The Nourished Belly

Tammy was the perfect Coach for me. I’ve had a ton of «coaching calls» in my life and very rarely do I look FORWARD to them. I worked with her for 6 months and transformed my deeply engrained thoughts around food. I will definitely work with Tammy again when I’m looking to get more in depth about the science-​y aspect of food. She was great and speaking to my comfort level of understanding. I learned a lot and I saved all the handouts for future reference!

Tammy is amazing. I have never had so much fun working with a health professional. She helped me organize my life and gave me tips on how to improve and get to the root of my stomach issues. When I started seeing her I was pretty much vegan and she was ok with that and worked around it, which was awesome. I learned a lot about what foods work well for me and which ones definitely do not. She also taught me about batch cooking (important for a busy single mom who is working full time and in school part time!!!) and we came up with goals to work on at every session. She was always excited and enthusiastic at our appointments and I could tell she genuinely loves what she does. It definitely shows. I would recommend Tammy to anyone looking to vamp up their nutrition goals, anyone having tummy troubles, or anyone who just needs to organize their chaotic life and eat healthily at the same time. She is a great listener and teacher and is always there to talk to in between sessions if you need it. Yay Tammy!

I called Tammy on a friend’s recommendation and she got right to the root of my stomach issues over the phone! I had been having problems for more than a year, and Tammy gave me a simple test with baking soda I could try at home to show me what was going on with my stomach. She gave me a lot of education and some simple remedies; she didn’t try to sell me anything or pressure me into doing anything, just explained how things worked. I really appreciated her consideration and respect for my concerns, and again, the low-​pressure approach. I have and will continue to recommend her to anyone with tummy troubles!

I always thought I had a «sensitive stomach» and just couldn’t quite narrow down what specifically was causing it so I started seeing Tammy to help me figure it out. She helped me solve my tummy troubles but gave me so much more! Her holistic views combined with her down to earth, individualized program has helped me be a happier, healthier person. In our first appointment she taught me how stress effects the body and how key it is to address that aspect too. She navigated through all my little hangups, «well, vegetables can be crunchy but not stingy crunchy like onions…», «I’m weird about fish…» I mean the list goes on, Tammy adapted to every curve ball I threw her. I feel so wise about my food decisions now and love what I eat. I think just about everyone can gain from working with her!

The strength I most appreciated about Tammy and her nutrition program is her flexibility. She compassionately meets you at the level you are, and pushes you in a way that motivates you without scaring you off.
I also love the way she uses metaphors and visual language to help break down the nutrition concepts in a way that makes it easy to remember and incorporate into your daily life habits.

Disclaimer: To all the grammar police out there. You know who you are. I apologize in advance for any grammatical errors, misspellings, and colloquial speech in my writing. I assure you no language was intentionally harmed in the writing of this review.
Well the story of Tammy meets Rena or Rena meets Tammy (however you want to see it) was an accidental, lucky, fortunate (well, is anything ever accidental?) discovery. I had been 7 years out from a 12-​year relationship with my husband (yup that means divorce). During these 7 years (I am now calling «La Gran Depresión») I had endured, the death of my dad, grandma, uncle, a rebound relationship (that was ridiculous), trials and tribulations with my son and family, grad school, weight gain, and a series of terrible dates. During this time I had started training the beautiful martial art of Capoeira and still I was not feeling happy about this funk I was in. Then I took a trip up north with some friends to train Capoeira with my northern California (the BEST STATE in the country) Peeps.
My friends new I was not completely myself and asked if I was feeling ok. That’s when I said: my life right now is blbllblbaaaalblaa and yadda yadda yadda, and bleep blop blop, and dudududddduudu. Of course I got the glossed over stares. Then without a second thought my buddy Mike says: you need to meet Tammy! The Zen Master (aka, Phil Jackson) of nutrition, health, wellbeing, and just all around good vibes. She lives up here.
And then there was Tammy!!! My next chapter… and so our journey began.
Somehow she sucked up all the brujaja in my life with a celestial bruja vacuum! It wasn’t just my nutritional behaviors that she whipped into shape, it was my entire point of view of life that changed – she was my own personal Micky Goldmill (Rocky). When she found out I was living in a little studio by myself with only a microwave, toaster oven, and a hot plate I think she turned on red alert.
And I’m gonna tell you… let’s just be candid for a moment: it was not always easy. I had some bad days and it was tough having her in up north in East Bay and me all the way down in L.A. but it worked. We met on the phone every other week with out fail. We set goals, talked about epic fails, my food journal (which was kinda like making a kid eat their vegetables), and successes. She was like (and I mean this in the warmest of ways Tammy) my high school narks. You know them. They worked in the attendance office – and ALWAYS knew where every student was – at every moment – ALL the time. How did they do that? My relationship was complicated with the narks because I liked them but I wasn’t supposed to like them. They kept me on track. But I divert. Tammy, seemingly, new where I was – at every moment – all the time. AND SHE WAS UP NORTH. I’m convinced she has special superhero nark senses. She’s SuperNarko, she’s Narktaculous, She’s Narko Woman. Wait! what?! Why didn’t I get stopped on that one?
Ok let’s be serious. Everything has become a little clearer to me these days. I realized that part of my block was: I was married for a long time with a wonderful kitchen and a life that was gone and now I was living like a bachelor cocooned in my little apartment (eek).
I started working with Tammy in November of 2013 and here is just a taste of what has happened since then:
I was in a little match box studio — –With our goal setting, I am now in a giant 4 bedroom house with three wonderful roommates, giant kitchen, garden filled with home grown fruits & veggies, hot tub, and fountains in the hills of L.A.
Cooking was a chore (it reminded me of a lost past life) — -Cooking is now fun and easy in a fully functional kitchen with friends. We have lots of laughs too.
Workaholic — -I’m not gonna lie this is a work in progress but instead of having two jobs now I have one. Yay – And there are so many more successes to come.
Nutrition is not only what you put in your mouth. If your emotions and spirit are not in a healthy state, it’s virtually impossible to be mindful of what you put through the pearly gates.
Wow this is way long and filled with way too many references. If you read all the way through, you get five stars yourself.
I think I’ll go have my fourth cup of water and a Kombucha with chia seeds now.
Thank you Tammy (Yoda) Chang.

Tammy is a food guru! Her approach is completely empowering and she left me feeling capable and confident in creating a nutritional life for myself that is delicious, pleasurable, and keeps my body very happy. Initially, I had so many reservations in starting to work on my nutrition. I was often riddled with shame and guilt over what I was putting in my mouth. My weight fluctuated like the seasons, and I felt powerless over it. Working with Tammy was one of the most important things I’ve ever done for my wellbeing. I’ve transformed my kitchen, my palate, and my attitudes toward food. I’m feeling energetic, looking great, and feeling sexy! Tammy is knowledgeable, empowering, and fun! Most importantly, her approach works. I can’t recommend her highly enough.

I think about the path I am taking through life, and what decisions I’ve made that have marked milestones or key turning points in my development as a human being. Finding Tammy, deciding to meet with her, and committing to a 6 month program with The Nourished Belly, has been one of those milestones.
An advisor, a specialist, and a resonant teacher, Tammy had shown me how I can be a better version of myself through small but important incremental changes to my approach to food. The shifts I’ve made have been small and sustaining – I didn’t «give up» the foods I loved. The results have been huge and transformative. The fact that I lost 10 pounds in the first 3 months without really thinking about it is only a fraction of the reward I’ve felt working with Tammy at The Nourished Belly.
Learning about nutrition and committing to a lifestyle shift is not easy and there are ups and downs. Tammy’s support and knowledge have made it possible for me to grab the reins of this process and take myself to the next milestone that’s in store.
I highly encourage anyone who is ready to reap the benefits of a healthy lifestyle to give Tammy a call. Through my work with her, I’ve learned that good nutrition is not about compromise, it’s about education and sustenance. Thank you Tammy!

I can honestly say that working with Tammy changed my life! I participated in the sugar challenge in July 2013 and since then have lost over 20lbs and kept it off, have more energy, and feel more connected to my own body. I now see eating healthy not as a diet but as a lifestyle change — something I will continue to do for the rest of my life.
Tammy was enthusiastic and very supportive. I would HGHLY recommend working with her!

I did the sugar challenge with Tammy and it helped me curb my sweet cravings and reset myself for a cleaner diet. Tammy is enthusiastic, super informative, and fun to work with. I highly recommend doing a cleanse or challenge with her support!

I worked with Tammy for about 6 months changing how I looked at food and how I managed my diet and nutrition to maximize health — her level of knowledge and passion for her work is unmatched. I learned so much about how food is important to our overall well being. She taught me critical skills needed to improve my health and I have felt amazing since working with her.

I started working with Tammy in Fall of 2012. Her nutrition guidance and wellness program has dramatically changed how I cook and eat. I’ve never been a smoker or a drinker, but I had very little idea of how much processed food and sugar I had been consuming. It was quite scary actually, when I realized exactly what kind of crap I had been putting in my body.
Tammy gave me a thorough analysis of my body type, life-​style, and provided very actionable suggestions to help me eat better and healthier.
Fast forward six months to now: I’ve significantly cut down on my sugar intake, have been eating healthy fats and proteins, lots and lots of veggies, and I feel great. By eating right and balanced, I’ve also been able to get rid of some health issues without meds or antibiotics!!! It’s amazing what a great, clean, wholesome diet can do for you, and even more fantastic when you have a lovely, knowledgeable and friendly coach to help you along the way!
Thank you Tammy!!!

Tammy is a truly excellent nutritionist and a joy to work with. Just about everyone who knows me has benefited from some piece of Tammy’s nutritional guidance– since we started working together I can’t help but share the exciting learnings with all my friends and family, mentioning «Tammy the Nutritionist» all the time as we cook and eat together.
I started working with Tammy right before I began an intensive grad school program. Knowing that I would soon have less time available to prepare healthy meals, Tammy helped me enormously to develop healthy and practical habits to continue eating in the ways that are important and necessary for my health, while leading a full and busy life.
I particularly appreciated Tammy’s positive, accessible approach. She really met me where I was at, and provided really doable approaches to improving my nutrition. All of these suggestions fit my lifestyle, my budget, and my health needs so smoothly. And, Tammy’s recipes and dietary ideas were fun, new and delicious! I truly want everyone I know to have the opportunity to work with Tammy. Busy families with children, people with chronic health challenges, pregnant women, everyone’s health and wellbeing could benefit dramatically from working with Tammy.

Tammy’s individualized work with me really turned things around for me health wise. She analyzed a week’s worth of what I was eating (yes, I did a log, food amounts, the whole bit). I was flabbergasted that what I considered a health diet was actually harming my body! I had to dismiss an old paradigm of «healthy» eating (learned from a national/​international weight watching model) and learn to feed my body well. To my surprise, I started feeling better, had more energy and found I managed to lose a few pounds without trying. She gave me information that I am still inculcating into my and my family’s lifestyle and learned HOW to shop for food, what to stock at home, and got me out of an eating rut. She offered recipes, and in turn I would experiment and share my recipes and food successes with her.
I never felt judged; I only felt support from someone that was helping me get my health household in order.