Meet Nancy Chen. The adorable “paleo-ish” social media star and wellness blogger with a contagious smile and a monster appetite for vibrant, healthy foods!
Just one scroll through her Instagram page and you’ll be drooling over alluring fruit bowls and colorful savory dishes. 
“I want to give people the resources to take their health into their own hands, and to show them that wholesome, unprocessed food can be simple, quick and delicious,” Nancy says.
Her mission is to help people live their version of a healthier and happier lifestyle, both mentally and physically.
“I think there’s so much in society about what we “should” do regarding our lives and our bodies, and so little about how we can create our best version of our lives according to our rules,” she says.
There’s no doubt that Nancy practices what she preaches. (Example? Her “cheat” food is actually dark chocolate.) By day, she’s an email marketing specialist for ButcherBox, a grass-fed meat delivery service. On the side, she’s a personal trainer who pumps things up at TITLE Boxing Club in Boston. Although, she aspires to be a writer – sigh – a woman after our own hearts.
Lucky us, we had a chance to meet the girl behind “the gram.” Learn about Nancy’s health journey, what keeps her inspired, and what a paleo-ish boxing coach eats in a day.
![Wellness Influencer Nancy Chen | Vitacost.com/Blog]( "Healthy Lifestyle Blogger Talks Paleo & Balance")
1. What sparked your health journey?
My parents have always focused on healthy eating; I grew up in Southern California with a garden full of kale, apples, blueberries, you name it…in the backyard. My mom is very into naturopathic medicine and has a huge understanding of herbs and their medicinal uses.
As a competitive swimmer, I was also taught the importance of nutrition. Food is fuel for your body, and to perform optimally, you had to have good fuel. I actually became kind of obsessed with it – it fascinated me – and I toyed with the idea of becoming a nutritionist or registered dietician.
2. It’s safe to say you grew up knowing a thing or two about nutrition. Were you raised on a Paleo diet?
I’ve been paleo-ish since 2015. I wrote a blog post on why I eat Paleo, but long story short is my dad actually suggested I start eating Paleo when I told him I was struggling with an eating disorder and had a slew of physical complaints (bloating, digestion issues, etc.). Following a Paleo lifestyle has helped me improve mentally and physically, but bottom line is it became a way of life for me.
3. So it sort of comes naturally to you. Is there anything you find challenging about this way of life?
Finding balance. I genuinely love exercising and healthy foods, so it’s hard sometimes to put that aside and let loose, like to take a rest day (I get FOMO). I’m getting there, though!
4. Things could be worse! What’s your favorite way to exercise?
I’m a boxing instructor on the side, so I’m obviously a little biased towards boxing! It’s a great way to relieve stress and is an intense, full-body workout that leaves me feeling fantastic. I do that probably 3-4 times a week.
I’m also a fan of yoga – it’s the perfect balance to boxing. I try and go 1-2 times a week. I’ve been trying to incorporate strength training as well, so I do that 1-2 times a week as well. I’ve been prioritizing rest days, so I make sure to take 1 full rest day or active rest day a week. If I’m training for a race (I used to run a lot), I’ll swap out some boxing days with some longer runs.
![Boxing Trainer Nancy Chen Drinking Smoothie | Vitacost.com/Blog]( "Healthy Lifestyle Blogger Talks Paleo & Balance")
5. With all that working out, it’s no wonder you make healthy eating such a priority! What does your daily meal plan typically look like?
I don’t really have a “typical” day of eating – it depends a lot on what I have that day, if I’m teaching/what workouts I’m doing, and what I’m feeling, but I do tend to eat the same kind of meals over and over again for a week or two and then swap it out for something else and repeat the process. But here’s as close as I can get:
Breakfast: 2 eggs (I like hard boiled, scrambled, or fried) with 1/2 avocado. Sometimes this is with smoked salmon and veggies, sometimes not. Plus a bulletproof-style drink — usually matcha.
Snack: Dairy-free unsweetened Greek-style yogurt, berries, nuts and a black coffee.
Lunch: Salad with protein and fat (usually avocado and either hemp tofu if I’m doing a meatless day, local or wild-caught salmon, or free-range organic chicken from ButcherBox).
Snack: Kombucha or sparkling water, an RX bar or fruit with nuts or a Vermont Smoke and Cure bar.
Dinner: Fish or grass-fed beef with veggies or some recipes I’ve meal-prepped/am experimenting with. Sometimes if I’m lazy I’ll do cauliflower rice “oatmeal.”
Dessert: Sweet potatoes with nut butter and dark chocolate. I try to eat more carbs at night because I’ve found it helps me sleep!
6. OK, we’re drooling. Do you have a favorite cheat food?
I don’t love the word “cheat food,” but I definitely like to treat myself with some dark chocolate! For me, the darker the better — I love Alter Eco’s darkest blackout chocolate.
7. What motivates you?
I have a very Type A personality, so I get excited about having work to do and the possibility of getting things done. But above that, I’m driven by a need to enact change. I’m passionate about improving both myself and others, and whatever work I do needs to play into that.
8. Who do you look up to?
Ronda Rousey (Olympic medalist in judo, MMA champion, now in the WWE). I just read her autobiography and it was so inspiring!
9. Now for our favorite part, what do you ♥ about Vitacost?
I’ve been a Vitacost customer since the fall of 2016! I’m in love with Vitacost because I like having great deals on products, especially ones that I buy all the time. As a wellness blogger, I also see a lot of products that my fellow bloggers are using that I can’t find at my local Whole Foods, so Vitacost is a great platform to get those products delivered right to my doorstep. P.S. If you’re ever bored, I love looking at what new arrivals Vitacost has…
10. We love new stuff, too! So what are the top three products you can’t live without?
Ooh, that’s a hard one. I order basically all my staples from Vitacost, but I would say my top reordered products are Nutiva’s MCT oil, Teeccino dark roast dandelion tea (I can’t find this anywhere else) and a big bag of Frontier Co-op red pepper flakes because I go through them like crazy.
11. Solid picks! Finally, what advice would you give to someone who is just getting started on the path to healthier living?
That healthier living looks different for everyone. Every body is different, and so everyone’s nutritional needs are different. I’m not a nutritionist or dietitian so I never like to advise people on what they should eat. Rather, I always say that eating less processed foods and more whole foods tend to make you feel better. If eating something makes you bloated, gassy, brain-foggy, then try cutting it out. If it doesn’t, don’t feel pressured to not eat it because of X diet.
We had so much fun getting to know Nancy! Follow our girl on social media @approachingpaleo or visit approachingpaleo.com for recipes, fitness tips and more.