Mary Montequin, MS (MFT)

Mary Montequin, MS (MFT)

Food for Life Instructor 

Hi, I'm Mary. My passion lies at the intersection of helping people better understand their relationship with food, the dynamics that relationship plays with others and providing support to anyone interested in taking a nutritional approach toward chronic diseases by adopting a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle. Having over 20 years experience helping others understand and navigate core relationships in their lives, I have learned the most intimate relationship we will ever have is our relationship with food. To say “it's complicated” is an understatement.

 My "complicated" relationship with food led me to the lows of suffering several chronic diseases and to the highs of discovering and adopting a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle that saved my life. At my sickest, I weighed over 300 pounds, suffered with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. At the lowest point, my kidney function was compromised and I became legally blind. I could not see the faces of my husband or children. This was not the life I wanted for myself or those I loved. 

This dark story has a wonderful bright ending. By choosing plants over pills, I was able to reverse the diagnosis of diabetes, restore my eyesight, get the other important markers in check and lose a considerable amount of weight continuing to do so to this day. All by adopting a Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle. Additionally, my husband and children have joined me to live this lifestyle.

The very same Food for Life classes I now teach right here are the ones that turned my chronic diseases around. These classes taught me the “how” and “why” to reach optimal health. I learned what an integral role I play in my own health journey. 

Today, I have a renewed sense of empowerment. I thoroughly enjoy preparing and eating Whole Food Plant Based foods. My goal is to create a space where you never feel alone or confused on your personal health journey. I am so grateful for this transformation and am here to share it with you. 

Credentials: 

Masters of Science in Marriage, Couples and Family Therapy from Stetson University

Licensed Food for Life instructor with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine

Certification in Plant-Based Nutrition from T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutritional Studies

Certificate in Plant-Based Cuisine, from Rouxbe Online Culinary School, and Forks Over Knives