Elizabeth Madison, PhD, RDN, CDN
Founder of The Madison Model™ | Nutrition & Wellness Consultant
Dr. Elizabeth Madison is a nationally recognized Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, community health strategist, and executive wellness coach with more than 30 years of experience across clinical counseling, leadership, nutrition, and public health.
She is the founder of The Madison Model™, a comprehensive framework for sustainable health and behavior change that integrates Food as Medicine, behavioral science, and the social, cultural, and spiritual drivers of health. Developed through decades of clinical work, leadership, research, and lived experience, the model provides a structured approach to creating meaningful, lasting health transformation.
Dr. Madison’s work is deeply informed by her own journey. After struggling for years with obesity and emotional eating, she lost over 115 pounds and has maintained that transformation for more than two decades. That experience reshaped her understanding of health—revealing that lasting change requires more than willpower or information. It requires addressing the full context of a person’s life.
Today, Dr. Madison works with both individuals and organizations to implement The Madison Model™ through program development, community-based wellness initiatives, and executive coaching. Her work equips leaders, staff, and communities with the tools to create environments where health becomes possible and sustainable.
She is the founder of Healthy Living & You, Inc., a nonprofit delivering grant-funded wellness programs in communities of color through culturally responsive, faith-integrated education, cooking programs, and community partnerships. Through this work, she also publishes Healthy Living & You, a digital magazine dedicated to nutrition, fitness, and whole-person wellness—extending her mission to educate, empower, and improve health outcomes at scale.
She also offers her WLT Academy, an online learning platform featuring on-demand courses that make practical, sustainable health education accessible for everyone.
A dynamic speaker, trainer, and researcher, she presents nationally on emotional eating, chronic disease prevention, culturally responsive care, and sustainable health behavior change.
Her mission is to make lasting health possible-for individuals, organizations, and the communities they serve.
MY TRANSFORMATION
For nearly twenty-five years, yo-yo dieting was a way of life. I would lose 20 pounds, and regain 30 or 40. Then repeat the same self-destructive cycle over and over again.
At one point, I weighed almost 300 pounds. I suffered with asthma, hypertension, and chronic pain in my back and knees. My clothes got tighter and tighter. I hated to look in the mirror. Every day, little indignities chipped away at my self-esteem:
- Going higher and higher in the plus sizes
- Huffing and puffing while walking up a few stairs
- Dirty looks as I took up more than one seat on the bus or train
At this point, I had to look at my whole life – my spiritual walk, emotional state, lifestyle, and physical health. I committed to strengthening my spiritual walk with God, which helped me get a handle on my emotional eating. I did tons of research and developed a nutritionally sound food plan that helped me lose weight safely, steadily, and without deprivation. By focusing not just on what I was eating but why and not relying on my own willpower but God’s, I lost over 115 pounds. I have been at a healthy weight for over 23 years. I enjoy optimal health. I feel renewed, spiritually led, and fulfilled. I am incredibly blessed.