Conversations with Lisa Defazio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Defazio

Hi Lisa, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, my dad always told me to turn my passion into my profession. Throughout high school and college I became interested in health, fitness and nutrition. I worked at gyms and read about nutrition in my free time. At first, I got advice that I should keep nutrition as a hobby and go to law school because I excelled at public speaking and writing. So, I got an English degree, but once I graduated I decided I truly wanted to be a registered dietitian nutritionist. So I went to graduate school and got a Master of science in Nutritional Science and my registered dietitian credential.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Looking back, being young and in my late teens and early 20s, not knowing really what I wanted to do and getting so much advice from my parents and people around me, it was hard at 18 to decide on a major and career. I also thought about career compensation and the lifestyle I wanted to have. That is initially why I thought of going to law school. It took me longer to attain my degrees because I started out as a physical therapy program major, then I got an English degree and planned to go to law school, then I had to go to a junior college to do all of my science prerequisites for my masters in nutrition and and the dietetics program!

So, no, it was not smooth, but sometimes you have to take some detours to figure out what you really want in life.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I believe that everything that happens in your life is for a reason and prepares you for something else in your future. I discovered that I really enjoyed public speaking and that was an asset when I became a health educator. I have zero stage fright, and I’m not sure why but I have no problem getting in front of a group of 40 patients or 100 physicians and speaking, So being a health educator combined my natural talent with my interest in nutrition. I spent many years at Kaiser Permanente as a health educator and loved it.

However, growing up in the Hollywood Hills and watching my father who was a dentist who was on television, radio and wrote for magazines, it was always in my blood to pursue television. So, many years ago, I took hosting classes and pursued media work. This has been an exciting part of my career!

I have been quoted in over 100 online and print articles as an expert, have hosted infomercials and appeared on television news segments.
Eventually, this led to the editors of Womens Health magazine to ask me to write a nutrition cookbook called The Women’s Health Big Book of Smoothies and Soups.

This has been one of the highlights of my career, and I am most proud of it because it took a lot of work.. Remember how I got an English degree? Well, writing this book was not a problem because not only was I an expert in nutrition but I also had writing and editing skills! That is what I mean about everything that happens to you in your life happens for a reason. If I didn’t have that English degree I would not have been as confident in taking on the project.

Because I grew up in Hollywood, California and being around the entertainment industry, I have had high profile clients that I would help behind the scenes with weight loss. The clients I work with have me sign an NDA (Non Disclosure Agreement) as I go to their homes and work closely with them and give advice on grocery shopping, help with cooking, and council them on nutrition and healthy lifestyle habits. The individuals I work with know they can trust me as I only work with a select client tell and they know that I have experience with high net worth individuals.

What sets me apart is my unique background growing up in Hollywood and my ultimate career goal is to have my own television show focused on nutrition, health and cooking.

I would also like to write more books and work with food companies as a brand spokes person.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and there are so many things I love about it! Of course the weather is amazing, the restaurants are unique with all types of cuisines, and I love the idea of living in a city where you may see a celebrity at the grocery store or sitting at the table next to you at a restaurant,

I love the fact that I am 20 minutes away from the ocean and also the Hollywood Hills, where I can have a view of the city. There’ is so much to do here from the Getty museum to the outdoor shopping like the Grove and dining at restaurants where the chefs have their own television shows! It’s a glamorous city with warm sunny weather the majority of the year. I would not survive in a city where it snows and it’s cold and rains often!

What I don’t like is that Los Angeles has become very congested and the traffic can make driving 10 miles take an hour! Growing up in the 80s we didn’t have so many people living on the streets in tents and there was no smash and grab looting and home break ins like we have now. People followed the law, picked up their trash and respected their neighbors.

I miss the clean, safer Los Angeles of the 70s, 80s and 90s! In my neighborhood where I grew up, there are now hundreds of tourists lining the streets. It looks like Disneyland. Growing up it was never like that. It was peaceful and quiet, and now Los Angeles unfortunately is not what it used to be.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://lisadefazio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisadefazio/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisadefazio