Today we’d like to introduce you to Samantha Hua.
Samantha, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I used to be a field biologist, traveling the world surveying wild animals. Nutrition was just an interest. Each time I came home from my travels, I noticed my family gaining weight and diagnosed with type II diabetes, cancer, thyroid disease, etc. I saw the struggles that people have with food, weight, and constantly being on a diet. These diets seem demeaning and miserable to me. There must be a better way to be healthy and not torture ourselves!
With a background in biology and getting certified as a health coach, that’s when I started Happy Food. I wanted to help people enjoy food, get well, and transform their confidence because let’s face it…when we are uncomfortable in our bodies, not much good comes from that. It’s so rewarding to help people take the shackles off from torturous diets, get to the root of why they’ve gained weight, educate on nutrition, and see all around transformation beyond weight.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
In a business, the beginning is always difficult. People are unsure of what they signed up for. It’s a different concept to not count calories, weigh-in, and restrict food. Once they take the leap of faith and let progress happen organically, they come out a changed person. We address the core of what’s going on so it will likely change your relationship with food, people, yourself, your body, and life perspective. It’s so cool to witness this development instead of self-defeat after another failed diet.
Please tell us about Happy Food.
Most people come to me for weight loss. They tend to be people who have tried every diet out there. They are frustrated! When they are done with the program, they walk out educated about nutrition, know what their body needs, and addressed the root of the problem which can be as simple as drinking more water to as complex as resolving marital problems and communication skills. Our health is intertwined and connected to all aspects of our lives. Counting calories just doesn’t cut it. We are so much more than that.
I’m most proud of helping people pinpoint the problem and asking the right questions to help them resolve their own problems because we are all the expert of our own lives. Education, action, accountability, and manageable solutions that are delicious and fun–That’s how we succeed.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Honestly, I didn’t know anything about starting a business. I also didn’t do any market research and started my business in 2009 at the height of an economic crisis. Had I not jumped into my business haphazardly, Happy Food probably wouldn’t exist today. Maybe it was all meant to be.
On the one hand, I could have been more discipline and got everything planned out more thoroughly as it was stressful in the beginning but on the other hand, maybe I just needed to jump in.
~ Samantha Hua, Nutrition & Holistic Health Coach
