Hey Family!
We’re Eric & Maleka.
We’re a husband-and-wife team, master nutritionists, and health coaches with a passion for helping people take control of their health.
After transforming our own lives through better nutrition and smarter habits, we founded BetterChoices to help others do the same. Our mission? To empower you with the knowledge, support, and real-life strategies to build a healthier, happier life—without the overwhelm.
With degrees in Food & Nutrition (B.S.) and Human Nutrition (M.S.), and as current Master of Public Health candidates, we bring both scientific expertise and real-world experience to the table. But knowledge alone isn’t enough. We give you the tools, strategies, and support to apply it to your life. Whether it’s nutrition, mindset, or lifestyle habits, we’re here to help you make sustainable changes that actually stick.
Let’s do this together.
In the Press
Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to share our story and mission of BetterChoices on The Oprah Show and Essence Magazine, just to name a few.
Our Journey to Better:
Why It’s Personal
A moment of fear became the turning point that changed everything.
I didn’t realize I weighed 400 lbs; not until a joke cut deeper than I expected. In that instant, it hit me: if I kept going like this, I might not be here to see my boys grow up. At 35 years old, the risks weren’t just numbers. I knew my weight could take me out. But the real question was: what was I going to do about it?
And it wasn’t just me. Maleka and I were both obese. We ignored the signs, even after losing my mother to colon cancer. We were living in the moment, blind to the bigger picture—our health, our future, and our family’s well-being.
We had to ask ourselves: What kind of future were we creating if we kept repeating the same habits?
The answer was clear—it was time for a change.
IN PURSUIT OF
Optimal Health
PASSIONATE ABOUT
Nutrition Education
FAVORITE TEAM
Lakers
LITTLE KNOWN FACT
We're Comedians
WHAT WE CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT
Truth
Nourishing Our Health
Living in New Orleans
Our journey to better health never meant giving up the rich flavors of New Orleans.
We never truly saw ourselves as unhealthy or obese. It’s shocking how easy it is to ignore your own reality. That changed the day Eric went to the doctor for a sore throat… and the scale wouldn’t register his weight. He had hit 400 lbs.
When he came home, I could see it in his eyes. Frustration. Disbelief. Not at the doctor, but at himself.
At 276 lbs myself, I asked him, “What are you going to do?” His answer? “Change. Right now.”
At first, I resisted. I feared what we’d have to give up, what it would mean, and whether we could actually do it. I made excuses. But Eric’s determination? It was unshakable. And that became our turning point.
Remember, the foods we choose to consume daily will either fuel better health or feed chronic disease.
A FRIENDLY REMINDER FROM BETTERCHOICES
A Journey Committing to a Healthier Life
After days of resistance, Eric sat me down and asked one powerful question:
“If you don’t take time for yourself, then who will?”
That was my A-HA moment.
We started small—exercise DVDs, daily walks, reading everything we could about health, nutrition, and fitness. We found ways to enjoy our favorite foods without sacrificing flavor or culture. We committed to moving our bodies 5–6 days a week, and that commitment changed everything.
In just 10 months, we lost over 100 lbs each—Eric dropped 156 lbs, and I lost 138 lbs. Our journey led us to Oprah’s Weight Loss Finale Show, where we shared our story with the world.
That moment sparked something bigger. It inspired us to launch BetterChoices—our mission to teach, motivate, and empower others to make better health decisions every day.
Our 300 lb weight loss wasn’t a quick fix. It was the result of small, consistent, life-changing choices.
More about us...
AS MASTER NUTRITIONIST, WE PROMOTE
Nutritional balance, prioritizing daily physical activity, making time for self care, self control, & accountability, process and patience mindset.
AS HEALTH COACHES, WE DON'T PROMOTE