The theme of International Women’s Day is “make it happen,” and no one lives it more than Diana Chaplin. This 2012 graduate juggles being a mother of two boys, working full-time, and building a part-time health coaching practice on the side. On top of that, she’s also busy creating a new wellness brand for working parents. Her passion and positivity is an inspiration!

Diana’s wellness journey began when she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism and an autoimmune disease during her first pregnancy. After delving into the world of self-healing, she discovered Integrative Nutrition – and the rest is history.

Diana is taking over our Instagram account today – follow along here to see what she’s up to! Read below to learn more about her story and her inspiring work.

On beginning her wellness journey: Before IIN, I was working at a corporate job in publishing. I was very unfulfilled and longed to leave my job for something more meaningful. However, back then I had no idea that something like IIN or health coaching existed! I prepared myself for going back to school full time to become a Registered Dietitian because I thought that was the only way.

Just before I was about to leave my job to start school I found out that I was pregnant with my first child. I had to stay at my corporate job awhile longer but my passion for wellness grew exponentially throughout my pregnancy and after the delivery.

On enrolling at Integrative Nutrition: During my pregnancy I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, and consequently with Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis a few months after my baby was born. When reading countless wellness books and articles online no longer felt like enough to satisfy my growing interest in health, I knew I had to find something that would allow me to explore nutrition and wellness on a deeper level while also fitting in with my busy schedule.

A friend told me about IIN and since then this program has put me on a whole new path in life. Plus, since I live in New York, I was able to leave my corporate job and actually work at IIN!

On transforming her health: I used to think dinner of Rice-a-Roni was totally fine, and I had severe migraines and acne. I didn't really make the connection that my diet and lifestyle could be contributing to these symptoms and just assumed there was nothing I could do aside from taking headache pills and covering my skin with makeup. After going through the program I developed a love for cooking wholesome foods and never went back to the junk.

On her favorite part of the curriculum: The concept of bio-individuality really resonated with me. I have always been thin and underweight and had it hammered into me from family and friends that this was a bad thing, that something was wrong with me, that I wasn't eating enough. But I didn't have an eating disorder and I ate ALL the time! IIN taught me that everyone is unique and has different nutritional needs. There is more than one "right" way of eating and we shouldn't compare ourselves to each other, but rather tune in to how what we eat makes us feel.

On her current work and projects: In addition to being on the IIN staff team and being a mom of two, I also health coach part time and am working on creating a new wellness brand geared specifically towards health-seeking working parents. I know it can be challenging to juggle a career and family while staying healthy, so I want to create a comprehensive online source of down-to-earth inspiration and information in the form of all kinds of great resources from articles to videos and ebooks. It's in the beginning stages now, so stay tuned!

On helping her clients succeed: I think I have a unique ability to really make the sometimes daunting task of making a big change more manageable, more doable, and more fun. I "keep it real," so to speak, and am always honest about how I don't have it all figured out. I'm on this journey right along with them. I celebrate their successes as if they were my own, and I really put a lot of thought into how I can help them overcome challenges when they get stuck. I've also been great with little details so I always listen carefully and make sure my recommendations are practical for them. Helping them experience their own transformations is incredibly rewarding and humbling.

On creating a better world: I love that there is always more to learn. I learn from the entire IIN community, every one of the clients I work with, inspiring authors and teachers, my children, and my family. Entering the wellness field has felt like coming home to me, it just feels right and bigger than just my personal wellness, my career, or even the lives of my family and clients. I feel like this work is aligned with the greatest goal humanity can have: to create a better, healthier, happier world.

Connect with Diana

On her website

On Facebook

On Twitter

On Instagram