My Story

I love what I do. More than I thought I ever would. But it wasn’t a straight and narrow path that got me here. In fact, what initially got me interested in nutrition started as a very disordered obsession with food, exercise and how I looked.

I had been active since I was a child. From a young age, I was enrolled in just about every sport (that doesn’t mean I was actually any good at most of them). However, when I was introduced to volleyball in grade school, I was hooked. I played throughout grade school and high school and also played club volleyball during the off season. It was a constant and I loved it. I also ran track and field for a few years in high school but mostly focused on the field sports (javelin and high jump specifically). Up until college, sports were fun and challenging and a way to connect with my teammates.

Once I entered college, I played club volleyball for a year, but didn’t continue after that. I did continue to exercise and go to the gym with friends. However, what used to be fun began to develop into a bit of an obsession with how my body looked. At the same time, I became extremely conscious of what I was eating. When I entered college, I was so excited for the unending food options and the constant availability of food. It was amazing! Throughout my first year, though, I became extremely controlling over what I was putting in my body. If I got a sandwich and chips, I would only have half. At the dining halls, I would only have a salad, whereas I would explore all the options when I first got to school.

During the summer after my freshman year, I became intrigued by the vegetarian diet and decided I wanted to try out a pescatarian diet (vegetarian with fish allowed) with no understanding of what it actually entailed. That summer, I significantly reduced what I allowed myself to eat. My pescatarian diet turned into eliminating all processed foods, egg yolks, sweets, and any snacks other than vegetables. I severely depleted myself of a multitude of nutrients. I was also taking Organic Chemistry that summer and working. I would try to turn off any desire to eat by focusing on school and work. I would also exercise diligently, making sure to not skip a day. I was cold and tired all the time. I started missing my periods. I would look at myself in the mirror and get excited when I could see more of my rib cage. My change in diet completely consumed my life in an extremely dangerous way.

I continued this way for a few years. During my senior year, I added meat back into my diet, which was probably the best thing I could have done given that I certainly was not consuming enough protein and other associated vitamins and minerals. However, even though I started including more food in my diet, many of my eating and exercise patterns continued on. After graduation, I went on to graduate school to get my Master in Public Health. This new environment and being surrounded by a new group of friends brought me back to restriction. I would control what I would eat and push past any hunger that I felt. During this time, my exercise habits became even more obsessive than before. I started running more but never properly fueled before or after. I would go out at night without having eaten any more than a sweet potato for dinner. Throughout all of this, I didn’t realize how bad it was – because everyone was doing it.

Fast forward a few years. I got accepted to Georgia State University to get my Master of Science in Nutrition. During this time, my entire relationship with food and exercise turned around. Halfway through the program, I had a rotation with an eating disorder dietitian (who I can proudly say I work for now!) who practiced with a non-diet approach and was aligned with Health at Every Size. Her approach was so compassionate and really looked at the whole picture. During this rotation, I was able to see that my past experiences entirely shaped my relationship with food and exercise. I began practicing Intuitive Eating and educating myself on the harms of diet culture. I began to eat more and enjoy food way more without any restriction. I completed my first half marathon meeting my goal of under 2 hours because I allowed myself to properly fuel. Most notably, I was able to focus on things other than food!

This entire story is what got me to where I am today. Had I not been influenced by diet culture at a younger age, I would not have become interested in health and nutrition that brought me to earn two Master degrees. If I had not had that one rotation that exposed me to Intuitive Eating and a non-diet approach, I would not have started my practice. I want to be able to help others get to where I am today without the multiple year-long journey. No one should have to struggle for as long as I did. I’m here to help and get you to a peaceful place with food, exercise and your body!

Best,

Erika