How Kate Weiler Turned Her Favorite Superfood into a Successful Company

You’ve heard all about the benefits of coconut water… but what about maple water? This beverage is the latest craze sweeping the wellness scene, and for good reason. It’s delicious, low in sugar, and contains 46 naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, leading some to call it the perfect sports drink. 

Kate Weiler, Class of 2010, is an athlete who discovered maple water while spending time in Canada to race a full-distance triathlon. She got so hooked that she founded DRINKmaple, which now distributes its Vermont-sourced tonic to health food stores across the country. 

Kate is taking over our Instagram account today – follow along to see what she’s up to! Read below to hear more about her inspiring story.

On life before her career in nutrition: Prior to enrolling at IIN, I had been working in information technology sales. I wasn't passionate about my job and didn't want to wake up in five years and still be going through the motions and being unhappy. I decided to leave my job and follow my passion of health and wellness. 

On enrolling at Integrative Nutrition: I was drawn to a lot of nutrition and food books and when I read books such as Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, my eyes were opened to the realities of the food system. I realized education and what we ate was directed not necessarily by what was healthy, but by what was most economical for the industry. I started to explore different programs and was drawn to the vast diversity of the theories taught and expert speakers who were a part of IIN. 

On how Integrative Nutrition changed her life: My own health improved and I was able to live a life and a career that I loved and was passionate about. I met some amazing people who I still keep in touch with today. I started my own sports nutrition practice and helped athletes optimize their performance with nutrition. I also co-authored a book that will be published in September of this year called Real Fit Kitchen, which is a real food cookbook for athletes. 

On her favorite visiting teacher: I absolutely loved John Douillard and Ayurveda. I incorporate Ayurveda into my own daily practices as well as with my clients. Annemarie Colbin was another speaker who had a huge impact on me and who got me hooked on bone broth long before it was "trendy" in the health and wellness scene. 

On her current work: I am the co-founder and CEO of DRINKmaple, a pure maple water company. The drink is just one ingredient, which is the water (sap) that comes straight from maple trees. It is a natural hydration that boasts a subtle hint of maple flavor. Containing 46 naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, polyphenols, antioxidants and prebiotics, this refreshing beverage is naturally low in calories, gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and half of the sugar of coconut water. 

We focus on providing the highest quality maple water by working with organic farms in Vermont and we get the product from the farm to bottle in under 36 hours. We believe that a drink created in a tree is much better than a drink created in a chemistry lab, and we started DRINKmaple with that philosophy that Mother Nature is the best chemist. 

On what she loves about her work: I love that I am living out my passion in my work. I wake up excited to take on the day and never find myself staring at the clock like I used to in my cubicle job. Running a natural beverage company is challenging yet extremely rewarding. I love hearing consumers reactions when they try DRINKmaple and hearing stories about how we are helping them live healthier life. 

On why the world needs Health Coaches: I think there is a definite need for Health Coaches in the area where I live. So many people are trying to make positive changes and all the information out there can be overly confusing. I'm a huge believer in the notion that everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. With the plethora of advice, theories and diets, I think working with a Health Coach is a great way to figure out what works best for you and to keep you honest about your goals and health. 

Connect with Kate

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