Nurture Principles

Bernie Salazar and Rebecca Scritchfield proudly announce a new beginning. Together, they created The Nurture Principles a one-of-a-kind “edutainment” experience that can help you break down internal barriers to wellness – and make changes that can save your life!

What makes them the experts? Life experiences! (that’s where “nurture” comes from – the nature vs. nurture theory, where nurturists argue people learn behaviors from their environment).

Bernie and Rebecca have had their fair share of ups and downs with health and wellness. At an unhealthy 300 pounds, Bernie’s body-age was years older than his actual birth date. Being chosen as a contestant on NBC’s The Biggest Loser was his lifeline. Losing over 100 pounds on the show, Bernie went through a physical and mental transformation and hasn’t looked back. Rebecca’s health issues are “a family affair” – with most of the women in her family struggling in the high 200′s, smoking, and disengaged with wellness. Although she taught 9 aerobics classes a week, Rebecca weighed nearly 170 pounds, as she ignored the need for “balance and moderation” with her food and alcohol intake herself.

Now, Bernie and Rebecca stay fit and healthy by trying new things (like marathons and triathlons) and choosing nourishing foods - most of the time. The Nurture Principles represent the top mantras that drive their daily wellness decisions.

The duo has “book smarts” too. Becky is a registered dietitian (RD) and ACSM certified health fitness specialist. She has a master’s degree from The Johns Hopkins University. Bernie has a master’s in education and is currently studying to become a personal trainer through American College of Sports Medicine.

About Rebecca

Rebecca Scritchfield, RD is a nutrition and exercise expert specializing in weight management. Plagued with a family history of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and obesity she realized at a young age that she needed to develop her own healthy behaviors or suffer the consequences. Life came along and she ended up gaining 40 pounds between college and her early career. One day while noshing on a muffin and building a website, she realized she was not where she needed to be physically, mentally, and emotionally. She eventually found her wellness through moving more and putting healthy foods first. Today, she regularly competes in marathons, half marathons, and triathlons. Passionate about the feel-good power of healthy habits, Rebecca now knows her true calling is in helping others reach within to achieve real change. A graduate of The Johns Hopkins University, Rebecca is a practicing dietitian and American College of Sports Medicine certified Health Fitness Specialist.

About Bernie

“Bernie” Bernardo Salazar is a loser! After a decade of eating his way to illness while his brother ran marathons, he decided having a cupcake named after him would not go down as his greatest life accomplishment. He was fortunate enough to be chosen as a contestant for NBC’s “The Biggest Loser”, where he took home the prize for most weight loss at home – in the real world! Bernie shed an amazing 130 pounds. He attributes losing nearly 46% of his body weight to four personal principals: motivation, information, perspiration and most importantly, self-appreciation”. Realizing that his experience on “The Ranch” saved his life, he is now dedicated to sharing his perspectives on wellness with others so  “we can all get healthy together”. Now a marathoner, Bernie stays fit by “playing more” and participating in dozens of races a year. He received a Masters degree in Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago and currently resides in Pleasant Hills, California.

www.nurtureprinciples.com