Meet Lauren Soto – MSAN, CNC

We were lucky to catch up with Lauren Soto – MSAN, CNC recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lauren, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
My resilience has been built through the many challenges I faced, which have shaped me into the person I am today. I was always what you would call “big-boned”… I was the kid that had the extra baby fat, and boy did people notice just as much as I did. I struggled heavily with bullying through my tween years, some of which was directly related to my weight and appearance. As a cheerleader, I got the top with just an extra bit of fabric to cover my stomach more. This occurred at the young age of 8.

So the primary source of my resilience: I’VE BEEN THERE!!! I have struggled with weight loss and gain since 2008, and it has been the sole ruler of my life for quite some time. Constantly losing, then gaining, like an out-of-control seesaw. Diet after diet, workout after workout, I could never stick to anything.

Growing up in the early 2000s as a female, I was constantly surrounded by media that perpetuated how being skinny meant you were pretty and being heavier meant you were ugly. It was IMPOSSIBLE to escape, no matter how hard you tried.

When I weighed in on the scale at 160 pounds in February 2020, it felt like my whole world had come crashing down. And I knew I could no longer continue living this way. Something had to change. After a bit of soul-searching, I had concluded that the most significant contributor to this vicious cycle I was in was RESTRICTION.

I had always been trying to restrict myself from something: dairy, carbs, sweet treats, you name it. I was stuck in the mentality that you had to eliminate certain things to reach these goals. Through my formal education and intuition about my body… I realized that it wasn’t WHAT I was eating; it was HOW MUCH I was eating.

After implementing a mindset-based nutrition methodology, I was able to lose 40 pounds and feel the absolute best I have ever felt. I thank all the struggles I faced to get here, and learning how to build this resilience and mindset provides me the opportunity to help other women learn how to do the same.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I’m Lauren, founder of Ladies Lifestyle with Laur (LLL)—a mindset-based wellness coaching brand that helps women rebuild trust with food and their bodies while finally ditching the all-or-nothing cycle of dieting. I combine evidence-based nutrition with lived experience to provide my clients with a personalized and sustainable approach to reaching their goals.

I grew up getting bullied about my weight and body, leading to a cascade of yo-yo dieting and weight fluctuation for most of my life. My wake-up call came at a weigh-in in February 2020. I realized that the restriction of foods I loved was the actual problem—not just some dairy, carbs, or sweet treats. When I shifted to a mindset-first, portion-aware approach (and stopped demonizing certain foods), I lost 40 pounds and felt better than ever, both physically and mentally. That lived experience is the backbone of how I coach: practical, judgment-free, and built for real life.

What we offer:
– LIFETRACC (4+ month 1:1 coaching): high-touch support, custom strategy, weekly accountability, and mindset tools tailored to your lifestyle.
– FASTRACC Bundle: the DIY version; your personalized plan and education without the ongoing accountability or group access.

What’s new & upcoming:
– Freebie: Mindset Mastery Guide (perfect for taking those first steps to get unstuck and shift self-talk).
** DOWNLOAD FREEBIE HERE – https://sod4k1aiwz6.typeform.com/to/PhdzCLZv **
– New client openings: I’m currently accepting a small number of women into LIFETRACC.
– Event Appearances: Following our recent women’s networking event, I’m planning additional local appearances for the upcoming year.
– Podcast release: Stay tuned on our socials for my brand new podcast dropping soon!

If you take one thing away about my brand, let it be this: at LLL, you don’t have to be perfect to make progress. I meet clients where they are, we build what works for their real life, and we celebrate every step forward.

Learn more about LLL and everything we have to offer at https://linktr.ee/Lifestylewithlaur

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Determination: Regardless of what or who stood in my way, I continued to persist. Reaching this point has not been easy, but I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason… and all of those experiences have served as stepping stones to where I am today.

2. Passion: My passion and drive to help others and make a difference in someone’s life has been that consistent fire and drive that you need sometimes when things are looking down.

3. Lived Experience: Going through the mental and societal struggles that being heavier placed on me helps me to relate directly to the woman that I work with. It’s like you are drowning and nobody even notices. But I notice.

Some advice I can offer to those early in their journey is always to persist. When things go wrong, try to remember that each experience helps to build those integral pieces of you.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

My ideal client is a woman who’s ready to stop miserably trying random diet trends and build a positive and sustainable relationship with food. She’s tried the all-or-nothing approach and constantly struggled with thinking about food and trying new diets, and is open to a mindset-first, portion-aware method rather than rigid rules.

She values education over restriction, can commit 10–15 minutes a day to small, non-negotiable tasks, and is honest in check-ins, allowing us to adjust the plan accordingly to fit into her day-to-day easily. She wants practical tools (mindset methods, simple habit systems), accountability, and compassion—without the pressure of perfection.

NOT A FIT: anyone chasing rapid fixes, strict meal plans, or unwilling to make time for weekly touchpoints. This is NOT for people struggling with diagnosed eating disorders.

Contact Info:

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?

We asked folks a question that led to many surprising answers – some sad, some

Being Effective Even When No One Else is Like You

Inevitably you will find yourself in a room where no one else is like you.

Stories of Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

Learning from one another is what BoldJourney is all about. Below, we’ve shared stories and