About Patti

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HOW WE BEGAN

This Is My Story

How The Plant Powered Initiative Began

From living to eat to eating to live

In 2006 Patti uncovered the truth about consuming animal products and their by-products. What she uncovered is the lack of necessity to do so and that she would be able to get all of the nutrients she needed from plants (curtesy of the book "Skinny Bitch").

Discovering this truth, Patti (being the animal lover that she is) quickly opted to leave the animals off her plate. Over the course of the years, the vegan movement grew, and Patti found herself single handedly ensuring she contributed to all of these new vegan companies' successes.

From delicious vegan burgers, vegan cheeze, to vegan ice cream (we're looking at you Ben & Jerrys) she quickly discovered her health was in peril. Weighing in at 235 pounds on a 5'3" frame, Patti soon found herself riddled with high blood pressure, pre diabetic, suffering with acid reflux, restless nights, and more. Sure, she had ample protein and nutrients, but she was definitely falling in line with the diseases and ailments that follow the Standard American Diet.

In the spring of 2022 Patti graduated from the Plant Based Nutrition certificate program through eCornell and the Center For Nutrition Studies.

Uncovering the reality of the correlation between the food we eat and our health, Patti quickly set forth to change her ways. Throughout her journey she was accepted into the highly sought out Food For Life program through the Physicians Committee For Responsible medicine. In June 2024 she graduated as a licensed Food For Life instructor.

Now Patti seeks to share her knowledge and the life changing information she has obtained with everyone. She has witnessed many people completely change the trajectory of their future just as she has.

No longer ailed by high blood pressure, no longer pre diabetic, no longer suffering from restless nights, no longer classified as obese, no longer suffering from acid reflux and overall, just experiencing a happier and healthier life.

Currently working towards becoming a Board Certified Health Coach through the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Patti strives to assist those with a desire to begin their own plant-based nutrition journey.

HOW IT WORKS

We teach classes and provide added support.

From teaching certified Food For Life cooking classes to assisting with pantry clean-outs and grocery store tours, as well as hosting weekend retreats, The Plant Powered Initiative was created as a way to provide ample support to help ensure success with your new nutrition focused life.

Guided by science backed research, consuming a Whole Food Plant Based oil Free lifestyle has helped to prevent and eliminate most of the diseases caused by The Standard American Diet.

My personal Testimony - the before vs the after

Allow me to be vulnerable with you

From out of shape, unhealthy, and out of control to reclaiming my life.

I became vegan in 2006 for the animals. Eliminating animal products and byproducts was an important and meaningful step, but I eventually realized that being vegan doesn’t automatically equal good health.


For years, I struggled with my own health. My blood pressure was dangerously high, and there were moments where I probably should have gone to the ER. I knew medication was the next step, but I desperately wanted to find another way.


The turning point came the day I met my biological family on my birth father’s side. That same day, I learned that my father had passed away from a massive heart attack at a young age. I discovered heart disease ran in my family. That knowledge became my wake-up call.


Like many, I had battled my weight for years. I avoided full-body photos, obsessed over angles, and cropped everything from the chest up. I tried every approach: calorie counting, fad diets, and even a medically supervised keto program. I lost weight—only to gain it back again. Nothing stuck.


But when I shifted my focus from weight loss to health, everything changed. I realized I didn’t want to be just another American dependent on heart medication. I wanted more than a band-aid—I wanted lasting health.


I immersed myself in education and inspiration:

  • Documentaries such as What the Health, Forks Over Knives, Game Changers, Eating You Alive, and The Big Fat Lie (all linked under the Documentaries tab of this site)
  • Books like The Starch Solution by Dr. John McDougall
  • The Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate Program through eCornell and the Center for Nutrition Studies

With this foundation, I began changing my life—one step at a time. I removed oil completely. I cut out processed foods. I filled my kitchen with whole, plant-based ingredients and learned new ways to cook, bake, and snack in ways that truly support heart health.

It didn’t happen overnight, but over time I transformed my lifestyle. Today, I follow a Whole Food, Plant-Based, Oil-Free lifestyle about 98% of the time. Do I occasionally enjoy a vegan cupcake or an Impossible burger? Yes—but they are the exception, not the rule.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is this: sustainable change doesn’t come from vanity or quick fixes. It takes patience, consistency, and a mindset shift. Weight loss may come slowly—or not at all at first—but the health benefits are real and lasting.

For me, the changes were life-altering:

  • Normalized blood pressure—without medication
  • A resting heart rate comparable to a trained athlete
  • No more restless nights
  • Improved endurance and energy throughout the day
  • Mental clarity
  • And, perhaps most surprisingly, confidence when I look in the mirror

The weight loss? That turned out to be a side effect—not the goal.

I’m grateful every day that I made this choice. And if you’re reading this, I want you to know: results may not be immediate, but they will come. And when they do, they’ll be the kind that last.