Monica Shah

The first thing my clients and friends will tell you is that I don’t do anything halfway.

In my early twenties, I had a habit of falling asleep after meals. At five foot three, I also carried extra weight that, no matter what I tried, I couldn’t lose. I began to get curious about why, no matter what I ate, no matter how much I slept, nothing seemed to make a difference.

I was determined to find out what was going on and to change it.

From Atkins to South Beach, I tried every diet in the book. By experimenting with what I ate and watching how it made me feel, I noticed my sensitivity to corn and refined carbohydrates, like white bread and pastries.

My breakthrough came after I’d eaten one of my favorite dishes, chicken and broccoli with brown rice. I eventually made the connection that one of those ingredients was literally putting me to sleep. The next time I ordered it, I requested the sauce without cornstarch. I was wide-awake, until I chose to go to bed that night.

I kept on improving my diet by eating whole foods. I began to exercise every day. Last year, I finished three triathlons, including the New York City Triathlon—something I could not have done before I began paying attention to what and how I ate.

After seven years in the corporate sector as a strategy consultant and marketing manager, I founded Ideal Balance to support other successful professionals who are ready to transform and enrich their lives. I am a certified Holistic Health Counselor, trained at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York. I also hold a M.B.A. from Northweste University’s Kellogg School of Management.

My clients work with me to lose weight, eliminate sugar cravings, balance energy swings, manage food sensitivities or allergies—and do it naturally, without drugs or chemicals. Many of them experienced feelings of frustration, stress, anxiety, depression, overwhelm, and a sense of being out of control when they tried to make changes.

Together, we find sustainable ways to experience those feelings and meet their goals.
Ideal Balance is rooted in simplicity and patience. Because I’ve worked eighty hour weeks, I understand that we all need simple ways to make healthy choices.

I also know that radiant health is not superficial or self-centered; it simply optimizes the talents and gifts we are able to give, not only to ourselves, but to the world.

Ideal Balance clients typically experience dramatically higher energy levels, weight loss, glowing skin, better moods, improved focus and increased productivity. As they rediscover how to listen to their bodies, many clients also report that they connect with a deeper sense of awareness, empowering them to live more conscious, meaningful lives.