By Lee Merrill
ouisiana is famous for its food. Sweet, spicy, savory, you name it - Louisiana has it with an extra spoonful of bacon grease. While our taste buds sing a happy tune, Louisiana is number seven in obesity and in the top 10 for diabetes and heart disease. It’s hard to clean up our act when our food is this good, but Shreveport resident Shelly Redmond says we don’t have to sacrifice flavor to eat a healthy diet.
Registered dietitian and author of the Skinny Louisiana series of cookbooks, ShellyRedmond’s enthusiasm for healthy living is brighter than her crawfish-red hair. “My passion is developing low carb recipes and menu plans, low on guilt and high on pleasure, all while improving the health and wellbeing of my clients,” she said. Redmond works with clients one-on-one from her office on Jordan Street. “I focus on helping my clients fight prediabetes, diabetes, and insulin resistance through the use of my healthy Skinny Louisiana recipes and individualized menu plans. I use my dietitian and cooking background to promote foods to flourish and a body to nourish.”
Shelly Redmond caught her passion for cooking from her Maw Maw Edna. “She taught me everything about shucking peas and peeling shrimp. I watched Edna in the kitchen and garden and wanted to imitate her ‘a bit of this and that’ cooking style.” Redmond tasted her first cooking success competing in 4-H competitions in her tiny hometown of Bayou Blue, near Houma. When she received her first championship trophy, she told her teacher, “I want to cook for the rest of my life.”
After losing her grandmother way too soon from heart disease, Redmond made it her mission to carry on her grandmother’s cooking legacy and empower her loved ones and future clients to eat for both health and enjoyment. Over the years, she has developed countless recipes that use healthy substitutions for down-home favorites. Many of her recipes are designed for the air fryer and slow cooker, which makes them perfect for busy families.
With the support of her husband, Greg, and children, Christian and Mireille, Redmond spends her days educating and guiding clients and celebrating with them as they meet their health and weight loss goals.
Client Danny Rester was thrilled for the chance to sing Redmond’s praises. “Shelly Redmond was a Godsend for me in my weight loss journey. Shelly offered me a balanced eating plan that, along with exercise, has enabled me to lose over 130 pounds and keep it off. Since losing weight, I am able to enjoy a much more active lifestyle. I run 5Ks, and, most importantly, I can enjoy my favorite hobby again, riding roller coasters!”
In addition to her popular cookbooks and client work, Shelly Redmond has a flourishing Facebook page, “Skinny Louisiana with Shelly Marie Redmond,” featuring her favorite lowcarb recipes and products that do not spike blood sugar levels. If you’re interested in working with Shelly to reach your health and wellness goals, visit her website at dietitianshelly.com.