Why Heaps Good Nutrition Exists

At Heaps Good Nutrition, we believe nutrition should fit your life — not control it.

Too much advice swings between extremes: rigid rules on one side, confusing noise on the other. We sit in the middle — warm, grounded, and quietly intentional about doing the work.

We help people cut through the overwhelm, build realistic habits, and nourish their training, health, and life without sacrificing joy or sanity.

A different way to approach nutrition

Our coaching is built around real humans with real lives. We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all plans, rigid rules, or short-term fixes.

Instead, we focus on sustainable habits, supportive structure, and education that empowers you to make confident decisions — long after coaching ends.

How we do things

  • Human first, plan second
    You’re not a number. Your life, stress, training, and preferences matter.

  • Supportive over prescriptive
    We guide and educate — not control.

  • Holistic and grounded
    Nutrition doesn’t exist in isolation. We consider lifestyle, movement, hormones, mindset, and recovery.

  • Values-led care
    People over performance. Long-term health over short-term outcomes.

Consistency over perfection. Support over pressure.

Our Story

Before Heaps Good Nutrition became a coaching business, it was lived experience.

For more than a decade, Kara operated at the highest level of competitive sport as one of the fittest women in the world — learning firsthand what discipline, resilience, and high-performance truly demand. Matty built his life around service as a military veteran and firefighter, navigating pressure, structure, and responsibility in environments where showing up matters.

Through elite competition, service, family life, business ownership, and personal challenges, they learned that nutrition isn’t just about performance — it’s about sustainability, energy, clarity, and longevity.

Heaps Good Nutrition was created to bring those lessons together — blending elite standards with real-life practicality so everyday people can thrive without extremes.

Meet the Coaches

Coach Kara Saunders

Kara Saunders

Founder & Head Coach

Kara is best known for her 13-year career as one of the top CrossFit athletes in the world. Despite a life of high-level training and performance, she has always believed in balanced, sustainable nutrition that supports both body and life.

Her passion for nutrition began early and deepened through motherhood, reinforcing her belief that real nourishment matters for everyone — not just elite athletes.

Credentials

  • CrossFit Games individual athlete (2012–2024)

  • 2nd Fittest on Earth 2017

  • 1st Fittest Team on Earth 2024

  • PN1 Coach

  • Advanced Certified Nutrition Consultant (pre-conception, pregnancy, postpartum)

Matthew Saunders

Founder & Head Coach

Matty grew up in outback Queensland before serving in the Australian Army and later working as a firefighter. His background shaped a practical, grounded approach to nutrition that works around shift work, training demands, family life, and real-world routines.

His coaching blends evidence-based strategy with common sense — helping people fuel well without overcomplication or restriction.

Credentials

  • Royal Australian Regiment (8/9 RAR)

  • Queensland Fire Department

  • PN1 Coach

  • Working Against Gravity Certified Nutrition Coach

  • Accredited Sports Nutritionist

Rachael Patrizzi

Coach

Rachael’s journey into nutrition began through her interest in health and wellbeing, which deepened through CrossFit and her career as a firefighter. She understands firsthand how training, stress, and lifestyle intersect — and how nutrition supports it all.

Her coaching focuses on consistency, education, and habits that actually stick.

Credentials

  • Working Against Gravity Certified Nutrition Coach

  • CrossFit Level 2 Certified

  • Massachusetts Fire Academy – Fire 1 & Fire 2

Samantha Bahar

Coach

Sammy discovered CrossFit in 2011 and quickly became passionate about nutrition’s role in performance, health, and everyday energy. She supports clients in building balanced, sustainable habits that work alongside busy schedules, family life, and training.

Her approach is calm, practical, and deeply human.

Credentials

  • Bachelor of Nutrition

  • Bachelor of Exercise Science

  • CrossFit Level 1 Trainer

  • Precision Nutrition Certified Coach

LAUREN ROCKETT

Coach

Lauren grew up around gyms, training alongside her mum who raised her with a strong focus on movement, home-cooked food, and a holistic approach to health. That early influence shaped the way she approaches nutrition and lifestyle today.

After discovering CrossFit over 10 years ago, Lauren transitioned from nursery nursing into full-time coaching and went on to open her own gym. In recent years, she has focused more deeply on nutrition coaching, helping clients build sustainable habits that support training, confidence, and long-term health.

Her coaching is grounded, practical, and built around structure that works in real life.

Credentials

  • Precision Nutrition Level 1

  • CrossFit Level 2

  • CrossFit Kids Level 3

  • Sports Massage

  • (Level 3 in Children’s Care, Learning and Development)

What this means for you


Coaching that adapts to your life — not the other way around

Support that builds confidence, not dependence

Structure without rigidity

Guidance without judgement

You don’t need to be perfect — you just need the right support to move forward.

Ready to see if we’re a fit?

Working together starts with understanding you — your goals, lifestyle, challenges, and preferences. From there, we’ll help you find the right level of support and coaching pathway for where you’re at.

We’ll guide you through the next steps.