first moved to Los Angeles, I didn’t know anyone, so I volunteered to help cater charity events (since cooking was the one thing I knew I was good at). That led to celebrities learning I could cook healthy food that actually tastes amazing! Next thing I knew, I was in culinary school, owning a catering business, and cooking for celebrities….and so much more. Who knew I was in for the ride (career) of a lifetime!  And then when motherhood seemed to be slipping away, I “took a chance”, hoping to help a foster child and, well, won the lottery when I was blessed with the most “PERFECT” baby girl I ever could have imagined.  I’m still constantly giving back – I’ve personally donated 1,500 copies of “The Most Decadent Diet Ever!” to a single event, served on the Advisory Board of the American Culinary Federation’s, Chef Child Foundation, traveled to speak on behalf of the Larry King Foundation and was most recently honored for my work with FirstStar.org. And I’m grateful for all of it.ion to travelling to speak on behalf of the Larry King Foundation. And I’m grateful for all of it.