From diet culture to food freedom.

In high school and well into college, I was subjected to diet culture and believed there were "good" and "bad" foods. I would eat an abundance of the "good" foods and avoid the foods that society recognized as poor choices. When I was exposed to these "bad" foods at get-togethers or special occasions I often felt out of control around them. I never knew what balanced nutrition was, and did not have access to dietitians like we have today. I changed my major from exercise science to nutrition in college to dive further into the science. After graduating with my degree, I had the tools to understand nutrition metabolism and individual needs, but did not know how this translated into behavior change.

After interning in the athletic departments of FSU and NC State, I landed an internship in the sports nutrition department at the University of Virginia. Here is where I learned how to translate my nutrition science background into real life application. A lightbulb went off for me — I realized that I can both eat the foods that I enjoy and reach my goals as an active woman. I had spent so much time and energy overthinking what I was eating throughout the day, when really what I needed was a balance of all foods. All foods can fit into a healthy diet.

These ideals were further solidified when I was exposed to intuitive eating in graduate school. This movement is a shift away from the "diet" mentality and a shift toward getting in tune with your body. Things like listening to your hunger cues, reconnecting with your cravings, and an emphasis on overall satisfaction with food made so much sense to me. I no longer spend any time thinking about food, nor do I have anxiety around food. This is what I feel called to share with others.

I've started this journey to help others avoid the mistakes I made. I want everyone to be able to enjoy their food, love their bodies, and reach their athletic goals. Leave the shame and guilt around foods behind. What would it look like if you took a step forward toward that today?