From Surviving to Thriving

The roadmap to eating well after a heart event so you can feel better and get back to living.

I'm sorry, you missed it this time!

I'm focusing on current participants, but will open up "From Surviving to Thriving" again early in the new year. In the meantime, feel free to download my free e-book, "The Sweet Spot Guide to Eating Well After A Heart Event."After A Heart Event." I'll keep you posted when we get ready to open up enrollment again.

Take care,
- Cheryl

The medical profession refers to it as a cardiac event, but you know it as the day your life changed.

And with it, your relationship with food.

  • Do you struggle with the conflict between what you "should" eat versus what you want to eat?
  • Are you frustrated by contradictory advice from friends, family, even experts?
  • Are your old habits returning, despite your best intentions?
  • Do you have to compromise between the needs of family members and your health?
  • Are you short on time and energy for cooking?

Knowing what to eat is one thing. Changing decades-long eating habits is quite another.

From Surviving to Thriving is a step-by-step journey from where you are now to your "Sweet Spot:" Eating that supports your health and fits your life.

With this life-changing program, you can:

... solidify your meal planning and shopping routine
... build a repertoire of heart-healthy meals that work for you
... understand how much to eat
... learn to reduce and address cravings
... know how to read food labels with heart health in mind
... be ready to navigate holidays, vacations, and your busy life!

Most of all, you'll finish with the knowledge, clarity, and confidence you need to relax and enjoy eating again, knowing you're doing the best you can to live a longer, healthier life.


What you'll get when you enroll:

This is a 10-week program, with several short videos and 1-2 exercises each week.

You'll also get a 27-page printable workbook to brainstorm, plan, and track your progress.

Weekly Group Support Calls

Each Wednesday, starting September 29, 4-4:30pm Mountain time, we'll do an optional live Zoom call where you can get your questions answered, problem-solve, and stay on track with the support of Cheryl and the group.

(If you can't make it, you'll get a recording of the call.)

Meal planning tools

You'll also get my meal planning tools to personalize:
Meal Planning Checklist and Template
Sample One-Week Meal Plan
On-The-Go Snack Ideas List
Heart Healthy Grocery List
Costco Grocery List

I'll show you how to customize them and use them to streamline your meal planning routine.

Bonus: Recipes!

At the end of the day, it's all about the food, right? In support of several topics, I share over 50 of my favourite heart-healthy recipes and simple meal ideas, including:

Heart-Healthy Pantry Meals
Vegetables in the Sweet Spot
Holiday and Vacation Recipes
15-Minute Meals in the Sweet Spot
Sweet Spot Go-To Meals and Snacks

Weekly Plan

For each topic you'll get a short video and when appropriate, supporting exercises, planning templates, and recipes to help you chart your course and make it happen.

Week 1 - Pick your destination: You’re in the driver’s seat.
Where are you?
Where do you want to go?
Trip logs: Journaling to learn and stay on course without obsessing.

Week 2 - Map it: Crafting flexible meal plans that work for you.
The shockingly simple trick to planning heart-healthy meals
Develop practical weekly routines that get great food on your table
Take it out for a spin: Write a simple meal plan

Week 3 - Fuel up: How much food to eat and how often.
How to tune back into your body’s hunger and fullness cues.
Sustain and Savour: Nourishing, heart-healthy snacks.
Recruit your crew: Engaging the support of friends and family

Week 4 - Put it in cruise control: Making heart-healthy the easy choice.
Checkup: Are your home and office set up to support your goals?
Your emergency kit: Identify five pantry meals for heart-healthy in a pinch.
Rookie mistake: Not getting enough protein early in the day. (Breakfast)

Week 5 - Ace the pit stops: Reading labels and shopping with confidence.
Nutrition facts and ingredient lists. What to look for with heart health in mind.
Personalize your pre-printed shopping list.
Watching your sodium? Smart and surprising ways to boost flavour.

Week 6 - Enjoy the ride: You deserve to eat food you love, even after a heart event.
Eating more vegetables without hating your life.
Start your “Go-To” Meal and Snack collection.
Getting comfortable with sugar: How much is too much?

Week 7 - Slippery roads ahead: Navigating holidays and special occasions.
Socializing savvy: Celebrate, enjoy, and stay on track.
Finding that balance on vacation: Relax, explore, and come home feeling energized.
Fibre tuneup: Are you getting enough?

Week 8 - Take the fast lane: How to eat well when time is short.
How to get dinner on the table faster.
Ten heart-healthy store-bought shortcuts
Chaos-proof your Go-To Meal and Snack list.

Week 9 - Restart after a stall: Cravings, “overeating,” and guilt.
Setbacks are normal. Practice self-compassion.
Rookie mistake: Aiming for perfection.
What’s driving that hunger?

Week 10 - Are we there yet? Reassess, recognize your progress, and reroute if necessary.
Look how far you’ve come! Success is the journey, not the destination.
Where do you want to go next?
Resources for continuing your momentum.

Bonus Videos

There are two bonus videos: One about eating to address specific cardiac risk factors (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugars, etc.) and another about Intermittent Fasting.

Who this is for

You've had a heart attack, stent, bypass, or close call, and you DON'T want to end up back in the hospital. Health is important to you, but you've hit a few bumps in the road.

You generally know what you "should" eat, but you find it hard to follow through. You struggle with portion size and snacking.

You wish you had more support around nutrition than a remote cardiac rehabilitation program can provide.

You're ready to practice meal planning and cooking routines that reliably put delicious, heart-protecting food on the table and help you feel your best, while still enjoying your life.

Your Instructor


Cheryl Strachan
Cheryl Strachan

I'm a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist, cardiac specialist, and author of the best-selling 30-Minute Heart Healthy Cookbook. I've worked on and off since 2005 with Calgary's TotalCardiology Rehabilitation program, and I founded Sweet Spot Nutrition in 2014. I'm a mission to promote delicious, energizing, practical heart-healthy eating for real life.


Take a peek behind the scenes

Meet Cheryl and preview "From Surviving to Thriving".


"Cheryl is a leader in Calgary on all things heart health! I love her new cookbook on heart healthy eating - it’s so practical and nutritious - I can’t wait to share with my patients!"

- Andrea Hardy, Registered Dietitian, Owner of Ignite Nutrition Inc., Host of the Let's Gut Real podcast

"I have had the pleasure of working with Cheryl in the past for educational activities related to the Libin Cardiovascular Institute. She is a RD with great knowledge and passion about nutrition and cardiovascular health. She is able to convey the importance of nutrition and healthy lifestyle to reduce blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar as part of preventative strategies. Both her scientific knowledge and practical advice are well received by the public. She is a delight to work with. I can highly recommend her expertise."

- Todd Anderson MD, Professor of Medicine, Department Head, Cardiac Sciences, University of Calgary

"If you're looking for a dietitian to help you improve your heart health, Cheryl is the best choice! Her approach is practical, realistic and weight-inclusive. Cheryl did an amazing Continuing Education session for our team of dietitians and truly stands out as a leader in the field. I have also been a fan of her blog for years, and I am excited to be able to refer clients to her new online course."

- Julia Heos, Registered Dietitian, Ontario, Canada

If you're ready to relax and enjoy eating for heart health, join us!

Do you have a 90 minutes each week this fall to prioritize you, make a plan, and take control of this aspect of your cardiovascular health?

We'll tackle the Week One materials starting Friday, September 24 and finish the last live Zoom call on December 1.

You deserve to not only survive, but actually thrive. And great food is part of a full life.



Once you sign up, you'll receive access to the entire course, so you can jump in and get down to it right away.

You may already know what to eat, now let's make sure you know how to do it so it sticks. Then get ready to feel confident, relaxed, and energized about eating again.


You've got this!


Don't miss out: Enrollment closes at midnight (MDT) Thursday, September 23.

This course is closed for enrollment.


A Word About Pricing

Healthcare in Canada is paid for with our taxes, but sometimes people need more support than they get in the public system.

Evidence suggests that it takes at least six hours of working with a Registered Dietitian to improve cardiovascular risk factors, but that isn't available in many health systems. Privately, it would cost $600, at least in my practice.

By offering this as a ten-session group program, my hope is to make it as effective and accessible as possible, relative to the $1000 cost of meeting with me ten times. In addition, you get the workbook, a collection of delicious, simple, heart-healthy recipes, and the step-by-step videos to rewatch if and when you need a refresher.

Learning to eat for better health may actually pay for itself, considering the cost of additional medications and lost work, not to mention quality of life! If you're in the US, it may save you future medical costs, depending on your plan.

(You may be able to submit it to your extended benefits plan or health spending account. Check with your provider and/or tax advisor.)

Full 30-Day Refund

Finally, if for any reason you decide the course isn't for you right now, contact me in the first 30 days and I'll give you a full refund.

Enrollment Deadline

So that we can go through the journey together, enrollment will only be open until midnight (PDT) Thursday, September 23.

Frequently Asked Questions


How long will I have access to the program?
You'll have unlimited access for the lifetime of the program, across any devices you own, starting as soon as you register. My commitment is to make it accessible to you for at least a year from your date of purchase. If there's interest, I'll keep it going for longer, with updates when appropriate, and you'll have access to any updates I make as the course evolves.
What is your refund policy?
I would never want you to be unhappy! If you decide it isn't a good fit for any reason, contact me in the first 30 days and I'll give you a full refund. You can look through all of the materials and then if you think it won't help you, let me know. You have 30 days to change your mind.
Can I do the program if I haven't had a heart event?
Absolutely. You'll have a different perspective, but the guidance and meal planning tools can help you avoid future heart health challenges.
What if I have questions?
If you have a question, likely others do too. You can ask in the weekly Zoom calls, reach out to the group in the private Facebook community, or ask a question privately by email ([email protected]).
How long will it take me every week?
Budget for about 90 minutes each week. The videos are generally short, but there are 3-4 of them, for a total of 20 to 40 minutes. You can sneak them in while washing dishes or chopping veggies! The activities will likely take another 20 to 40 minutes. When the activities are longer the videos are shorter, and vice versa, with the goal being about an hour each week, in addition to the optional 30 minute Zoom call.
Do I need to have the 30-Minute Heart Healthy Cookbook?
No, but I will refer to recipes in the book, so if you have it, you'll get more value out of it by taking this course. It's available online at Amazon, Chapters/Indigo, and Barnes & Noble, and local bookstores can order it for you.
Will I lose weight with this program?
I unconditionally respect, welcome and support all people and bodies in my practice. I follow Health at Every Size ® principles and strive to support your wellbeing, regardless of what happens with your weight. Our focus will be on better health, but I can't in good conscience guarantee weight loss - every body is unique. I can, however, commit to sharing tools and insights that will help you eat to reduce your risk of future heart events and enjoy the food while you're at it!
Who is this program not for?
If you suspect that you have an eating disorder, you'd be better served by an eating disorder program or counsellor. If you aren't sure, you can use this screening tool (https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/screening-tool) or talk to your doctor. And if you're thinking "just give me a meal plan and I'll follow it," this program may disappoint. Our mission is to tune into the wisdom within you, and develop eating habits that work for your unique situation.
Is there anything else I should know?
You'll get the most value from this program if you (1) print the 27-page workbook and (2) do the work! Watching the videos is a start, but likely won't be enough to make lasting changes in your eating habits and health. Plan for about 90 minutes a week total. The workbook and activities will help you figure out the foods and routines that work best FOR YOU, and that's what counts.
Can I join if I'm not in Alberta or even Canada?
Absolutely! This course is for information, education, and support. It doesn't provide medical nutrition therapy nor is it meant to replace the guidance of your healthcare team.

This course is closed for enrollment.