Clean Beauty Discoveries, Superfoods and His 100-Pound Weight Loss Wellness Journey

Nick Joly, of Inspired by Nick, Recently Left the Corporate 9-to-5 in Pursuit of Health and Wellness. His Blog’s Motto Is #begoodtoyourbody, and His Channels Focus on Content That Inspires Holistic Living.

Nick Joly | Instagram: @inspiredbynick inspiredbynick.com

Q: Any ways someone could start transforming their health or wellness routine?

A: I would say the best way to start is by shifting one’s mindset from “foods that will feed me” to “foods that will heal me.” When I went through my whole weight-loss journey, I saw my learning curve start to take off, too. At first I googled things like “how to lose weight fast” and “foods that burn fat.” But as I progressed, I knew I had to shift my mindset, and I began searching things like “health benefits of XYZ food” or “foods that help fight disease.”

Every meal and every item we put into our bodies has the potential to heal or harm us (and the environment). It’s just a matter of attaining the knowledge and being as mindful as we can be when consuming.

Q: Anything you’d like to say about personal insecurities?

A: We all have them. We. All. Have. Them. Accepting and overcoming them will enlighten your life on a more meaningful level.

Q: A big ol’ struggle you’ve worked through?

A: I think I may have an addictive personality, and when I see the results/benefits of something, I tend to obsess. My struggle was (and is) learning to find a balance and appreciate the journey.

Q: Your fav clean eating hacks?

A: Any ingredients that you lerve? Wheatgrass powder! I am a big proponent of healing from the inside out. Once I learned the health benefits of wheatgrass, like fighting free radicals, significantly reducing the aging process and neutralizing toxins in the body, it a was a no-brainer to start integrating it into my diet.

Q: Your fav beauty discoveries and ingredients?

A: Coconut oil! It’s so versatile and has so many health benefits. From food to face and skin masks, to personal lubricant, to teeth whitening, oil pulling, expelling toxins, the options are endless. It’s truly remarkable the things we can do with items that come from the earth.

Q: Natural home items that you are into right now?

A: Yes! I have a set of organic bamboo sheets, which are free from toxins, chemicals and other harmful products typically used to dye traditional cotton sheets. I never knew of any of the harmful effects of traditionally dyed cotton sheets before. These bamboo ones feel like silk, but are of course plant-based and cruelty-free.

Natural deodorant. Did you know of all the toxins in mainstream ones?! Yikes!

Vegan Maca Powder Pancakes

1¼ cups unsweetened almond milk

2 tbsp maca powder

2 tbsp coconut sugar

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

1¼ cups organic all-purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp olive oil

In a large bowl, sift flour and mix dry ingredients together. Make a small hole in the center of your bowl, and pour in wet ingredients. Whisk ingredients together until there are little to no lumps. Ladle on griddle, flip, serve and enjoy!

Add any toppings you desire. Pictured here are fresh cranberries, coconut flakes, hemp seeds and maple syrup!

Vegan Mandarin-Tumeric Cheesecake Bars

BASE

1 cup mixed nuts (I used almonds and walnuts)

1¼ cups pitted dates

¼ cup raw organic cocoa powder

¼ cup water

FILLING

2 cups cashews, soaked overnight

¾ cup full-fat coconut milk

¹ ⁄ ³ cup coconut oil

¹⁄ ³ cup maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tsp lemon zest

TOPPING

2 cups (approx 8 individual) Sunkist Gold Nugget mandarins

2 tbsp maple syrup

¼ tsp turmeric powder

BASE

Mix all ingredients into a food processor until you have a doughlike consistency. Line a 9"x9" tray with parchment paper, and line the bottom with your base using your hands or a spatula. Set aside in fridge to firm up.

FILLING

Mix all ingredients into a food processor until you achieve a consistent liquid filling. A few lumps are okay! Using a spatula, add this layer to your base and set aside back in the fridge.

TOPPING

In a shallow bowl, peel your mandarins and begin to chop them down into little pieces. With a fork, press down on them for the juice and fillings to extract until you get one consistency. On a stovetop at medium heat, add your pressed mandarins with your maple syrup and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring every so often. Add this final layer to your tray and spread evenly over the top. Freeze for

Q: Do you cleanse? What’s your process?

A: My whole life feels likes a cleanse! Which has its ups and downs, for sure. But more often than not, I’m trying to find new superfoods and foods that can heal, which I can incorporate into my daily life.

Q: Ingredients you can’t live without?

A: An ingredient that I will deeply love until the day I die is garlic. My heartmate always says I use too much in the kitchen, but for me, when it comes to garlic, the limit does not exist! My life would be incomplete without it (and him too, I suppose!).