Childhood obesity is one of the most dire issues affecting America today. In this fast-paced, consumerist society, people are bombarded daily with food options that are fast, easy, processed, and entirely too accessible. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Marci Serota has strong opinions about the food available to our youth today, and the expertise to circumvent these obstacles when it comes to raising her own children. But nothing could have prepared her for a nearly fatal diagnosis of Hypothalamic Obesity in her young son a condition that causes the patient to always feel hungry, and often, to eat themselves sick. With immense strength, love, and sacrifice, Marci stood by her son as they both struggled to get him to his now healthy weight. She provides this instructive and inspiring text full of tips, recipes, and advice to parents around the world struggling with similar diagnoses in their children, and for anyone trying to promote a healthy lifestyle for their family.

Marci Serota studied Food Science and Human Nutrition at the University of Florida where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Dietetics, and completed her dietetic internship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. Marci is a member of the Obesity Medicine Association.

She became a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in 1999. Marci worked as a clinical dietitian in the hospital setting for over 6 years and spent 3 years in private practice where she was fortunate to learn about and practice nutrition intervention for clients with food addiction.

After taking some time off to care for her children, one of whom was diagnosed with a brain tumor at the age of 3, Marci became a Certified Yoga Teacher. She developed an interest in Ayruveda, the sister science of Yoga, which is an ancient, holistic healing system that addresses the underlying causes of disease: the way that we live and what we put into our bodies. Through working with an amazingly gifted Ayruveda practitioner, Marci learned about using food as medicine.

Marci has integrated this holistic perspective as well as her experience in treating food addiction and diabetes into her nutritional approach to hypothalamic obesity and childhood obesity. Marci’s experience as both a registered dietitian nutritionist and as parent to a child with hypothalamic obesity puts her in a unique position to help others who are dealing with this extremely difficult condition.