Fierce, Fed & Free: Laura's Real Talk on Women, Wellness & Nutrition

In this episode of 'Spotlight on Good People,' we meet Laura Dalsanto Wu, founder of Bella Diva Wellness. Laura shares her journey from competitive fitness to facing a life-changing health scare that reshaped her outlook on wellness. She emphasizes the importance of balance, listening to your body, and empowering women to live their best lives. Laura talks about the challenges of dealing with autoimmune conditions, her decision to remove her breast implants, and the transformative impact it had on her health. She also discusses the significance of community, family, and finding joy in the small moments. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, wellness, and the deeper psychology of self-care.

00:00 Introduction to Laura Del Santo Wu
01:54 The Importance of Weight Training
07:26 Customizing Wellness for Women
10:17 The Psychology of Food and Fitness
17:38 Laura's Personal Journey and Philosophy
29:27 Meeting Ernie and Life Transitions
36:40 Moving In Together: The Challenges and Adjustments
41:31 The Importance of Family and Childhood Memories
45:48 Taking Risks and Following Dreams
01:03:35 Health Struggles and Personal Growth
01:12:24 Encouragement for Health Awareness
01:14:04 Understanding Processed Foods and Healthy Eating
01:21:05 Personal Stories and Reflections
01:26:55 Fun Questions
01:41:39 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Transcript

[00:00:00] 22. Yeah. Oh my. In fact, when we were writing this morning, she, her name's Macy and she just, she's been, she grew up in New York and it was her f she, I met her this year and it's the first time she started lifting weights and she's in her thirties, has a little baby. And, and she's like, so you must have been doing this for a long time.

I'm like, I have been doing this since my second year of college. I stopped dancing and I'm like, oh man, I cannot, I cannot get my mom's butt and they need to do something here. And so, yeah, I've been, I mean, I've been, I've never stopped lifting weights for 20, oh God, 25 years now. Yeah, 46. But it's, it's literally the foundation of so many things.

And again, because of the diagnosis and everything, I'm just, I've been very petite. It's probably the smallest I've ever been, but I'm just so grateful I've had that weight gym. My entire life. Mm-hmm. You know, I did sports, I did dancing. [00:01:00] But it is just, it's, it's, you're right. It's, it's more than just, it has brought, it's, I'm honestly confident because of it.

Or you, it's just, yeah. You know, and it's interesting too to see all the trends now that really, so I clearly work with women and, uh, and it's just, I, I just kind of giggle inside because it's been a hot trend this past year of women and weights, and you can't, the weight training is, I'm like, wait a second.

This has been around forever. Yeah. Why? You know, and I get, I get so of pet peeve of mind is just these whole trends of, I don't know, the top four an hour weightlifting and creatine and like this a this has been around forever. Yeah. And then the other trending are things you've never heard of, but it now all of a sudden is the hottest thing.

Yeah. And it's like, what do you believe? Yeah. You know, the noise out there. And that's. Where I try to hopefully clarify as much as I can. I, God knows, I'm not an expert, but I love to study and research and, and [00:02:00] come up with many facts. I always just say, if, if you, I'll tell anybody, they'll come to me like, Laura, should I take Preachin?

I'm like, I don't know. Have you read about it? You need to do some research first and then I'll give you an opinion. But it's not a one size fits all for everybody. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I always laugh about now how wait, train, use the hot thing. It's like second. That's been around forever. Yeah. Well, it's so vital in, you know, a so many elderly die from a fall.

Mm-hmm. From something very simple. Mm-hmm. That, that strength lifting over time makes such a, would make such a difference for, you know, from such a simple thing. It is the number one key to longevity is weight training. Yeah. And you're right because, and we've experienced in Ernie side of the family, he, I mean, being a physician, the number one, and again men too, but women.

You fall, you break your hip and then it is the leaning. It's usually within a year of death. Yeah. It's terrible. Yeah. 'cause you lose all your strength. Yeah. You can't get up, you're usually can't walk again. Mm-hmm. Yeah. [00:03:00] Yeah. It's, it's, and you know, I watch, uh, when we travel, I, I watch people now 'cause everybody tries to get as much as they can into the overhead compartments.

Mm. I watch people try to pick up their luggage and put it overhead and, and, and that's, it looks like a simple task, but it's a 40 pound Sure. Overhead lift that most people can't do. Uh, or, uh, you know, walking through, when we went to Europe a couple years ago, they in a good way, don't have the same luxuries that we have at, at their airports where when you get off the plane, you gotta go down the steps.

Mm-hmm. You gotta walk. They don't have people movers everywhere, which is great. I mean, it keeps people moving. I counted the last time we, we went to Michigan and uh, recently and I looked at how many times. There were stairs and an escalator, and we always have this competition, Michelle and I, about taking, even if we have our bags, we'll take the stairs suddenly, and we count how many people actually do take the stairs.

And it's almost zero. There were one or two in a full day of traveling that in all the stairs that we [00:04:00] encountered when we changed planes and, uh, Charlotte, I think it was, or, or dfd. Yeah, it was Charlotte. Uh, I couldn't believe that the number of people who don't, you know, go opt for the easy route. We do the same thing.

And in fact, when, so both my bonus kids are in college now, but we, I mean, so blessed that I've literally traveled around, around the world and back with, with, um, my husband and bonus kids and, and I mean, we literally have competitions where it mean we, we are a very competitive family. I mean, you just hear us like elephants going down the stairs and every like, what?

I'm like, gotta get your steps in. Yeah, yeah. No, but you are so right. It's just still, it's. But I see people, you know, and, and, and it creeps up on you because Yeah. You just, uh, you don't realize it. But I, I watch people in, especially in that conditioner, I've seen people in my own family who have mm-hmm.

Fallen and, you know, break something and then it's over. It's doesn't, not long after that. And simple things like I I, we, we traveling to, we went to um, St. Bart's and we did this hike in St. Bart's [00:05:00] and there were these big steps you had to take. And I never appreciated box, step up Oh, so much in my entire life.

'cause I don't do box jumps. He forbids me from doing jumps. I don't either. There's no reason to, Nope. Mess with the lower extremities like that. I'll just stick the step ups. But same, I literally, you know, was So you had that aha moment of Yeah. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I did. Yeah. You're like, oh, this stuff is actually, I can apply it to my life.

Yeah. It was real. It was like, oh, I am grateful for this 'cause walking up that, but I, you know, and I think it's, I love what it is that you stand for and what you're about and how, um. I know you customize, you, you, you have a, a background commitment of empowering women in multiple ways. And you have, you customize their formulas for every woman.

'cause every woman has different needs or they hear things differently or they respond differently. Mm-hmm. So, but your commitment has always been to, uh, to elevate the wellbeing of women. It seems to me, you know, my perception [00:06:00] of what, what it is that you do and you do it in awesome ways and you've just incredibly committed to it.

So I admire that and I love that. Oh, thank you. You do that for the community. Yeah. I've, I've asked many or been asked many times. Laura, why don't you just do like, join my 20, uh, first 20 ladies sign up for this program and you know it, can you make a larger income in a smaller amount of time? Yes, you can.

But this is where. I, I, the, the pure, like who I am in my gut, I just can't do that because what you just said, it's like, yeah, you know what? I don't mind taking extra time. Everybody has, everybody. I do work with women, but everybody has their own little DNA. Yeah. We may like similar things and our bodies may need similar things, but I do pride myself on making everything customizable with [00:07:00] every nutritional wellness client, lady.

I don't like the word like woman that I see. Mm. Um, and there isn't ever a set plan because I mean, I am slowly fading outta training and I still do personal training, but the heart of my business in this next year of transitioning is all gonna be into nutrition and, and wellness. And I wanna do some more speaking, uh, all about confidence and being fierce and fed and fully in your power.

And, but I even when training. I, I would wait till that person walks up and I see each hour. I mostly say morning. There's four of them in my studio at a time. And it's not a class. You're doing one thing, you're doing another thing depending on what day it is. And, but I would, I can never have, I always joked, I'm like, there is no plan.

Because you may come in and be like, oh my God, Laura, I did not sleep last night. And I'm like, well, we're not gonna do the 400 thrusters and buries in today. There's no plan because you never know how you're gonna feel. You don't know where life's gonna take you and, or it may not be working. So you [00:08:00] have to learn to be able to reroute, um, and just yeah, discover what you need at that moment in your life because it is gonna be constantly changing.

It really is, yeah. No matter what the goal is. Um, and I work mostly with women who still, like, they wanna have weight loss. Uh, I work with a lot of transitioning women from, um, their forties into fifties with the whole hormonal shift. Um. And then I have just a lot of women who honestly are just so confused by being told this week is one, food eat and one what?

I need to become a carnivore and then I need to become keto and I need, vegetables are about, it's like my very first thing is what do you wanna do? And then that's what we build. And our, or I, I think another pet peeve when I do customize is, can you just make a plan for me? And I'm like, you're not gonna follow that plan forever.

It's you and I can come up with a plan, but if I create it, you're gonna follow it for two weeks and then stop. My [00:09:00] job is I want to be able to sit down with you, uh, and you're gonna tell me what you like and how can we customize that into your busy life, non-busy life, whatever it may be. Because once you, if you make the plan, you're gonna stick to it.

You just need some tools to figure out how to make the plan. Mm. Make sense? Yeah. Yeah. And that's how you create the habits. And then that's the backbone of, I mean, most goals, but I speak about it around food and nutrition. But it's just, it's a habit. It's a habit and behavioral change. 'cause once you start to feel the positive effects, why do you wanna go back to, and I'm not saying the occasional, uh, do love some good fraud calamari, but you know what I'm saying?

It's not your lifestyle anymore. Your lifestyle is, wow, I have energy. I feel great. I'm in a better mood. I am, you know, I can deliver better for myself, for my business, significant, whatever. Yeah. And then you learn to enjoy, like people don't believe in balance. I completely believe in balance. Heck yeah. I absolutely do.

And the secret behind the [00:10:00] balance is, like I said, finding foods. I get pure joy. It's like the food in me of figuring out. I think maybe if you've ever seen like any of my reels, but people are like, where do you come up with these ideas? I'm like, because I don't wanna eat boring broccoli and chicken. I wanna have still, what did I make the other day?

This lemon ricotta, spinach dish. But I used hearts of palm instead of pasta. And, and if, if you ate, like I, I stopped in the cooking classes, but people come to my cooking classes and they're like, this is what you make. I'm like, yep. And this was only 200 calories full five year foot. Yeah. Yeah. I, that's, no, it's beautiful.

Zach have, that's my heart. If you put some of that up there, you have to put some of her, because, because it's, it's always very refreshing to see that, first of all, they're very colorful. 'cause you use colorful vegetables and colorful, I, it's just, it's art. It's very vibrant. It's art. Yeah. It, it's art. You can see it.

Uh, but it also is because you do add not just [00:11:00] the forbidden. You, what I noticed is that there's a pumpkin one you put on there recently. Uh, pumpkin. Oh yeah. My muffins. Yeah. Maybe that's what, and it had like cream cheese in Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like if you learn to have that versus the 500 calorie one, and this has more fiber in, of course there's always a health benefit, but I want a good creamy, cheesy, sweet treat that Yeah.

If I can have this and yeah, it's, I'd make them as simple as possible, but yes, you do gotta put a little effort into making 'em Yeah. That becomes the habit of what day do you have an hour to batch out? But when you can have that versus the 500 calorie muffin or even probably 800 calorie. Yeah. You are like, wow, this isn't so hard.

Yeah. It satiates something too without the, the massive sacrifice of, you know, 800 cal your half your calories in one, you know, muffin. Yeah, muffin. Unfortunately. That's real. Yeah, that is real. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. But that was, uh, yeah, I, I saw, well, everything I I see on there, it always kind of is enticing. But I see [00:12:00] how much fun you have in the kitchen.

You definitely make cooking fun. It looks exciting, you know, you make it look like it, it is a passion of yours. I love it. But yet it, it's help. It's like, good for you too, but tasty, but good for, which is different. It's not like strictly stay over here. You get to play a little bit. Well, you'll never stay there.

Yeah. Right. And you gotta live, you gotta enjoy life, right. Yeah. And that's the whole premises behind it. And, and again, I was having this conversation with somebody, they're like, you cook dinner every night? I said. Yes, I do. Does it mean I want to every night? No, but once I'm in there, it's fine. Like last night I'm like, Ugh.

'cause I've been so tired. I'm like, Ugh, babe, do you care if I just make you a burger? And we had like, I all, I learned to strategy like my different compartments of protein. And it's like Monday night you used half the pound of ground beef. I saved it for last night. 'cause I knew burger night, french fries and salad.

So that's the other thing is too, is I, I still, even now, that's just the two of us instead of four, I will on Sunday, [00:13:00] make an idea of a menu that I'm gonna have throughout the week. Mm. It's like last night I had both chicken, beef. Tonight I'm gonna rotate salmon in because I know that it's gonna eat. I want something done in 10 minutes.

So if I had salmon, then tonight, what am I gonna do Thursday night? And I'm, I will look at my refrigerator and I'm like, oh, I have some hummus and zeki. And again, that's how I try to get my clients to so, well, what's hummus and oh, Greek night. So how easy it is to throw some chicken in the crockpot, get some pita bread and.

It, it like, that's how simple I try to make it. Mm-hmm. Plus who doesn't love a Greek night? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. You know, anyway. Well, where's that come from? That, uh, artistry in the kitchen? I,

my mom. Hmm. So growing up, we, I wouldn't, she's probably not as our, my mom was an arts and craft queen, but my, I flare, I think the cooking's definitely from my mother. Yeah, for sure. We grew up minimally going out to dinner. We were [00:14:00] lucky if we were allowed to have a can of soda and because all the cooking was at home.

Oh, my mother cooked. Yep. And she worked part-time. But my dad, my dad was the head whole Italian, worked all the time and, and, but my mom cooked everything from scratch. Is your mother Italian too? No, she's not. She's like a mix of German, Irish, little Italian. So I, my dad's full Italian. Yeah. My mom's a little, she's German, Irish.

Yeah. But no, she cooked everything and then we were only allowed, like I said, soda on a, on a Saturday night with a piece of pizza and mm-hmm. And like I'm very close to my sister. She's four years younger than I am. She's like my lifeline. Yeah. And, um, and, uh, I would, I could be really mean to her. I will fully admit it, um, that an older sister for a job I always, always mean to her.

And we were not allowed to have cereals, like Lucky Charms, or if we had cereal, it was unsweetened Cheerios, or. Anyway, if we were allowed Lucky Charms that and boy Cheerios were like going to the opposite extreme. And there wasn't even honey that was just the dried Cheerio honey cheer. We [00:15:00] weren't allowed put sugar on it.

We're like, so mom, eat the banana with it. I'm like, so, and then you run out of banana so quickly. Oh yeah. And the soggy, mushy rings that were in your mole. But lucky charms would be a treat. Yeah. And I'll never forget going into the kitchen, like later in the, in the night after dinner. And if we didn't eat our extra higher dinner, you got nothing else.

Whatever you ate for dinner, that was it. Mm-hmm. But I would go sneak in and we would put all our cereal and ware containers and I would go and steal the little marshmallows out. So when my sister would go in there, it would just be nothing. Left store. Yeah. The marshmallows are gone. I used to do that all the time.

But no, I grew up, um, no, my, my mom cooked everything from scratch and. I know, uh, that really led to me getting into cooking. And um, I, I think another turning point was when I started competing in my twenties and fitness and it was called Figure and then Bikini, I always still had that foodie inside me, but now [00:16:00] my meals had to become so structured.

I knew I did not wanna just eat the salad and broccoli. And like I said, this was 25 years ago. And so you, it was the tilapia and oh my, oh, stuff I used to eat. But I think then that was also another way, like how can I create my meals to give a little bit of taste but still stay in the gathering range?

And, um, and then yeah, just kind of, because you really had to be strict with your diet was like critical to, it was too strict every part of that. It was too strict. Yeah. And uh, that was part of the getting super malnourished and I took it way too far. And that's actually one of the main reasons. So away.

I, so Bella Diva Wellness, when I rebranded four years ago, went from wellness to fitness. 'cause I knew I was slowly gonna be fading out of fitness. And I mean, fitness will always be a part of my life and I'll coach customized programs, but I no longer wanna be in my studio training. I wanna be out and about talking more and doing all of the nutrition with mm-hmm.

Even physicians. And I'm still going through the [00:17:00] Psychology Change course to add on to about habits. But it was, I, I knew that if yeah, I was gonna live like that, I had to figure out something and then I, that's how, oh, so yeah, I, the little a DD moment there, um, when you met me, CrossFit, I was starting Bellava Fitness.

Mm-hmm. 'cause I thought I wanted to coach girls who are going into competitions because I didn't want them to go down the wrong road that I did. Mm-hmm. Like really, you know, I never had an eating disorder, but, oh, I was. Disordered eating 'cause there's two, there's two. You have eating disorders, which you, um, being bulimic or um, anorexic.

Mm, thank god never. But it's probably more these days with everything going on with weight loss, this and that and the other. But at that time I say 72% of people had disordered eating. So I had such a, a box around the food that I could or couldn't eat because of [00:18:00] competing so long. And most competitors, once they start competing, they'll like gain 30 pounds because they didn't eat the foods they wanted to eat.

'cause all they had, they ate inside this box. So I'm like, um, that's not gonna be me. Unfortunately, my not unfortunately. This is where the stubborn willpower comes in. Oh, competition's over, I'm gonna eat like this forever. And that's what really started to make my body spiral down because I had this disordered eating of, if I didn't have, I was just always use the good old chicken broccoli rice.

I couldn't eat it. Oh my gosh, I can't gain a pound. Oh no. And it became just so, I mean, smoked mirrors in my head. Mm-hmm. And fast forward, we'll go into how I finally broke out of it. And can I still down to food. I think another battle of my body changing, and everybody who talks to me, they're like, Laura used to look amazing.

It's still that image that's been embedded in my head of constantly being in front of on stage [00:19:00] to Laura, you gotta stop this. And it's either, yeah, you can look picture perfect. And as the inside my bo my insiders are just totally like fading away. Mm. Um, but to realize I didn't want that to happen to any other woman.

That's why s ability of fitness, I coached five girls and. And I realized it didn't matter how much I tried to help them get fun with their food and it didn't matter because it becomes such a mindset in that other person. You can't control that. Mm-hmm. And that's another reason why I'm diving into this whole psychology work of habits and behavioral change.

And because you can't change that with somebody. So I got very frustrated. I didn't wanna do that because why would I wanna help somebody compete? And then they started losing like, I wanna encourage you. Why do you wanna do this? Yeah. And if you do, you better do it the healthy way. Yeah. Um, and I didn't, I felt so defeated and I'm like, I don't wanna do that.

I just wanna help. The average woman [00:20:00] blew the healthy, happy, long lifestyle. Yeah. And so that's what started working with women. Then I had that whole scare of Addisons and realizing I had to dial my life down. And you are not superwoman and Yeah. And just, I. Yeah. No, it's, well, there's so much psychology to food and especially with, for women, there's so much of a mental game that is so, and just the pressure, pressure.

I mean, let's be real, and again, men know do too, but like men are under pressure too, but the, you know, they, we, it's always addressed like the teenage girls with the pressure, social media. Yeah. It's every age. Yeah. It's not just teenage. Right? Yeah. I mean, they don't, well, I guess a lot of adults actually don't have the social skills or the, and I don't mean that in a negative way, but it, it, it takes a lot of knowledge and confidence to know that you are absolutely perfect as you are.

And not saying you don't wanna change anything, [00:21:00] but the pressure is just unbelievable. Yeah. For a lot of us Yeah. Self-imposed at that, but there's a comparison and self opposing Oh, always. Just the, and being judged and this, yeah. And, and unfortunately, I wanna say it's getting better, but it's not. Yeah.

It's not, or even, even so much, the clothing companies change their number. Yeah. Remember we're talking about that. Yeah. Yeah. Psychology. Yeah. They, yeah. A, a one is not a one or a three is not a three or a four is not whatever the numbers are. Yep. They change them so that there's a mental yes. Difference about it.

But I, I see this, I, my wife who's incredibly fit, incredibly athletic, I admire her, but she'll eat a, a, a, a tiny little muffin after dinner one time and just torture herself over why she ate that. And she shouldn't have eaten that. And, you know, she, she ate so much today. I'm like, what did you eat? And she'll say, well, I had, you know, a, a half a salad.

And, and the list that she reads me is, is a joke. 'cause it's not even 2000 calories. It's not even a thousand. And, and [00:22:00] the, but the, what she does to herself over that, you know, I just, I, I, and I, you know, I have some of that too. 'cause I, I, you know. Self-conscious or, you know, co concerned about, and this year I did, I'm doing no sugar.

Hmm. Uh, which just to, um, has it been a challenge? No, I, it, you know, once I got past a certain point it hasn't been, but I, I'm probably eating more carbs. Mm. Sure. Uh, then I would normally eat, um, so you mean refined sugar, like sweet sugar? Yeah, like, I'm not all about sugar. Right. Like no dessert, sugar. I see, I see.

Or sugar and drinks or anything like that. So, so I, I do, I don't eat a lot of carbs, vegetable carbs, but, but, um, not like bread or, you know, but sometimes I'll, uh, uh, indulge in pizza, but even then I feel like I shouldn't have done that. But, you know, either way I just, but the, um, but I watch, um. I, I think there was an addiction there for me for sugar [00:23:00] before.

Like there was something I got from it. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Not that I indulge in it a lot, but like herbo, gummy bears, like, I, I just, I could indulge in a whole bag of those. I used to love those and, and I would, it was a ritualistic thing. And not this year, not, you know, I'm nine, what am we, nine and a half months in.

I keep saying on, you know, what am I gonna have on January 1st, you know, for that. But I don't, it doesn't have the same charge to me now. Like, that craving isn't there to, do you feel as, so when you were doing that, I'm not coaching you at all right now, I promise. Um, when you were, it's okay. I'm, I wanna be.

It's okay. So when you would have your gummy bear ritual, did you feel a okay the next day, or were you never, did you have the No. So you would go through that cycle of, which is very common. Yeah. And do you feel, since you've eliminated, do you think you can go to a balance where you're like, oh, there was a jar of.

Bears here and that's the magical willpower that comes in. And again, it is very [00:24:00] true. People think that you either have it or you don't. It is a muscle you gotta flex just like anything else. Because if you can go back to remembering how shitty you felt, sorry if I'm messing that, eating all those gum bears and there was a jar here, and let's just say you felt great about where you work.

Do you feel like you would be want to try to like say, okay, I'm gonna have five and just so I can savor the taste, see if I really like this, and knowing that you don't wanna go back to the way you felt you could stop at your five and move on, or you're like, no, I'm not ready there yet. I don't think I could.

I have to keep the sugar out. I think I feel at this point after nine and a half months, that I don't even, I wouldn't even want because knowing that they don't do anything for me in the negative way, I don't even know that I. Want to even dabble. Okay. Because I think there was no need for them. I, I would do them almost like a drug, I guess sometimes it was like, well, a habit.

Yeah. That's where I would just like a reward. Like, [00:25:00] or mm-hmm. Or just a, or I don't feel good about myself anyway. Yeah. So it's kind of like getting a flat tire and then flattening the other three tires. Mm-hmm. You know? Sure. You know, it's like this, this habit that I would just do. You go to CVS and they have this beautiful display of herbo, gummy pairs all over there.

And I, I would love to just grab a bag and nibble on 'em on the way home and then just terrible. No, I always like learning what, what triggers are for people, you know? Yeah. Yeah. I didn't even, it was, it was almost like a, I'd see a CVS or a Walgreens, do I need anything from there? And, you know, go in for something else and always leave with that, you know, with something there that, and I didn't realize like it was a thing 'cause I was always anti-sugar antis, you know, just in my own head thinking I'm so noble.

But, um, but I had it crept up on me. And then I just said, well, let me, for the, for the, I only did it for the. I guess just the delayed gratification for this year. Like saying like, you know, I, I never like how I feel when I eat dessert. I never liked it. I, I enjoy it in the [00:26:00] moment, you know? What about, what if you just had a, a control of it?

Like me again, I'm just ask like, maybe one day you do and like you have you out to tonight dinner, or you go back to Italy and you split the dessert or, you know what I mean? Yeah, yeah, yeah. That I believe that you could do that, but you, you know, you never wanna restrict anything Yeah. Unless it's causing you harm.

Yeah. Yeah. And maybe it technically was causing you harm because you'd go in this toxic cycle of not feeling great about yourself and. So I knows you'll have a balance again. Yeah. Because you recognize it. Yeah, yeah, definitely. You will. I, I definitely feel like that. I, I but it, but it hasn't really been, which I'm glad about.

It hasn't been something that I, you know, like I, I like to watch, you know, if there's a gut to cheesecake on the menu and I like to watch Michelle enjoy it. 'cause I almost get pleasure outta just seeing her enjoy it sometimes. And she's enjoying it and she likes it and she's, you'll know the day that you feel good about having a bite or two.

Yeah. And that'll be the, I don't know. Or maybe you won't. Yeah. Yeah. It's just been an interesting mm-hmm. Experience for myself to try to, I [00:27:00] mean, experiment with and, um, but I know there's like stuff, I gotta get my blood work done because I know there's like hormonally stuff, testosterone stuff going on with me shift.

Yes. You know, I need to, um, she's been on me about it. She's like, you had get your thyroid checked. Mm-hmm. You gotta get, so you know, these, and not even that, I mean deeper, just like your, do you get a yearly physical? It's been two years now, so I. Yeah. Mm-hmm. And I like speaking because, so I am 46. My husband is 10 years older than I am.

In fact, when we first started dating, he's Chinese. And when we first met, it was at a conference. Uh, actually it was a happy hour because when I had to slow my life down, I had to pull back from building my business ability of fitness. And I had to find some supplemental income because I am like, I can't survive as a single woman here with a nice lifestyle, but it's my business.

No work, no money. So I'm like, how am I gonna, I gotta get a second income. What am I gonna do? And I ended up doing some [00:28:00] marketing for a physician, a physiatrist who I used to do physical therapy, run his physical therapy lab. And I was just helping him do some marketing. And it was actually just God sent because.

I, I applied to be, uh, I was doing some marketing for a fitness company. I, I hate marketing. I am, I am terrible. Like it's just, I'd have to for my business, but it just comes natural. I'm not like, buy this hydro drug because it tastes so, you know, I, that is, I can't stand selling. And so I was doing some marketing for a fitness magazine that was local here, and I'm like, God, what am I gonna do?

I mean, I don't wanna work for somebody as a fitness coach. I don't, that is just not me. I've always owned my own business. Anyway, I rearranged my resume and I'm like marketing and sales expert. And so I had a phone call from it ended up being a doctor that I used to work for when I first moved here, uh, 20 years ago.

And he's like, Del Santo. I'm like, yes. He's like, it's Peter, Jeff. [00:29:00] What? You're my fitness queen. Why do you, what do you need a job for? And so I went in and I told him, I'm like, look, sir, I've been diagnosed with Addison's. I. I need to slow my life down and I can't really slow business down. I need a supplemental income.

And I, I don't know what to do. And that's when he is like, just tell me how many hours you wanna work. When are you gonna, what would you like to get paid? I just need you to market my new office. And I'm like, eh. I'm like, okay. So I did that during that whole summer, slow life down a little bit. GA got some stress off of me and that's where I first ran into Ernie.

And we, were I on a new doctor? It was a happy hour event and it was a Friday night. Oh, here it was. Bayfront. Really? What? So funny. Yes. Wow. What was Tavern? Is that still here? I believe Tavern Believe so. Yeah. Yeah. I think it's, yeah, I think it's, anyway, I'm like, I was talking to my mom, driving over here and I'm like, mom.

I am going to a happy hour event on a Friday night to mingle with doctors. She's like, oh, Laura, stop it. I'm like, okay. You never know. Oh my gosh. Oh, wow. So I [00:30:00] walked in to meet the new doctor we brought on to, um, help him start mingling. And I walk in and I knew one of the main physicians there, and I'm like, oh God, this guy's hosting it.

So I'm like, just Laura, find your physician. You need to help him. Anyway, we're chatting and at the corner of my eyes, see somebody walking over to me in his suit and he's like, Laura? I said, yes. He's like, Bella Diva Fitness. I said, yes. He's like, oh, my name's Ernie and I compete too. And I'm like, Ugh, A guy who competes this is so not, what is he talking anyway, the the nicest.

And I'm like, you, there's no way this guy's a physician. He's gotta be 10 years younger than I'm, and again, this is, well, 10 years ago we met 10 years ago, and. He's like, well, yeah, you help women compete and I compete, and I I I've seen your business and great job. I was like, all right, great. Nice to meet you.

Like who are you? Bye-bye. And so I left. I think the next day he Facebook friends me and I'm like, Hmm, [00:31:00] oh, I guess he's a physician and he's got like all these sexy modeling pictures. 'cause he just did a competition. And a couple of my clients at the time, um, husbands were physicians. I'm like, Hey, do you guys know Dr.

Wu? And they're like, oh my gosh, he's the nicest guy. He was divorced a couple years ago, just really sweet and blah, blah. I was like, Hmm, okay. I'm like, all right, I'll accept the friendship. No chatting. We ran into each other again at an event at Waterside a month later. And I hear Laura, I'm like, hi Arnie.

And he was about to ask me for my number. And I just, when you talk, I mean if, unless I crack a smile, people are like. Hi. I am like, ah, if you know me, I'm like this go lucky, silly girl. And I guess apparently intimidated way too much. So we said hi, bye. Ran into each other again. A few weeks later at a competition at the Ritz that I, my girls are about to compete in.

And that's when he saw me. He's like, Laura. And I'm like, girl, love of God, where is this guy coming from? And he asked to remember. [00:32:00] And I'm like, uh, okay. And so the competition happened next day. I think it was a Saturday, Sunday, nothing. I'm like, why? I'm like. Okay. Now he doesn't wanna, why did he ask for my number?

So I'm like, all right, we're Facebook friends. I'm like, Laura, do not message him. Do not mess. And I get on Facebook and privately message him. I'm like, Hey, I gave you my number if you'd like to go out for a drink, or, and so he immediately messaged me back. He's like, I texted you yesterday. And I said, no, you did not.

And honestly did not. In fact, we tell, we told this like when we got married to our pastor, because if I never messaged him, he's the kind of guy that he texted me, I didn't respond. He would never try it again, because that's just, he's out of respect. Yeah. Why would I try pushing? And so I always joke that, thank God I messaged him because yeah, we would, who knows, we probably never, this happened.

I didn't know this story. This is awesome. My, and so he's like, okay, well my schedule is this and this. 'cause I have two kids. I'm like, oh God, he [00:33:00] has kids. I'm like, all right. I'm like, Laura, you're now getting younger at 35 and. He's like, well, what about, and we found a date, like a week and a half later, Saturday night.

I was like, sure, we can go out for a drink for happy hour or for Sunset, happy hour. And so that was Sunday. He's like, so whatcha are doing Tuesday? I said, no, our date is not for another week and a half. I said, I teach TRX classes. It was another place. I said, if you wanna come to my T RX class, it's all women, women, you, you're more than welcome.

So he shows up in his Louis Vuitton, uh, duffle bag, all come in his polo. And I'm like, oh my God, what am I doing? Takes my class. Poor guy. I thought I was gonna die because he's like my, he's a big weightlifter. And um, that was Tuesday. He's like, so what are you doing Friday? I'm like, our date is Saturday.

He's like, you wanna grab sushi? I said, well, no. Friday nights I go to yoga and then I usually hang out with my friends afterwards from Mercado. I said, if you'd like to join me there. Great. I said, then I'll think [00:34:00] about going out to sushi with you afterwards. He shows up, never done yoga day in his life. I mean, it was quite comical.

I'm like, that's awesome. I gotta give kudos to this guy. We had sushi. We couldn't stop talking next night. We went out for our real date and then it was just too good to be true that every month I'm like, this can't be, this, can't, this is too this. This cannot be happening. And I remember telling my sister and calling her up and she's like, you have a problem, don't you?

I was like, I do. I've just been addicted to the drama and the relationships in my past life that, you know, just everything was a struggle or it was. I always had to fix it to be in the lead and, and, um, it was just different. And she's like, okay, you have somebody who cares for you and wants to take care of you and you're denying it.

Yeah. Very foreign for you, right? Oh yeah. I was like, no way. Yeah. I mean, so anyway, we go on a year and a year and a half my lease was up. He's like, you know, I'd like, I would like for you to move in because one day I do wanna ask you to marry me, but I do have two kids and it might not work. And [00:35:00] when like everything is a step here.

I was like, okay. He's like, but think about it. You let me know. And I said, okay, I'll think about it. So this was the end of the year. I said, great, I'll move in. I move in. I mean, anything I wanted, I left everything behind. Move into this of course gorgeous home, I mean now. And I'm like, man, I dunno if I can do this.

And I was so used to having half of the days to myself 'cause he had his kids 50% of the time. Mm. And I'm a very independent woman. And like when my day was over of seeing like I know 30 people a day, I didn't want, I just needed to decompress. Mm-hmm. And I remember coming in, driving home one time, bawling my eyes out to my sister, and I'm just like, I can't do this anymore.

She's like, what's the problem? I said, I walk in the door, I put my bag down, and he's like, dinner will be ready in 10 minutes. And I'm like, she's like, you're going home to a man making you dinner and you're crying. I'm like, I just need my face. So I went home, still bawling my eyes off. I couldn't stop and there's no faking.

And he's like, what's the [00:36:00] matter? And I'm like, I can't do this. I'm like, I just can't. I'm like, honey, I, I need to come home and just decompress. He's like, whatever you need, you tell me what you need. Mm. Because I don't want you leaving me over this. Mm. And it's just, it's this reality of somebody I couldn't do it.

I mean, clearly I, it's, we have, we balance each other out very well. Yeah. And as I mentioned earlier, he's, I, it major saving grace in my life because. I don't, I know I would never have slowed down the way I do now if he didn't come into my life. Yeah. And he's just literally the smartest backbone. Kindest.

There's a handful, and I'm not just saying this 'cause we're trying now, but you being one of them, he and my mother and the kindest person I've met and he has literally changed my life. Yeah. And um, I get it. Yeah. I mean it's be best, the best thing. He's my partner of ev everything. [00:37:00] Yeah. And we've gone through some really hardships the past three and a half years and, you know, we had that foundation of we will, we have this no matter what.

Yeah. 'cause I knew I was married before and I knew it wasn't right. But I knew he was my person. Yeah. And he has, he supports me. Anything and everything I wanna do. I mean, the man is just, yeah. And I mean, that's a beautiful thing. It's, it's just so beautiful. Yeah. And so deserved, you know, when you get to be all of you and just the way you are just to be you and somebody allows you to be you, you become more of you.

Totally. Which is just so awesome. 'cause you don't have to hide anything. You don't have to pretend you don't have to. Uh, fa you don't have to. Not, that's, that's the thing that, you know, I think we both got blessings and gifts in our lives that we both deserved. I remember hearing your story and watching that happen for you, because I knew I had to experience that too with Michelle and that.

[00:38:00] Mm-hmm. You know, having been married and having been in a relationship or not knowing what a healthy relationship was like. Mm-hmm. I'd never found what a healthy, I thought a relationship was. Just a ton of sacrifice and just, uh, you know, a lot of periods of unhappiness. Yep. I just didn't know. I just thought that's what it was.

And when, when. Like when I found Michelle, where I could be all of me, and she loved me just the way I am. And it was such an incredible, it's such an incredible thing. And, and to see, you know, to this day, every day, there's not a moment that I don't love every single minute of being with her. There's never a time where I go, oh, I wish she would stop.

Or, I wish, wish we weren't, she wasn't this way or that way. Just, I love her, just how she is. Mm-hmm. And how she is mm-hmm. And her family on top of that. So to see you get that blessing in your life and to have that, you know, extraordinary human being in your life who allows you to be a way that you never knew you could be Sure.

And what you could [00:39:00] never have, what that you get to have and what, what you and I have. I say everybody deserves that. Oh, a hun selfish. But unfortunately they don't. Yeah. And I hear more stories of just they deal with it or this or that. Right. And then you have to, or they deal with it. Yeah. You have one life.

Yeah. You know, no one. You No, I mean your partner's, your partner and Yeah. And I mean, oh, my sister and I always use the term that it doesn't mean sometimes I wanna throw punch 'em because, you know, we drive each other crazy sometimes and vice versa. You'd probably be like, Laura, get your hormones checked.

But no, we are unconditionally Yeah. No matter what. Yeah. They're for each other. Yeah. And that's, that's, and I, I'll say the same thing because, you know, I'm very close to my family. I'm very close to my sister, and that's a rare, rare rarity too. I mean, it's, I'm very fortunate that I have that in my life, because again, a lot don't [00:40:00] Oh, I know.

Yeah. It's, it's not common. No, I know. No. And why are you and your sister, what was it in your up is the two of you, right? Mm-hmm. What was your childhood like and what was it like with her? 'cause you, you grew up in Maryland. Mm-hmm. I grew up in Maryland, and so I lived in, I've lived in Naples. Between Naples and Bonita a few times for 20 years.

Yeah. Um, I, we grew, was a very close family and my father was the traditional Italian. Like he, he was just father and I, and I say this with all love now, and, and, but like I never, he was never daddy. So my mom was the love, the snuggles, the hugs. And my dad never grew up delivering that 'cause that's not what he was given from his parents.

So he was just, he provided this. Yeah. And that's it. And that's all my sister and I had. Yeah. Yeah. But the three of us grew. My mom, my sister, again, not ppo, my dad, because now he's Daddio and we're like. Yeah. Left and right to [00:41:00] each other. No, I get it. I can relate my father, Italian father the same, same way.

It, it's, and mom was all about the love. Oh yeah. It was her role given the love and compassion and all the rest of that. And no, other than having your typical sibling, I would try to make her cry by telling her she had buck teeth or, I mean, no, my sister, my sister and I. Mm-hmm. We were close, but then we actually stepped away for a couple years just because of relationships, her personal relationship mine, and we didn't see eye to eye.

And then that faded and it came into this like, what are we doing? And we became each other's like absolute best friend, lifeline therapist. Yeah. And. She and I have a niece and a nephew who's, um, 13 and 11. And so years ago she was able to, I fly her in all the time and, and she's now at the point where now we're kid free and she's at where, you know, the football and cheer and she lives at, and she works full-time and full-time wife.

And I always tell her she's, you know, always tells me, Laura, how do you do it? I'm [00:42:00] like, I don't know how you do it. Like, she's a So we, yeah, she's, we grew up very close and, but even all the miles apart, you still are, so, oh, yeah. Mm-hmm. And even though we, like I said, I would at least see her four or five times a year, maybe once or twice now.

And it's, again, it's the dynamic of where the kids are. We'll get there again, but Yeah. Yeah. I'm, I'm, we can still, when we get together, act like, I swear we can just goof off when, I don't know what age you wanna call here, and we're like 15 and let's just low kids like we can get together and we're always, and I do this outta love, she's like.

We'll be cooking in the kitchen together, and I'll pretend like I'm a squirt eye with a lime. And she's like, the sad thing is, is you would do that to me. I said, you know what? I probably would. Of course you can. Yeah. It's your job. But yeah, no, she's, she's, she's awesome. You know, my parents just celebrated their 50 years of marriage, which I'm like, oh my gosh, mom.

That's awesome, dad. Wow. Wow. Um, and I, I actually get to see them more frequently now that they're retired. [00:43:00] But yeah, family first is a major key to me. Yeah. And, um, yeah, nothing will get, nothing will get in front of that. And I also think, you know, it's more that I'm getting older and I'm not old by any means, but I think of it, I'm like, oh my gosh.

Even though I have very healthy, vibrant parents, my dad turned 75, my mom turned 70 this year, and I'm like. It's gonna keep go. I just, we just celebrated their 65th and Seth, like, it's, yeah. Isn't that crazy? Yeah. It just, I just really value, so when my mom comes in to visit, she'll come for two weeks and I tell my clients, I'm like, peace out.

I'm off. Like, I, I used to not, and I'm like, no. Every moment was I is just, it's a gift. Just so valuable. Yeah. No joke. It is. Yeah. You know, because you don't know. Yeah. You don't. No. You don't know at all. Yeah. Every minute matters. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That's awesome that you do that, that you, uh, yeah. Family is part of your life is major for, for myself.

And who's a big influence on you growing up? [00:44:00] Or what was a big, what got you into this competitive nature of yours? Uh, I wanna definitely say my mom again, in a great way where, you know, she always encouraged me to both my mom and my dad. My dad always in, in a way, I didn't see it until I discovered deeper parts of me years ago.

You know? They always wanted the best in what I did not, didn't mean perfect, but if you did something, you give it your a hundred percent, whatever that is for you, and you be very honest about it. Mm. You nothing is handed to you and you'll work for it. And, and again, it brings back to if I wanted, we were being a child, if I wanted a my little pony, oh, you'll do a, b and c chore to earn that.

So whatever you want in life, you, there's always, you have to earn what you want, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And yes, gifts and, and we can call getting lucky or being in the right spot. Come along the way, heck yeah, that's a bonus. [00:45:00] But having that delivery system of if you want it, you keep taking the steps and don't give up.

Yeah. To go after it. And my mom encouraged me to always, like, she, she really, she never pushed us, but like encouraged me to start moving. I remember being a kid and going out to the field and doing cartwheels, and then I, I'm like, oh, I wanna dance. So I grew up dancing and then she's, I still wanna play softball and she's, she was always there behind me every step of the way.

Yeah. Um, to, to really emphasize, you can do anything you want. Um, I probably scared her a few times with getting into competing, actually probably I did. Um, but a little bit of a daredevil. Yeah. A lot of a dare. Yeah. I have a lot actually. Um, I've always been the, oh, I'm gonna do it and then if I have problems, I'll figure that out later.

Oh, that's totally my personality. Mm-hmm. Which again, a blessing and a curse. Um, because like moving here, I took a leap of faith of I was gonna Miami a lot doing competitions, and I realized, uh, even in my early twenties, I did not wanna be in Miami. And that's when I [00:46:00] discovered Naples and I'm like, and I'm leaving business and my family, I'm just gonna pick everything up.

Move. And I did that. That was a big deal. It was a huge deal. And. Uh, years into what I thought was gonna be a position with career plummeted, and then I get back up again. Plummeted many times. I wanted to throw the talent because even 15, 16 years ago here it was, oh, I mean, it was old, far Central. I mean, really it was no, nothing vibing around here for a, probably now a 30-year-old.

And so many times I wanted to go back home and I, I, no, I didn't. I almost was like, Nope, you, you gotta do this for yourself. 'cause I loved it here. And how'd you find it? How did you end up here? So, one of my clients in Annapolis, where I was part owner of Studio Evolutions, um, we were chatting, that's when I was competing, had her on the treadmill and they actually still live here.

She's like, oh, how was your trip to Miami? I'm like, oh, I finally realized I don't wanna move there. She's like, you should check out Naples. And I'm like, where the heck is [00:47:00] Naples? And she's like, it's on the other coast's, the latest, greatest upcoming city. Why don't you come visit me? Okay. So it was the end of the summer of 20 0 2, 0 0 5.

And I came down, I was dating a guy for a few months and I'm like, oh, why don't you come down? And he's like, really? I was like, it's just for fun. Come on. And so I came down, visited Elisa, and I said, oh my God, I'm moving here. So that was July. I came back in October, put a down payment on a condo, and then I moved December 28th of that year.

Wow. Packed everything up. Left a full throttle business behind training and duction. It was massage therapist at the time. Um, and I knew I could go back to it. How'd you tell your parents that? What did they have to say about it? Oh, so this was a part of like, again, I am in such a wonderful place with my dad, but the scars of, what are you doing right?

But why are you moving? Why are you leaving such a good thing? Like I, I always put this not good enough, but in his heart it was always like the security behind it. Like he, I was already [00:48:00] in a secure place. I was very young at 25, 26 making over a hundred thousand dollars a year just doing, owning personal training, massage business.

And this was 20 years ago. Yeah. What are you doing, Laura? I'm like, well, I need to try it. And again, I look back at my path and everything that I have ever dreamed of having in my life is here. Mm. And it's, I don't, I'm so happy that I didn't, like every time that I fell, I didn't give up. Yeah. And that's where that strong backbone always came from.

My parents. It's like, Nope, you can do it. Yeah. And a couple times pushed too hard. And just finding that balance of, I had this superpower of Right. I, no matter what happens, I know and I'm that whole faith over fear. Yeah. Always will come out, always, no matter what. Mm-hmm. Like, I'm kind of going through this now where I wanna give up a great business and transition all into the nutrition and speaking, and like, oh my God, you've built this and you wanna let it.[00:49:00] 

No. You know, because now I have that muscle that's saying, you know, no matter what, Laura, you can get through anything. Mm. So, yeah, definitely my parents, um, major backbone. But you've always had that sort of pioneer risk taking mm-hmm. Spirit in there that just, even though things are great, there's a level of comfort, but you're gonna disrupt the comfort I and go for the, the scary, uh, uncertainty of what the next chapter brings.

In fact, it's like I can go through phases in my life. I mean, I'm a very routine, I'm, I'm definitely a routine person. And travel go, especially doing starting international travel years ago with Ernie taught me to like, you need to let go of the chains a little bit because you need to go with the flow more.

Which again, traveling really has. It's like, okay, you missed this and all right you, that is how life is, you need to stop living so restricted. [00:50:00] So I still have a very routine person, but I definitely can be like, ah, I didn't get the podcast, or I didn't get my newsletter down. I'll do it next week. Where before I'd be like, oh my God, failure.

You didn't get No. I'm like, oh fuck, can wait. Who's really waiting for your newsletter, Laura? Yeah. You are nobody else. Yeah, right. Yeah. Um, but yeah, no routine. And I, I've been with Ernie 10 years, I forget walking into yoga or something and I'm like, honey, I'm like, it just hit me. You and my car just got a new car.

Are the longest standing things in my life ever. He's like, well, clearly you're learning how to treat something right, aren't you? I'm like, that is not funny. But yeah, I am. I can, yeah. I always just like, what's next? I wanna learn. I wanna grow, I wanna do, you know, I know I'll always stay in this industry.

And I always said, if I could, I, even if I had a dream and I never got paid a penny, and the reward would [00:51:00] be to self is, I would go around the world like hosting seminars of just really getting women to speak out about how they really feel inside. Because sometimes it just takes one conversation, even though you may know something, but maybe you've like, so another blessing in my life is for what I've done for a living, I've met my best friends, and again, definitely applies to men, but most women don't have that.

That sisterhood where they can really be their true self to another woman without being judged or just don't even have that. I know so many people, including even just some of my clients who are now friends, are like, Laura, we've never had that. And it's hard for me to realize that because I've, that's a blessing for what I've done, because I've been able to connect with the most amazing women.

Mm. But most don't have that, right? Yeah. And what do you, what do you do? What do you go not then that's where the depression comes in and the anxiety. And then you become, whether it's a mom or whatever the situation, but most don't have a go to. And if I can go around the [00:52:00] world, let's start in the United States.

See, I go big, maybe in Florida. Let's start in Florida. Florida's large. But if I could go around just being able to help that one woman speak out and not feel like deflated inside, because she doesn't feel like though she can speak her mind, and it just takes one conversation one time. Mm. And I could see myself doing that too, even if it wasn't related to food, but just that inner.

Fire that con like every, I would say every woman. And you're in the same wellness as beauty, wellness, hair. Yeah. Yeah. Every person wants to feel sexy and confident, whatever that is. Yeah. I'm not saying a physical thing. Nobody wants to feel left out. Yeah. Down, bad about themselves. Nobody. Yeah. So if you can just help that one person, like that, one person could help another person and help, and it really is like, yeah.

It's a beautiful thing. Yeah, it is. Yeah. And unfortunately, you know, I, I don't know how to deliver it, [00:53:00] but I'm, I'm gonna keep trying. Yeah. Well you are, you have that passion for it. And that's the beautiful thing. I mean, I know what it is. I, I see it when a. Sometimes a 75 or 80-year-old woman mm-hmm. Gets her hair done and, and transformed and she walks outta here feeling sexy.

Yeah. A 75 or 80-year-old woman can feel sexy. There's nothing wrong with that. They can feel loved and nurtured and appreciated and walk confidently and feel okay about themselves at any age. You know, it's not just one woman at one age, it's all the whole spectrum of it. But it's beautiful that you, um, you know, you've, you know that that's what your purpose is.

You know, you get, that's what the point of it all is and that's where their fulfillment and rewards of life come into. Just make a difference in somebody like that, which has such a ripple effect. Yeah. You know, the one minute with me that was not intended, but the impact, I mean, it wasn't a planned event, but you, you know, you [00:54:00] gave, you selflessly gave and, um, you know, that that has a, has had a huge impact on me and.

Other people and then mm-hmm. You know, when you, when you impact somebody like that, whether it's through wellness and what, whatever way you're contributing to them, they're a different human in the world then. And then they go out in traffic and Yep. Are different. The road rage person doesn't upset them.

Yep. They're like, you needed the space more than me. Go ahead. Have a great day. Right. And, uh, and who knows, maybe that road rage person was like, somebody was nice to me. Yeah. Maybe I won't be. Yeah, yeah. No, it's like grace Yeah. Follows itself. Mm-hmm. Yeah. It's a beautiful thing. So I love that you, your parents, uh, put that in you in a way that you know, and then for you to be willing to just up end, just say goodbye to it all and head to Florida and just, uh, without any roots here, you didn't have anything here.

You had nothing here, which always takes, uh. It's a big deal. It's, [00:55:00] it's a, I I love talking to people here. 'cause there's so many people who have that, a similar story where they left their roots. You know, my, my father did it many years ago and I'm so grateful he did. But there's so many people who at 25, 26, whatever, you know, in their twenties are packing up and moving to Florida without moving to Naples.

Especially Naples. 'cause Naples is like, there's not as much opportunity in especially 15 years ago. There wasn't as much opportunity here that there is over there. Um, takes a level of, you know, uh, courage, uh, insanity in some ways. Just especially your father was saying, what are you doing? What are you doing?

Yeah. Yeah. You're going to go do I I was settled. I was comfortable. Mm-hmm. I was happy that you were happy and you were, life was good for you and now you're leaving us, you're headed south. Yeah. Well, what else? What, what else? What keeps you in those moments where when you were here and you didn't, you thought, I, this [00:56:00] isn't working.

I'm gonna have to you seriously consider going home, leaving. What kept you from throwing in the towel? Because I knew I loved living here. Mm-hmm. And I wanted to find, it is very therapeutic for me, pubic for me. Um, I really am affected now, like we always go home for Thanksgiving and I'm like, oh my God, it's black by four o'clock.

Like even on the worst day that you'd have here, those palm trees are green and that sky's bright blue. And I'm very affected by water. I love the beach. Yeah. And I, you know, knowing that I was, I always had an intense position with my career. 90% of my life. I always owned my own business and I knew this was such a therapeutic, grounding place for me that I did not, I would fight.

To be able to stay here. Yeah. I did not wanna go back. Hmm. And no matter how close my, with my family, I didn't wanna be there. Yeah. I, and I knew, oh my God. I'm like, no, you, nobody has a straight line. [00:57:00] Everybody's gonna have the ups and downs. And I, I guess I, I, I didn't wanna leave. I wanted to stay here.

Yeah. Mm. And it would, I, there was never, I mean, I grew up in Maryland my whole life, so I would've never been here, go back home. But I'm like, no, you are not pansing out. You are not doing this now. You are staying sticking true to what you know, because Right. I knew, and I never was alone. I didn't have family here, but I had so many fantastic people, like I mentioned, a lot of my friends came through clients.

Mm-hmm. And just making connections in this town of, I, I, yeah. I knew if I ever needed anything, you know, if I, it's the other stubborn part of me and never wanted to reach out, but I knew if I ever needed anything extra than the support of my friends that I had it. You know, but no, I, I The palm trees, the blue sky, the beach.

Yeah. There's something about that. It's just something about it. When we, when we travel, we go up north and I, they have those gloomy days since I've been winter days in Michigan before, and [00:58:00] I just don't know how they do it without the sun. I miss that sun. I don't mind getting off the plane and feeling that humidity just soaked my soul.

It's okay with me. I love it. And even as it rained today, I went running in the rain with my, my friend and it's, it's different. It's, yeah, it's a different, the birds are always chirping. Yeah. Anytime I talk to my mom, my sister, which is weekly, they're like, oh, there's those birds again. I'm like, yep. She's like, it's like a Walt Disney movie there all the time.

I'm like, it really is like, the birds are always tripping and Yeah. Yeah. And just a happier person here. And you're close to the beach too, aren't you? Very close right there. Yeah. Yeah. We're half a mile from sunset, which is, we try to get down there at least once and Oh, I can't, I'm a person. I do. I'm Jo, I get up at 6 25 every morning.

Except some days sleep until like seven 30. But I get up very early and I need my coffee sit time with my little wiener dog. And uh, and like we'll just sit there, but I can't stand getting up. I need the daylight savings. And most people don't like the shorter days I thrive [00:59:00] because I need that sunlight at six 30 in the morning.

Yeah. Yeah. And I honestly like it getting darker at night. 'cause it's always like a wind down for me. Yeah, right, right. Um, but yeah, so anyway, I like this time shift too because then we are able to get to sunset at for sure once a week, but twice because pre sunset dinner and then wind down for, but yeah, no, I, I don't go down to the beach enough unless when company's visiting, I definitely walk it at least twice a week.

Um, but no, it's. I love it. Yeah. There's something about that. I don't get there enough for living so close, but, and when you do, you're like, why don't I do this? What am I doing? I know. How am I not here every day? I know, know, just it's paradise anyway. You look at it. Yeah. We just live in this pleasant fill of, you know?

Mm-hmm. And, and people are here. They're happy here because they're in paradise and happier. How could you not be? Mm-hmm. You know, it's just such a, it is such a, and blessed to live here and the, I mean, we'll call [01:00:00] it out. It's really much a healthier place. Yeah. Because we do have the resources of being go.

Yeah. It's hot during the summer, but everywhere's hot. Yeah. But we have the resources of being able to be outdoor comfortably 75% of the year. Yeah. Yeah. You know? Um, yeah. And just like anywhere, you know, I'm like, dear Lord, I won't ask for many years, but can this year be a hurricane for a year for all?

Yeah. That's, that's 10 years. I won't. Yeah. And, but then again, every part in the world has. Mother nature to Yeah. They have something. Yeah. Everywhere. Yeah. You know, and so, yeah, we just, yeah. That will never derail me because, especially since we do live in the water, and we were very, thank God our house was up high enough.

We had minimal damage compared to everybody where we lived. Um, and we were like, oh, you're gonna move, you're gonna sell. I'm like, no. It, no. Why? It's just part of the beast of living here. Yeah. You have to know that. Yeah. You know? Yeah. But, yeah, just had never seen it before. No. We'd always been the threat of it.

All of us. We saw it, and then, so it was just happening [01:01:00] one year and then years later. Yeah. Back to back. I know. Just, I won't be, I will not be greedy. God. But can we just go 2025? Yeah. And then I'll ask you again for doing 26th. Yeah. Yeah. I know. It's so far this year we've gotten to this point and hasn't been any scares.

I know. I have a, I have a gut, but this, this is, we gotta get through September and October. I know, I know. Yeah. Yeah. The anniversary's just passed of both, you know, Irma, Ian, these E ones, it just mm-hmm. Enough is enough. Yeah. Yeah. And then. Sandwich that in with a pandemic in the middle of that. Yeah. Right.

It's 10 of the roughest years of my gosh. Yes. Business or life, the rest of it. And relationship wise and yeah. As I said, you get through that, you're golden. Yeah. Hmm. Anything that, um, I know we talked about earlier, some of the struggles that you are going through or have gone through in life mm-hmm. And challenges that you're dealing with.

Um, and I think it'd be good if you don't mind sharing what you're have gone through in your life, [01:02:00] health wise, um, if you don't mind. Sure. Um, absolutely. Um, so I have sprinkled on it a few times. Um, again, just the social media world because that's where I conduct 80% of my business and, you know, people are throwing in the towels left and right because of the, obviously what's going on in the United States and all over.

But I use that platform to encourage and. Deliver the message of, of beyond fitness and nutrition, but wellness as a whole. And if I've always been, if something does not feel right, your body truly talks to you. We can ignore it and hope it goes away. And I'm definitely, many times I did, but I, I was diagnosed with Addison's 11 years ago.

I don't produce cortisol. I don't have a fight or fight. And so I take a light steroid that [01:03:00] mimics that. And I've had to learn over the past 11 years, and unfortunately I would push too much, whatever the stress may be, whether it was stress in business, uh, whether there's, I mean, I'll never forget when I developed workout cards in an app and I didn't get it done by Christmas, and I made myself so sick that I backs spiraled.

So when your body goes into like a fight or fight, right, I. I can't produce it. And so that means you gotta take more medicine to mimic it. But the problem is, is there's like a diabetic can prick their finger and get their reading, I don't know. And it's usually too late. And so after many scares of going way down the rabbit hole of overstressing my body, I'm like, all right, Laura, you can't keep doing this because you are gonna end up on your deathbed and the like.

You need to really start taking life seriously. And so that led me just to be so mindful of all my movements, all my actions, and I have slowed life down. And yes, I'll still be that go-getter, [01:04:00] but I know when enough is too much. And another really scary health adventure my body went through was actually a few months before getting married, six years ago.

Um, I had saline implants. And the left one encapsulated, it means moved. It goes outta the socket, outta the pocket. And it was up in my armpit, and I'm like, oh, my dear God, is it fitness? No, I've been, I've had these things 15 years. I, what is this? And so the more I read about it, your body can just start to reject it.

But also during this time, or later on this second, later on in this 15 years, I didn't put two and two together, but the autoimmunes not coming on, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, all right. I keep hearing about this breast illness. And again, it is not a scientific diagnosis. There is not, it, it, it is, it's, it can't be on paper.

You have this because of this. Can certain things happen because [01:05:00] your body's maybe fighting something toxic? Absolutely. But I thought everything I have from thyroid to my Edisons has nothing to do with these fake boobs in me. Mm-hmm. And I'm just gonna get 'em redone. So of course, I got them redone, and within two years it happened again.

In the left one. I'm like, what is happening here? I lived with this really weird physical pain, and again, I can now have backtrack of being extra tired, body just inflamed. I'm like, oh, I'm just blaming my hormones again. Hair's falling out again. And about two years I live with this and I said, what the heck am I doing?

And two clients happened to be new coming into my life. I had always get their health history and they both had their implants removed and they sang these different symptoms. I'm like, Hmm. And they're like, yeah, there's this incredible human being and that's all he does over in the other coast. If you do it, that's who I highly advise.

So again, I'm like, there's no way. I mean, I'm being honest. They're part of me. It was a [01:06:00] vanity part of my body that Sure. I, I've had for almost now, 20 years. So, anyway, last, what month are we in? September. So the beginning of last year, I remember my mom was visiting and we were in a dressing room and I bent over and, and I'm like.

I'm like, look at my boob. I mean it like, totally. It was just so deformed looking and other than itching for anyway, I'm like, I, I am like honey. I'm like, I think I have a real problem. And he's like, Laura, you're being, you know, I'm like, no, I really, something's the matter and you know, it takes all I have to actually wanna go consult with this physician.

Mm. So we went and had a consult last summer. He was, he is again, one of my top five amazing human beings. Um, even Ernie, who's my husband's physician, said, I've never met, he's met many surgeons, other plastic surgeon as humble and as honest as this guy was. Mm. And so he told me what could be going on. You don't know.

'cause even though I get my yearly mammograms, you can't x-ray [01:07:00] to see, I, I just was hoping this thing wasn't leaking or whatever could be happening in there. So I had my consult in June. My surgery was for August and I still the week of in denial because I was so scared of what I would look like. It was my image who I was, and I'm like, no, you need to do this.

So had the surgery done, I went over there to stay the night it was Miami and I remember every single moment, usually, you know, fully, I mean fully under, usually, you know, you're groggy for days, let alone just hours. Mm-hmm. I remember laying there trying to wake up and I hear the nurse, but I had the, that damn breathing mask over my face and I, in my head I was saying something to her, but clearly it wasn't coming out yet.

'cause I was still, she's like, honey, you think you're saying something but you're never gonna remember this. And I'm thinking. Hmm. Do not. Anyway, I raised my head and I'm like, get this off of me. And clearly I remember everything she's trying to tell me. I left there outta [01:08:00] surgery, walked out. I didn't even wanna take a nap.

And he's like, Laura, you didn't sleep last night. Take a nap. I'm gonna go work out. Just let's eat, get you something to eat. Anyway, went back to the hotel room, ate something, tried to take a nap. I woke up and the surgeon, the first thing he wanted to do is walking around and I had these two big durang and sick outta my sides.

And I went to lunch at a restaurant in the local mall. I went to dinner that night at a restaurant. This is the day of surgery. I born outta bed the next day. I'm like, coffee. He's like, are you kidding me? I'm like, Ernie, this is the most clear I've ever felt in years. Wow. Wow. I'm getting chills telling you.

Like, even people could see my eyes and I didn't ex, all I wanted was this physical bang on. Yeah. And thankfully enough, um, they wasn't, it didn't leak. It didn't have, they were, they were. The implants themselves were safe in my body, but my body kept rejecting it for whatever reason. Yeah. And I have an autoimmune, I have a thyroid maybe 'cause I have these, it finally was saying, what, what are [01:09:00] these foreign objects in you?

Again, nobody knows, but all I've can tell an honest to God truth of these hormone blips that I had just going through perimenopause, I could cry. The amount of energy that I was just had, it was insane. Wow. Insane. Mm. So interesting. My hair stopped falling out. Yeah. I, I mean, just all the inflammation, my joint stopped.

Everything. So is there a scientific name for breast illness? No. But is it, can women's bodies respond to something foreign? Especially if they do have an autoimmune? Mm-hmm. Heck yeah. Yeah. You know? Yeah. And I never, people are like, do you regret it? Regret it. I'm like. No. In fact, I look back at pictures, I'm like, holy, big boobs.

Um, and I've had several women go and have consults with him and or have some here and they removed him and they're like, oh my God, Laura. Hmm. We, you know, didn't realize the pa like just living in pain. 'cause you're afraid to get rid of, of course. And I'm very close to all my physicians here, and I, of [01:10:00] course, they all know what I, I went through and encouraged it.

And they're like, Laura. So we see so many women who live in this pain and don't ever, and again, I, people are like, oh, don't judge me. I'm getting my boobs done. I'm like, I have no judgment. Number one, I don't judge anybody. Number two, if it doesn't hurt you, then go for it. You know? But if something's hurting, that's where we started.

Your body's gonna talk to you and listen to it because it, you may be surprised in how fabulous that you could feel. And the few women that have done that, they're like, wow. I'm like, Hmm. Yeah. So I encourage that. Anybody listening is just, if something is feeling off on your body, don't wait. Because that's where the underlying issues can start to get established.

Like, don't be afraid to go get your blood work. Don't be afraid to get a second opinion. Don't be afraid. And especially if you know that you are living a healthy lifestyle, because as much as we think that we're immortal, we're not, some of the healthiest people in the world end up becoming diagnosed with something awful.

You don't have to be doing eating the bacon and smoking the cigarettes. [01:11:00] It's, it could be in our genes, it could be, it could be anything. There could be for no reason. People have a major health issue. And then, like I said, you don't even think about what could happen if you just could have simply gotten that test on her.

You know? So I just encourage if your body's talking to you, listen, and the answer's always there. Yeah. Yeah. You know? Well, thanks for being so, yeah. No, I transparent about yeah, your, and I love not having my boobs. I'm gonna tell you, I'm actually very happy. Yeah. We put so many, um, poisons in our body in so many ways that we don't even know.

I think a lot of people do that don't, uh, when we traveled to, to even ST bar's, but when we went to Europe, we just noticed that the food we ate, um, the same foods we responded differently to, uh, she didn't have the same [01:12:00] reactions to eating a croissant mm-hmm. Or something over there. It was so different.

And, uh, you know, there are a lot of things that are put in foods here that are made them so they last longer Sure. Or whenever they do and they're allowed to put them in, but mm-hmm. Um, what's a way for somebody to start the journey? Because I think it's so people just feel like, oh my gosh, uh, how could I even begin?

Mm-hmm. To clean up my life or clean up my diet? What's a way that somebody could just take a baby step? Mm-hmm. To take that first step into eating cleaner, healthier, without sacrificing, um, too much of the taste, flavor. And yeah. So, you know, we always told don't eat processed foods. Well, anything, even though it's all natural peanut butter and no, nothing else was in there, but other than the peanuts and the salt, it's still processed because you processed down the peanuts.

So people need to start having a better [01:13:00] understanding of what processed foods really are, and not just eating cleaner. But the first step is just eating healthier. Meaning a many fruits and vegetables are you're having. Now let's just pretend you're still eating the Doritos and the Cheez-Its, I'm not gonna tell you to eliminate that yet.

And getting caught up in seed oils and like, this is where that food confusion comes in. 'cause then you're like, oh my God. And you know, you're like, ah, screw it up. First step is, I always say, let's, let's go back to all our natural foods. How many fruits and vegetables are you eating? How many. How many sources of protein are you having?

Um, and usually the number one in fruits and vegetables are like, Hmm, okay, well number one, you're not even getting in minerals and vitamins. So I always add rather than subtract first. Right. Okay. Because again, you can't overwhelm somebody. It's like learn literally learning a new language. Yeah. And of course let's just, the all just depends on where that person is in their life with their health and wellness.

But fruits and vegetables, proteins. And then, you know, you can start asking, all right, well [01:14:00] great, well if you wanna have bread with breakfast, 'cause I'm all about having bread, what, what bread are you having? And then I just start to slowly teach somebody how to read the labels. Again, I'm not getting into, everything needs to be organic.

Because we're also finding out organic foods are not a lot of times necessarily being, depends on whether they're being resourced better than rat natural. Mm. Or um, just like regular fruits and vegetables. Yeah. Washer fruits and vegetables. Yeah. But the very first step is how many just healthy foods are included in your diet.

And that's usually like one, the bottom part because most people are not eating, they skip breakfast that we eat something on the go. Um, so once they can start to realize like, okay, great, I had my, let's just say, say two to three servings, fruits, vegetables. I had my couple bouts of protein. And then I have them realize, let's, let's figure out and be honest.

Let's look in the pantry and ask yourself what foods are you eating on a regular basis and what one can, let's just choose one. And we start to cut back. And then we not only cut back, but we're gonna replace it. Mm-hmm. So like maybe [01:15:00] you love your. My husband loves his Doritos, and it's a joke because the bag of Doritos last a month in there because he has two when he comes home from work and he put away, let's just say you're like, I really love my Doritos.

Okay, well, can we find that's cheesy and crunchy that doesn't have as many chemicals and dyes in it, right? Mm-hmm. Because if you want your handful of Doritos even once a week, great. It's the everyday consumption. That's where the balance comes in. Mm-hmm. So Laura, I really love Doritos. All right, so you love crispy and cheesy and crunchy.

Let's see if we can find something that has less ingredients. Let's replace it. And then you just slowly go about doing that versus again, feeling restricted. Again, if I told you you can't have your whatever it is ever again, you're gonna be like, yeah, right Laura, I can't live like that. Mm-hmm. So it has to become an attainable, slow step process of let's start adding, we'll start eliminating and you, we really just start dialing in.

And if once that you're starting to feel better, uh, energy wise, maybe benefit, you finally did lose some, you wanna lose weight and you lost weight. Because a lot of surplus calories are [01:16:00] ab bit of this and a bit of that, and we don't realize it. And you know, if the person has their sweet tooth, let's replace it with something healthier that has, you know, I don't know, non-dairy Yao bar.

I don't, I'm just thinking like a, but you just learn to replace, and then if you really wanna get to the nitty gritty, right? If you feel as though you don't wanna have, like what's pronounced seed oils or these are all controversy issues, by the way. Yeah. Nothing is scientifically proven, but then get into the deeper stuff.

But the very first thing is you just need to figure out, A, are you eating for what your body needs? Is it mostly whole clean foods? And then have the occasional here, this and that, so you don't derail and feel like you would have to like really just ugh, binge and then go off the rails and then start that cycle over again.

Yeah. And keep it simple. Simple. And have a plan. Yeah. Yeah. I, that was long-winded, but it's, yeah. Start healthy. No, it's [01:17:00] useful. I can hear it differently. And just saying, replace if there's potato chips mm-hmm. Or Doritos or whatever they're, find something that can fill me void. Another crunch void. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Like I, you know, I do I eat healthy? Yes. Do I love my healthy foods? Yes. I really do. But I also love, I find certain barbecue puffs that are made though from chickpeas and Do I have the whole bag? No, but it's learning, like it's, when you start to replace things you love with healthier, al healthier alternatives, like of you also binging on that entire thing.

Yeah. Is gonna be less likely as well too. Yeah. Because it's just the mental state of where you are. You're like, gosh, if I've done this, then why do I wanna pedal backwards? Yeah, you, and like I said, the, and that's why I don't like the word, it's old school cheat meals. Or in my role when I coach, there's nothing that's bad or good, period.

It's where can it fit in? 'cause if you [01:18:00] love it, let's have it once in a while. Yeah. Um, because if you're doing the delivery of that good old, there's an 80 20 rule, most of the time I, there's a 90 10 when your goal gets a little more specific. Um, but yeah, if you're doing that good old 80 20 mm-hmm. You're doing a pretty darn good job.

And you post a lot of these tips on your Bella Diva Wellness, Bella Diva Wellness on Instagram, right? Mm-hmm. So that's what it is. We'll put it up there too. But yeah, that's, 'cause I know there's a lot of great little tidbits that you, whether it's a recipe or a, I, I always say the simpler the better. Yeah.

You know, and I've been getting really burnt out on the platform just because again, it's the repetitive constant and I'm looking forward to doing a little rebranding and bringing a little fire back to the brand. Yeah. Well we're be looking for That's bringing back that fire. Yeah. Yeah. Well that's that Italian in you.

Oh yeah. Yeah. It's fiery. There's so many layers to you. Uh, you have so many things that I, uh, wanted to, I know this [01:19:00] is dive into Rob. This is great for me. I don't sit for more than an hour. I'm doing pretty darn good. Okay. I'm getting, I'm getting close to the end here. Okay. I'm about to do some jumping jacks.

I'm gonna dress though. I don't think I should do that.

There was something you said, um, that I found that I loved. Um, where did that go?

It was about, here it is, a ship in the harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for. Is that like a mantra in your, did you say that somewhere? Somewhere that came up. I said, so I used to coach a nonprofit young girls, uh, fitness wellness mindset group called the WellFit Girls. And that was one of the mantras that we used about Yeah.

You know, it's not meant to be. You, there's a safety zone, but you can't be afraid to break through your comfort zone. Mm. There's a [01:20:00] difference in that, you know? Um, and we used to actually always say that a lot to the girls and Yep, they're right. You have your safety, but then you also have comfort is not the same as safety.

Right. So you can still be safe about doing something outside of what makes you feel comfortable. But if you stay in this little safety zone forever, it's, I always say if you're not, and you don't like the word dying, but if you're not growing, you're dying. Yeah. You stay second. Yeah. And it doesn't be think anything huge, something little that you wanna accomplish.

And yeah. So it's like, yeah, that, that, that your ship is not meant to be set there on the dock. You need to set that to get that yacht going out there and cruise the world in that thing. And you know, or maybe it's a dinghy, I don't know, but that whatever the size of your boat's not just supposed to be sitting there, it's, it's meant to take adventure and.

You know, but in a safe, safe way. No different than us sitting here for two hours and not getting up and being active. Like we have to do a walking podcast really serious. Seriously? [01:21:00] Yeah. Oh my gosh. That's the next one. I'll put you on my podcast. You're like, Lawrence, it's been five hours. Let's go, Rob.

Love it.

Uh, don't dump me because I would, I know, I know. I, I, I believe you, you, you talked about your, um, I always ask what's your coffee order? 'cause you, uh, okay, so you talked about your morning coffee. I only have hot coffee in the mornings, even when it's, well, when it's the blue moon, when we get into cold or season, uh, my coffee every morning.

And I like finding different local coffees, uh, that I'll buy from. In fact, one of my favorite places, a copio, which I wanna tell you, I'm gonna launch my first bowl there. Uh. Uh, they're from Columbia, so I love That's the one just south of Pine Ridge Road on 41, right? Mm-hmm. In the, um, new gay fidelity. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

Yeah. Um, incredible people. Super, super kind people. Um, I love finding [01:22:00] different coffees, but we would buy always whole beans. I grind up the night before, so we always have fresh, fresh coffee in the morning. But I am now, I found out two years ago that I'm very sensitive to almond anything. And it's funny because I do very little dairy in my life.

Uh, just I've really said stuff. Tummy. Yeah. So that's the, that's an Italian thing. I, my doctor, Dr. Spano told about these. Yeah. Or digestive. I think I can do cheese, feta cheese, but you give me a piece of two pieces of pizza, ice cream. I'm in trouble for two days, so I now use oat 'cause I found out I have extremely sensitive to almond.

I think I OD'ed on almond everything. Milk, cream, cheese. Yeah. So my morning coffee is fresh ground, whatever local coffee is. Um, I add oat milk. I have a mixture, oat milk. Oat creamer, collagen powder, two drops, stevia and cinnamon. I know it's intense. I froth up my creamer, my collagen. Nice. I have this like frothy top coffee, but then like a go to if I want like a little sipper during the day.

I'm just a good old cold brew girl with, um, and again, like I'm [01:23:00] vacation if I need to grab like a Starbucks or a pep, but I love local coffee shops. Mm-hmm. I like the local vibe. I, again, like trying the different varietals and I can become like a coffee snot. It's not a Sno, a coffee lover. Just like we do love trying our vino discoveries.

Yeah. Coffee's and coffee's meant to be even great flavor. Yeah. Not just masked and Yeah. So yeah. Hot in the morning, sometimes a cold in the afternoon. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. That's about mornings and coffee go together. Well, I, I, so are you an espresso drinker or is I'm, yeah, that's, yeah, that's, it's actually something to my, my father always.

Um. It was kind of our thing we connected together on in his later years of life. He would tell me when he was sick or even before he was sick, he would send me a picture of an espresso cup, uh, as a text. And that meant, come on over and let's have a espresso on his deck together. And we enjoyed, you know, when I got to really love him and not [01:24:00] love him in a way that accepting him for who he was.

'cause he was a hard nosed Italian my whole life. Mm-hmm. You know, he was never good enough, never, always trying my hardest and never could please him the way I wanted to. Mm-hmm. But I realized that he was just doing the best he could and that was made me who I am. He wanted me to be a better person. So that's how he, he was.

And when I could, um, when I really got it, that that was his wife showing me love and I could love him the way he was and not the way I thought he should be. We had a lot of great years together at the end of his life where we would sit and have espresso on the back deck together, and it was a beautiful thing.

Wow. So that's been our, so right after he, he died in 2015, we got the espresso machines in the salons so that we could always, that's toast to him. And Aw, you know, honor, love that poppy in, uh, in our espresso way. So that's a big part of our culture was always, you know, around coffee and later years espresso.

Mm-hmm. So, yeah. Oh, that's awesome. Yeah. So that's why I like to ask everybody what's their, what's their coffee? Coffee. Yeah. Very cool. [01:25:00] Uh, your music. I, I, I'm building a, oh boy. I'm building a playlist of guests that we have on spotlight on good people. So what's your go-to? Uh, oh boy. This is always a hidden joke.

When the kids were testing Ernie and I, before we got engaged of like secret things of, or we were engaged and getting married, like we'd had, they'd write all these questions and things that possibly we didn't know about each other. Yeah. Mine was What's Laura's secret? So I, I had his questions, he had my mind, so you had to fill it to the best.

And of course we compare 'em. Oh my God. Yeah. Kids are. Peeing their pants, laughing at some of our answers. And one of the, um, now I love all music except like headbanging, uh uh, not, I love rock and roll. What's, what's, um, like metal music or something? Yes, yes. Can't stand. Yeah. But one, and I love, and now I'm actually in the car.

I'm like listening to the eighties and I'm like, oh my God, I'm becoming my parents. I mean, I love, I love country. I love all of it, but my secret, like get [01:26:00] Ready hardcore workout is I am a, I can be a like old school rap girl. Uh, yeah. Mm-hmm. The older the better. But I must fully admit on here that I show music.

I really haven't listened to it much, but I feel like it just sounds all repetitive. But man, when Cardi B came out. I could, I could get down to some Cardi B. That's my secret. Um, like get your, like game face on. Yeah. All right. Good. Good. All. Well throw, throw some Cardi B on the playlist then. Good. Perfect.

Make sure it's the filter, the non explicit ones. Is there one not, I know the, there is a button for that on, on Spotify can tell it that, but I like it raw. That's all right. Let it go. Um, any books or podcasts that are in your rotation or that have had an impact on you? Books? Books? The problem with me in books is I'll get through like half of a self.

Well, like I, I don't like the word self-help. Hmm. I'll get through half of one and [01:27:00] then I stop and they're all bookmarked under my nightstand. Yeah. Because I get too, so I have not been traveling and we're gonna start traveling again. And so my favorite thing to do on a plane is even after like nine, 10 hours, is I love to read.

Sometimes I put a movie on, but I love, that's like my cozy spot in the plane is to read. Yeah. So. I would SI have quite a few books that even though I've only gotten halfway through, one mantra that has always gone through my head is I haven't, listen, I used to listen to him on podcast and I have in a long time was, um, ed Millet.

Oh yeah, yeah. And his book of the Power one. One more. Yes. So that would just, again, I got to halfway through the book, I think I said listen to it on podcasts. I love audio books. Well, because I do a lot of walking. Yeah. But that's, that, that powerful, like, can you really do one more? 'cause you know, you can do one more, whatever it is.

I don't mean like even working out. Yeah. But like if you really had to get through one more test to take, or if you really had to get through like one more email, like Yeah. Guess what? You really can [01:28:00] do it. Yeah. You know, I'm not saying it's like a five hour, but if it's a small task to accomplish something bigger in the end that the power of one more, um.

I am more of a nonfiction. I love, like her name, the author's name is Colleen Hoover. They're like the woman's like Secret Romance drama. Oh, I can get into those. She's, I've written mm-hmm. Many of her books. In fact, she's coming with movies and then podcast. Um, I like anything, of course, anything that has to do with science and nutrition, because I've always wanna hear the latest and greatest, make sure it's coming through a good source.

Peter or Tara? Um, Zoe, uh, science that's actually really good, even though they're, they're European. Um

hmm. The ones I have in rotation, there's actually one called the Nutrition Diva. It's just like, quick little tips. Again, I like listening to things, so it helps me also [01:29:00] spark to say, oh yeah, I forgot about that. Yeah. Um, I was listening to my Ed Mylet for a while. What else is in the top there? Uh, the body pod, but I think her name's Laura and Hailey again, all about women's, anything to do with women.

Yeah. Um, and then clearly you're in my pod in my subscribe because I didn't even know you were doing this until months ago and I was listening to some of them. And I love it because it's storytelling time and I think that's when somebody really gets to know somebody best, um, through telling stories.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, this is why I love to, I love this. I love to, I always thought about doing one. I'm like, oh my gosh, you always, you have a million things. But I'm like, who knows what's gonna happen in the next year of diving into a whole new world of rebranding business. No, I think you should. You absolutely should.

You, should. You, should you. Absolutely. Walking, there's so much to share. Walking. I mean, that's brilliant. That's, no, I love the idea. I might take that. Probably could do it. That would be amazing. Yeah. Yeah. That [01:30:00] could totally be a real thing. I, yeah, I will give you credit for it. You'll be my first guest. I love that.

I love it. I don't know how long it'll last on it, but I, I'll get through what I can just push, keep pushing. Yeah. Well that, that, that especially you can't quit then 'cause you're on camera. Like you gotta keep going there be no way I could say I give up. Yeah. Do you have a hidden talent?

I mean, it's not funny or anything, but I, I think I surprise people when my clients come over. I've turned my formal dining room table into an arts and crafts center because I, I get this again, got it from my mama is I, I've been into dried flower projects. I actually love creating. I'm not, I cannot draw, but I love creating projects like little arts and crafts projects.

And I will do a Christmas present every year to my, for my clients that have like a meaning behind it. And, uh, yeah, this past year I really got into dried flowers, even like picking my own and drawing them. And it's just like such a. Sitting there moving meditation of creating. And so I don't, I guess it's a [01:31:00] talent having arts and crafts.

I mean, not too many people have the patience to sit there and, and the nice thing is it can be like the ugliest masterpiece and look amazing to you and you know, who cares? But it's very therapeutic to sit there and create something. Yeah. I love doing, I love creating. Yeah. If your life was a movie, what would the opening soundtrack be?

Oh, well, it wouldn't be Cardi B, I'll tell you that. I do love that good old theme song from, uh, what's, what's the most what, Laura, come on now. Um. It's everybody's favorite movie and everybody Top Gun. What's the, what's that song on the end? When, when, why am I drawing a blank? Uh, you know, I'm talking about I do because it's in my head and I can hear it.

I mean, when that comes on in the car, I wanna like, fly through. I don't wanna go like that is I can hear it. Yeah. Let's that, is it another game on like, let's do this? Yeah. I can be that. I get that. I can have that, but I also can be like a Saya, like her empowering songs of Just [01:32:00] Alive is one of them. Or Unstoppable or, mm.

Just that theme of mm-hmm. That would always, will literally bring me to life and gimme some oomph. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I got three random pick three. Random, now I'm thinking of that song though. Top Gun. Yeah. Uh, danger Zone. Oh, thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Thank you. Yeah. Oh, okay. Pick three. I'm go one light. No, you want me?

Oh, I'm, pick wherever you wanna go. Where you can kick Sean, wherever you wanna go. Do tar. And let's do one more light. Okay. Which order? Whatever, pick the first one you'd wanna read. Read out. I got two icebreakers. And then icebreaker. This is an icebreaker card. Icebreaker. What is the best fast f Oh, this is perfect for you.

What is the best fast food restaurant? I don't think I've [01:33:00] set foot in a fast food restaurant in decades. Um, let me think. Lemme think. Fast food. Fast food. I would say some sort of sub shop. Like what's fast food? Like we're thinking like sub fast food's, like a Subway or, I think it would be sure that that's included in there.

Yeah. So I, I would, it's not just McDonald's say like Yeah. Uh, fast food. Uh, let's just say the first thing that, clearly, the first thing that came to my mind would, mine would be some sort of like subs shop. Because that would have such a variety of, if I wanted to have like a regular sandwich, I could, with all of my macros I see right where my brain goes or if I wanna do a salad.

Or, a lot of times you have like lettuce wrap options, but I feel like that even though it's fast food and yeah, it's deli meat or again, pick your poison, it's still getting some protein in. Mm-hmm. But you still get your vegetables. I would say some sort of sub shop. Okay. Alright. Great. No accident that you got that one.

That's good because that, that's helpful to people. I think that's great. [01:34:00] I mean, it just defines like what's fast. Yeah. That's a fast food. Of course. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. We'll go That's, go to another icebreaker. Icebreaker. Oh God. It's all about food. No. What is your comfort food? Ooh. What is your comfort?

I don't know if I'd call comfort food. You need tie I play cards two up please. Comfort Food.

I do. Okay. So again, if it were at home, I do love a good hearty stew with some really crispy sourdough with olive oil and lots of spices and dipping. Oh wow. So yeah, we can go there with a big glass of red wine that all come combine together. That still an Italian soul. Yeah, but I won't call it comfort food, but if I like going [01:35:00] out to order like on date night, I am.

I, again, not for, I'm just not a fried person unless it's good french fries. But I love just like the perfectly light tempered calamari. Mm oh yeah. Mm-hmm. And it has to be those little fried vegetables in there too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. A couple restaurants in town that have some fried, yeah. Where's your favorite one?

What's one? Ah, you know, it's been true in to always having. Excellent. And is, uh, have you been to Grino? No. Mm-hmm. Okay. I've heard about it. So this has been turned. I'm a major food stop. Like we, my husband and I are foodies, like foodie, like we love food. And um, it's been turned over like three times and now Grino has been in there for years now.

They have the Grino Bakery. Um, it is one place that has been a constant, never had a bad meal, and I, we've been there at least six, seven times over. Like, they were actually one of the best ones over. Is it down here? Is it downtown? It's literally five minutes up the street. Yeah, it's um, if you're heading [01:36:00] south, it's just past the hospital.

Yeah, on the, um, so you turn left on east. It's on the right, on east side. Yeah. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. I know. Excellent food. Yeah. Very Mediterranean, Italian, but they, they're calamari. I love it. One just lightly tempered, so you still get that crunch, but it's, you still can taste your actual calamari. And I love, yeah, I love the tentacles.

That's my favorite one. Oh, me too. Right? We what they go for first. Everybody else puts them aside. That's what I want. Gimme the tentacles. So Yes, they actually, if you haven't, you've gotta try it. Yeah, no, I haven't. Well, that's good to know. They have really good, it's close to all their food is excellent.

They have a really good No, you're zino told. Yeah, they're, they've never anyone from homemade pizzas to their poss. Everything is excellent there. So it's lunch and dinner. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And then they had the bakery next door for breakfast and lunch. Oh, okay. Mm-hmm. We went once for lunch. It was okay. But dinner's always been the thing, huh?

Yeah. Amazing. All right, I gotta put that on my list. Okay. Last one. Deeper. [01:37:00] What's the absolute worst thing you've ever done? Oh, go on. Let's take out the skeletons here. It's the worst thing you've ever done. Worst thing you've ever done. God knows there's has been a lot. Let me just, the worst thing I've ever done,

I won't, I don't know if I can, I'm just, of course the first things that are coming to my mind rather than a specific time. 'cause now as I leave here, these are all the questions. I'm gonna be thinking about this for the next two days. I, the worst thing that, and I, I can catch myself, would be reacting out of emotion when somebody like really upsets you or angers you.

Mm-hmm. And you want, and again, this is where I have to learn to control the fire because I, whether I'm, whether it was me or somebody, you hurt somebody I know. Mm-hmm. I. I did, always did it, and I catch myself now. But the worst thing [01:38:00] ever is just to react out of pure motion because it is not the, it is not the first answer.

Yeah. And I start to learn, like, wait a second, dial it back in Laura, because you are not sat, you need to like, let this simmer and really think about it because I've made some really not great decisions or conversations that should not been had because the delivery was just out of pure anger versus seeing that other person side.

Mm-hmm. Letting it fizzle. And now just having really the maturity to say, is this something that I wanna talk to them about? Or is it just, silence can be the best answer. Mm-hmm. But just giving that moment to give it reflection and, and you know, I'm not saying, oh, I do this every time. It's, it's the thought.

I mean, do I find times where I'm like, whether someone comments, I'm like, sure. How do they, I'm like, no, just let them be because you know what? You never know what's going on through their head and. Yeah, you just, you don't, so I've really learned to like [01:39:00] not bite back when, unless you really need to. Yeah.

Worst thing, I'm trying to think of a physical, I, well, clearly my health, I mean, I really use and abuse being in nonstop, like too much of a good thing clearly was killing me. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. So, yeah, I, and again, thankfully enough, I had the opportunity before it was too late to throttle back and learn the difference, but yeah.

Oh yeah. I, I, there you can have too much of a good thing and I clearly prove that with my physical and emotional feeling. Like you have to be a nonstop badass all the time and it will eventually backfire. Mm. That grace, that grace has to follow in there. Yeah. A little bit of both. Yeah. Well, thanks for sharing that too.

Yeah. I have the final question. What do you love about your life? This is gonna sound really corny, but everything. Mm. I really do. [01:40:00] Mm-hmm. I really do. I will, I am, you know, you kind of roll your eyes when people are like, oh, who really loves everything? I literally open my curtains in the dark and I like, thank you, God.

And I just even like, we've had some really hard times this past year with work and situations and family life, and I, no matter what am just, I love everything about it. I don't regret anything that I've ever done, um, talking about big picture, but no, I am, I am truly an extremely, but I'm a happy person and I can tell you that, like, full on.

Mm-hmm. I love my life. Beautiful. Mm-hmm. That's why you're always exuding that positivity, that good energy. Yeah. Beautiful. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thanks for sharing your soul and [01:41:00] being so authentic and real. It's cool. Pressure. Well, thanks for, I was so excited. I've never been on a podcast before and that's telling Zach, I'm like, I, I'm super, like I get so pumped up.

'cause I, I actually, I like chatting, especially with people who I adore in my life, but I'm like, I'm kind of nervous 'cause I've never been on a podcast, but this is good. You need to rattle the nerve from time to time. Yeah. This is awesome. Yeah, you're just very natural. You just, yeah. You just self-expressed and natural and yeah's beautiful.

It's, it's, uh, refreshing. You know, it's just like, I love to, um. Well, I'm, I'm, I think we're, I feel so blessed in this little tiny Naples that, well, 15 years ago was a lot different than it is now, but it continues to grow. But that we have such, so many good souls here, really good, good people that mm-hmm.

Just we're surrounded by and that I get to be around more of them, like, opportunities like this. 'cause this will, this will have an impact on my life forever. This [01:42:00] conversation di which we don't have dito. So I love that you did this because it's, again, it's not a common find that, you know, when people are just always just looking to promote people, but to really deep down and dig into their soul.

Yeah. You know, people don't take the time to do that. So big kudos to you. Seriously. No, I, I, it's an honor to get to document these good souls mm-hmm. And have a true, um, biography of the people in our community that, that make up this great place that keep giving and giving and giving. And you're a giver that's just in your soul.

So I love that. So you, so thank you.