Nutrition Entrepreneurs Ventures Winter 2019-2020

Ventures Enterprising News & Ideas for Nutrition Entrepreneurs

Getting Leadership Ready!

Lisa Jones, MA, RDN, LDN, FAND Chair “Effective leadership is putting first things first.

Effective management is discipline, carrying it out.” – Steven Covey As entrepreneurs, it is vital to evaluate how to improve our personal leadership system in order to become more effective leaders. A few years ago I became a Franklin Covey Certified Facilitator and learned some valuable skills to help you get leadership-ready. Here are some tips: Model the 7 Habits - Let’s face it. Most of us have heard of Steven Covey, read his book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, and will recall the seven habits: Habit 1: Be Proactive The Habit of Personal Responsibility Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind The Habit of Personal Vision Habit 3: Put First Things First The Habit of Personal Management Habit 4: Think Win-Win The Habit of Mutual Benefit Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood The Habit of Empathic Communication Habit 6: Synergize The Habit of Mutual Cooperation Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw The Habit of Daily Renewal Now, think about a few influential leaders in your own life. How have they made a difference? Next, think about your own leadership and how you would want others to view you. Do you model the seven habits?

An effective leader models the seven habits by internalizing and applying them as well as seeking continuous feedback. Feedback can be used to improve your leadership

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skills. Make sure to ask for specific, not general, feedback and listen empathically.

Most importantly, acknowledge feedback and determine action steps.

Reinforce the 7 Habits - Effective leaders reinforce the seven habits by integrating common language which increases understanding and communication. Here are some examples:

Winter 2019-2020 Volume XLIII Number 3 Digging Deeper: Finding Your Specialty with Certifications and Continuing Education

In This Issue: Getting Leadership Ready ������Front Cover Find Your Passion, Find Your People ����������������������������������������������� 2 Make 2020 Your Best Year Yet With These Essentials ������������������������������� 3 Find Your Passion and the CPE Will Follow ������������������������������������������� 4

Habit 1: “I/We focus on what is within my/our circle of influence.”

What Five-Year Plan? ������������������������������������� 4

Habit 2: “I/We have a mission statement.”

Time to Meet and Greet ��������������������������������� 5

Habit 3: “I/We prioritize daily.”

Invest in Yourself ����������������������������������������������� 6

Habit 4: “I/We create win-win agreements with my/our clients/patients.”

Pracetice to Propel Forward ������������������������� 7

Habit 5: “I/We listen to feedback from my/our customers.”

Using Social Media to Find Your Tribe ���������������������������������������������� 7

Habit 6: “I/We use the path to synergy during project planning.”

Seek Out New Trainings to Find Your Specialty ������������������������������������������� 8

Habit 7: “I/We participate in ongoing training.”

One great exercise is to take some time and write your own statements for each habit. Another is to hold weekly “checkpoints” in order to renew your commitment to the seven habits and make them lifelong leadership habits.

We all need to prioritize improving our own leadership skills. What are you going to do today to become a better leader and be ready for NE-thing?

Lisa Jones, MA, RDN, LDN, FAND, is a funny speaker and former stand-up comedienne. She is not just mildly amusing - she is really funny. Lisa was bitten by the comedy bug at a young age, entertaining her family at the dinner table with knock-knock jokes. Soon, she discovered SNL and would memorize bits and make her siblings perform them. Today, you can find Lisa both chasing after her one-year-old daughter, and after volunteers to watch her daughter so she can perform improvisational, sketch and stand-up comedy again.

Define Your Specialty.

Get More Clients. ����������������������������������������������� 9 Becoming Your Own Boss ���������������������������10 Interest and Necessity �����������������������������������10 Five Tips to Finding Your True Happiness �������������������������������������11 Enhancing Your Food Photography �������12 Think Outside the Box ���������������������������������14 Diversity in Dietetics: Cultural Food and Health Sensitivity �������������������������������������������15 Second Act Education �����������������������������������16 Let Your Passion Guide You ������������������������17 Product Reviews ���������������������������������������������18 Members on the Move ���������������������������������19 Mini Meetings �������������������������������Back Cover

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Ventures EDITOR Kim Hoban, RDN, CDN, CPT

INCOMING EDITOR Alena Kharlamenko, MS, RD, CDN

EDITORIAL BOARD, 2019-2020 Lisa Jones, MA, RDN, LDN, FAND Nicole Rodriguez, RDN, NASM-CPT Elana Natker, MS, RD Emily Merklen, MS, RDN Cathy D’Orazio, MS, RDN, LDN Lauri Egan, RDN, CPT The newsletter pertains to the Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Group of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and reproduction rights are reserved. Publication of an advertisement in the Ventures newsletter should not be considered as an endorsement of the product or advertiser by the DPG. Viewpoints and statements in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect policies and/or positions of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. © 2020 Nutrition Entrepreneurs.

All rights reserved.

WE WELCOME INPUT FROM OUR MEMBERS. PLEASE CONTACT THE EDITOR: Kim Hoban, RDN, CDN, CPT NewsletterEditor@NEdpg.org

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION OR QUESTIONS Email NEadmin@NEdpg.org

ADDRESS CHANGES AND MISSING ISSUES If you have a change of address, please contact the Academy with your new address information. If you missed an issue, email Lauri Egan at NEadmin@NEdpg.org

Find Your Passion, Find Your People Kim Hoban, RDN, CDN, CPT Newsletter Editor A few years ago, I was frustrated with my career and struggling to find joy or motivation as a dietitian. I had entered the nutrition field with intentions to work with clients recovering from eating disorders and, as a runner, I also had a passion for fitness and sports nutrition. Yet I started my career out as many dietitians do, in clinical work, because it seemed like the right first step and it offered a steady paycheck.

I began by providing meal plans and doling out education that didn’t always feel “right.” What I didn’t know at that time was that there was a whole world of nutrition I hadn’t yet been exposed to.

I didn’t know there was another way.

I started to blog and create recipes as a hobby and as a way to explore my passion for health and wellness outside of my traditional dietitian role. Through social media and blogging trips, I began to connect with other bloggers and dietitians who wrote about food in a way

that resonated with me but which I hadn’t been taught in school or my internship.

I learned about Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size® and found a way of practicing that felt ethical and impactful.

I became a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and a NASM Certified Personal Trainer to better serve that ideal client I had in mind: the busy athlete struggling with her/his relationship with food.

Before connecting with “my people,” I was stuck doing what I “should” do, instead of what I was passionate about. If you too are struggling to find your way on your career path, I urge you to make connections, trust your gut and follow your heart. Continuing education is important to maintain the Registered Dietitian credentials and further your understanding of nutrition, but finding your passion and people is a game changer for job satisfaction.

Kim Hoban, RDN, CDN, CPT, is a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor and NASM Certified Personal Trainer with a passion for empowering women to live their healthiest and happiest lives. When she's not busy fighting diet culture, you can find Kim on the run, exploring a new hiking trail or in the kitchen cooking or procrasti-baking. Kim lives in Long Island, New York, with her fiancé, their son and two rescue pitbulls.

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Make 2020 Your Best Year Yet With These Essentials Moe Schlachter, MS, RD, LD, CDE Director of Member Services The year 2020 is here!

A new decade of possibilities dawns.

Are you ready to accelerate your success and make your next big move? Whether you’re considering the leap into entrepreneurship or have been in the grind for a while, you can realize your wildest dreams in 2020 by starting off with these essential moves.

1. D efine YOUR success.

Too many entrepreneurs find themselves entrenched in a chase of goals that do not sate their hunger. It’s easy to sink into a primitive race for more clients, contracts or subscribers than our neighbors or our own previous benchmarks without considering if that’s truly our current priority. Challenge yourself to define your success by two measures that DO NOT

include revenue, sales or encounters.

Consider defining success by how organized you can become or how satisfied your established customers are.

Thinking beyond the big prize opens up big thinking.

2. A ssess your goals and set new ones.

If you wrote your goals down last year, take a look at them and extract some lessons. What goals felt straightforward and what kept you awake? It could help you realize what help you could benefit from.

To set new goals, really think about what you’ve really needed to accomplish, even if the task is daunting, and take the mission head-on this year. A goal of six figures is nice, but a goal to hire staff to add efficiency to your operation could be more in line with your needs.

Finally, lay out a roadmap of success in reaching your goals. Think about what you already know about the journey, what questions you have and where the reliable answers might be.

3. O verwhelm on value.

This is the Holy Grail of entrepreneurship.

It’s a simple concept that can be pondered for hours. Take stock of the value you provide and what your wellbeing means to you and those you care about. Quantify the value you could provide and realize how important you are to the customers you serve. Assess your rates, business relationships and status quo, and rise up for yourself. Cut what isn’t working for you and bet big on your strengths. Do what you need to do this year to stay in touch with the overwhelming value you provide so that you can show up big and be ready for NEThing in 2020 and beyond.

Moe is the president of Houston Family Nutrition (HoustonFamilyNutrition.com), a clinical nutrition, culinary and media services corporation. Moe is a sucker for all things nostalgia including vintage soda shops across Texas where he and his family like to dive into floats and banana splits.

Moe proudly welcomes dietetic interns for rotations at his clinic throughout the year.

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Find Your Passion and the CPE Will Follow Liz Friedrich, MPH, RDN, CSG, LDN, FAND, NWCC Delegate’s Corner Finding an entrepreneurial passion that is compatible with your interests, desires for work/life balance and financial goals usually evolves over time. Case in point: for several years I accepted “anything and everything” to get myself established in business, but eventually my passions, talents and weaknesses began to become clear. I used my Professional Development Portfolio (PDP) as a tool to focus on my strengths and clarify my goals. As a result of the PDP process I became board-certified in gerontological nutrition. Board certification has been a true asset to my professional growth and has helped narrow my field of practice in the best possible way. In fact, I now give myself permission to turn down work that is outside my area of expertise.

Using the PDP and giving careful thought to selecting competencies and performance indicators (PIs) is one good way to help you narrow your business’s focus and seek continuing professional education (CPE) that is a good fit for you. Board certification identifies you as an expert in a specific area, and passing a board-certification exam provides most of the 75 CPEs needed in a five-year period. But it isn’t for everyone - and a deliberate and thoughtful PDP process might very well send you in a different direction altogether.

Board certifications and other sources of CPE serve an important role, but volunteering can expand your skill sets in other important and useful ways. If leadership is your passion, there are plenty of professional volunteer opportunities out there that can develop an entirely different skill set than most traditional CPE programs. CDR provides competencies and PIs in the PDP Guide Featuring Essential Practice Competencies on CDRnet.org to support leadership goals as part of your PDP, and some professional

volunteer positions come with the bonus of CPE credits.

Serving in a leadership role as NE’s delegate to the House of Delegates (HOD) has been an outstanding way for me to develop new skills that have benefited both my business and personal lives. The HOD has many core functions, but in my mind, two key functions have a member focus: to represent and advocate member issues impacting the profession and to identify and respond to member needs related to marketplace demands. As your delegate, I am always available if you have questions, comments or concerns related to the HOD (or board certification), so feel free to touch base any time.

Liz is the owner of Friedrich Nutrition Consulting. Liz's happy place is a 100-year-old farmhouse overlooking the New River in Ashe County, North Carolina, where she spends her time tubing, kayaking and reading great novels. For questions about the HOD, contact Liz at Delegate@nedpg.org.

What Five-Year Plan?

Advice for the Pre-dietitian Emily Merklen, MS, RDN Director of Communications As a fairly new member to NE and being fresh out of my dietetic internship and master’s program, I’ve been building my skills toward a specialty area that I see myself working in professionally. And guess what? My five-year plan has already changed too many times to count in the past two years, so it’s OK to change your interests. Whether you are a student, career changer, practicing Registered Dietitian, or have completed your schooling and are eligible to sit for the registration exam (I’m right there with you!), it may seem hard to find your path and where you belong in the field of dietetics. The beauty of dietetics is that we can have a niche while working in other interest areas as well, and a flexible career path is often a successful one.

While you need to be registered in order to get board certified in specialty areas and to log CEUs into your Professional Development Portfolio (PDP), I encourage you to dig deeper to find those opportunities that will help you explore specialties before you officially become a Registered Dietitian. This will make it easier to create your PDP once registered, and may even help you land that dream job having experience in the specialty area an employer is looking for.

Just because you cannot get board-certified before you are registered does not mean there is no other way to get experience in that area. Here are some ways to learn about different specialty areas in dietetics and explore what certifications and CEUs may be beneficial down the line:

1. Network face-to-face at a local nutrition event, or message a dietitian on LinkedIn to meet for coffee or have a virtual meeting to learn more about her/his specialty area.

2. If you are able to attend FNCE®, a state affiliate meeting or another nutrition conference, research the events going on beforehand so you can map out what will be most beneficial for you to attend.

3. Volunteer with DPGs/MIGs. This is a

great way to get informed about CEUs and certifications, get inspired and learn how to grow in that specialty area. This is personally why I became involved with NE and pursued a position in an area that is a career interest of mine.

I’d love to hear how YOU are finding your specialty. Reach me and our Communications team at communications@nedpg.org.

Emily recently completed her MS-DI at Bradley University and is currently living in New York City. Emily loves to travel and experience new food and cultures, and her travels have brought her to South Africa, Australia and Peru, among other places. She runs her own blog on Instagram at @borntokale.

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Time to Meet and Greet Stephanie Dorfman, MS, RDN Incoming Director of Meetings How does one determine her or his “specialty”? Is it something that is declared at the beginning of a career, or a lifelong journey with many twists and turns? For some, finding a niche is simple and presents itself right away. For others, the learning process is the most valuable part.

Meeting new people in the field of dietetics is eye-opening, inspiring and educational. Attending meetings, seminars or networking events with new faces in the field could introduce a new fork in the road ready to be explored. The next time you listen to a webinar or add a local networking event to your calendar, consider these tips:

• Keep an open mind. Determining your strengths and areas for improvement can help narrow specialty areas for consideration. Keeping all doors open allows you to truly experience all the field has to offer. Sign up for a CEU course on a topic you are unfamiliar with or reach out to a dietitian specializing in a topic that grabs your attention. It’s never too late to learn something new.

• Introduce yourself. Shake the nerves and meet someone new. Take a deep dive into her or his specialty and take in all the new knowledge. Meeting in person can sometimes be more beneficial than meeting virtually.

• Ask questions. Whether you are listening to a webinar or an inperson presentation, questions are always welcome. Determine how you can get involved, clear up any confusions or ask if there are other lectures/articles in this specialty.

You never know whom you will meet or what you will learn from others. The wide variety of experiences among dietitians is incredible. So, while you’re on the hunt for your next CEU credits, be sure to introduce yourself to a new face. You never know how that person will add to your journey.

Stephanie is passionate about all things wellness, running outdoors, puppies, peanut butter, and spreading all of the joy. When she’s not at her corporate food service job, you can find her running (usually in Astoria or Central Park), baking challah, or laughing with family and friends.

During the summer months, look for her at her favorite sleep-away summer camp, where her family still works and where her grandparents met. Stephanie loves being able to combine all her passions into her profession every day.

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Invest in Yourself Brooke Fredrickson, RDN, LRD, CDE Treasurer “There is no more profitable investment than investing in yourself.”

- Roy T. Bennett Before I went out on my own, my previous employers would pay for me to attend conferences for continuing education. One of them even covered the cost for me to obtain a specialty certification through CDR. My employers saw the value that developing my skills brought to their organizations and they were willing to pay for it.

Money can often be a hindrance when it comes to furthering your education, especially when you have to foot the bill yourself. Whether it is obtaining an advanced degree, seeking a specialty certification or attending a conference, it all comes with a price tag. Even though the

upfront cost may seem like a lot, chances are that it will more than pay for itself in the long run.

When I look back over my dietetics career, some of my biggest promotions and job opportunities were directly related to a certification that I had achieved. I was able to nail down my first consulting gig by marketing my Specialist in Gerontological Nutrition (CSG) credential which led me to taking on four other consulting jobs that year. Those consulting jobs were what allowed me to quit my day job and go out on my own. Since then, I’ve acquired the Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE) credential which resulted in two contracts doing diabetes-related consulting work.

Specializing has always opened the door for more opportunities.

Here are three reasons to invest in yourself and your specialty:

1. YOU are your greatest asset. As an

entrepreneur, your business likely revolves around your skill set and passions. If you don’t continue to grow them, your business won’t grow either.

2. You get out of it what you put into it.

If you only put in the bare minimum, you can expect to receive the bare minimum. Instead, learn all you can about your specialty and go for the certification.

3. Because no one else can do it for you.

Your personal development is your responsibility. If you want to be seen as an expert in an area, you have to be willing to put in the time and effort to earn it.

The wonderful thing about being a dietitian is that you don’t have to do the same thing for your entire career. Focus on what you are passionate about right now, learn as much as you can about that topic and see where that leads you.

Brooke is a business owner, speaker and writer. She offers nutrition counseling and healthcare consulting services in rural North Dakota. Her passion is to help women overcome body image issues and rigid eating patterns through her faith-based approach. She loves to be outdoors, spend time with her family and eat really good food.

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Practice to Propel Forward Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD Speakers/Media The reality is, in the world of speaking and media, practice is likely the best certification you can ever have. The more you sharpen your skills by doing it, the more comfortable you get and by default, the better you will get it at.

Many times, this requires you proactively seeking out and researching opportunities to get practice. If you have not done much work in the area, no one will know to reach out to you, so you have to go look for it.

And while yes, dietitians should be getting paid for their services, you often have to build a portfolio of work before companies and brands will start to pay you to speak or do media on their behalf. This means volunteering and taking all opportunities to speak that you can.

So, where do you start? First, if you do not have a background in speaking, look for continuing education opportunities encompassing communications and presentation skills. While these courses are sometimes offered at conferences, webinars are probably the best way to start working on your skills immediately. Also, if you have a local Toastmasters group in your city, that can be a fantastic way to not only get practice, but also guidance and feedback. Then start volunteering to give presentations. Offer your services to your child’s sports team, your PTA or to a church group, and ask someone to record your talk so you can critique yourself. These are great ways to get your feet wet and start to perfect your craft.

Second, if you want to do media, look for webinars and online courses that focus on message mapping, bridging messages and soundbite communication skills. Then try to find a media training that you can attend in person. Webinars are great, but when it comes to media, it takes on-camera practice and constructive criticism to get

better. Personally, as someone who does media regularly, I take every media training offered or available to me because there are always areas to improve upon. The more you practice, the more you learn your style of communicating and will become more comfortable in front of the camera.

To practice, try writing up your own script, creating a message map, then having someone time and record you on your phone.

Finally, ask colleagues for their tips and continuing education recommendations.

If your friends are great speakers or successful media dietitians, ask them how they improved their skills and the tools they used to gain experience.

Amy owns her own consulting business and is a Certified Sports Specialist in Sports Dietetics. With a bachelor’s degree in communications and a master’s degree in exercise and sports nutrition, she is passionate about marrying the two to provide quality, science-based nutrition information through speaking, media, writing and consulting.

Using Social Media to Find Your Tribe Emily Holdorf, MS, RDN, LDN Technology/Social Media

for connecting with other dietitians in a certain area. Ask to chat on the phone, meet in person if you’re nearby, or just explore their websites and social media to get a feeling for what they do.

When you are starting a business of any kind, some of the first advice you tend to hear is related to finding your niche or specialty. It can be hard not to feel like you’re just one of the other thousands of dietitians out there offering services. Social media can play a huge role in setting you apart from others and helping you reach your ideal clientele.

Be clear in your social media profiles. Have a concise statement in your social media profile that describes what you do and whom you help. Your business social media profiles are not the places to include info about your dog or your favorite hobbies.

People are coming to your platform to see if you can help them and meet them where they are at currently. By having these clear statements, you’ll naturally attract the audience you want to speak to.

Explore the areas of dietetics you find interesting and are naturally pulled toward. Whether you’re an RD-to-be, just starting out, or looking for some change, try to explore different specialty areas to see what you like. Social media is great

Be willing to take on new roles or things you’re less experienced in. Be adventurous when volunteering for roles or participating in projects related to your business. Maybe there’s a new skill

you want to learn or a topic you want to be more well versed in. Volunteer to take on related roles within your state or local Academy chapter, DPGs or local organizations. Reach out to other dietitians to collaborate on innovative projects.

Not only will this increase your reach and network, but you’ll most likely learn new things and become a better practitioner.

Overall, it’s important to keep an open mind. You never know what area of dietetics you may enjoy or whom you may encounter to work with along the way Emily is the owner of EmPowered Nutrition, which focuses on Intuitive Eating for busy, young professionals. You can typically find Emily in the kitchen creating recipes and taking pictures of food for her blog. When she’s not practicing nutrition, she’s exploring new restaurants and wineries, eating ice cream, and spending time with family.

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Seek Out New Trainings to Find Your Speciality Alissa Rumsey, MS, RD, CDN, CSCS Mentor Programs/ Services I’ve had numerous specialties in my 11+ years as a dietitian. First, it was neuro/trauma nutrition support as a critical care dietitian. Then it was specializing in management and project coordination as a clinical supervisor.

After spending over six years in these specialty areas, I felt lost. I didn’t want to do clinical work anymore, but I wasn’t sure what I wanted my specialty to be.

So, for the next three years, I explored a bunch of specialties. Through my business and a corporate wellness job, I was able to work with a diverse set of people and nutrition problems. I worked with people with feeding tubes, helping them create real-food blended meals.

I worked with people with chronic diseases, like diabetes, heart disease and GI disorders. I worked in a corporate workplace and in home care settings.

With a lot of exploring and a lot of patience, I stumbled upon my current specialty almost three years ago. This specialty came to me as a result of exploring various CEU opportunities. After spending years putting most of my continuing education time and money toward business-related trainings, I looked into education to advance my counseling skills - which is how I stumbled upon Evelyn Tribole’s Intuitive Eating Pro Skills Training teleseminar. I knew nothing about intuitive eating at the time.

I thought it was similar to mindful eating, something I had been getting more and more interested in. Imagine my surprise when, during our first session, I learned that intuitive eating was so much more than that. I was hooked right from the start.

I’m sure my specialty will change again.

Already I can see myself shifting within the intuitive eating and Health at Every Size® model to a more feminist, advocate and body-image healing specialty.

And that’s OK! As we grow and change as humans and as practitioners, our specialties can and will shift too.

A few takeaways when it comes to finding your specialty area: •B e open to changing. Your current specialty probably won’t be your last, so keep an open mind and be flexible.

•S eek out new trainings. If you’re feeling like you’re in a rut with your current specialty, or if you don’t have a specialty yet, seek out different learning opportunities. Whether that’s an online webinar or training series or an in-person event or lecture, all can be helpful to start to figure out what you’re interested in.

•F ind a mentor. Whether you’re looking for a specialty or starting out in a new specialty area, a mentor is invaluable. I relied heavily on mentors and professional supervision when I started out in my current specialty area. A great place to start is the free NE DPG mentor program: nedpg.org/get-a-mentor.

Alissa is the owner of Alissa Rumsey Nutrition and Wellness, a private practice that specializes in intuitive eating, body acceptance and disordered eating. She is also the founder of the Dietitian Entrepreneur Mastermind Retreat and is passionate about empowering dietitians to confidently start, grow and scale their businesses. More often than not she can be found traveling around the world, laptop in tow.

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Define Your Specialty. Get More Clients.

Jessica Beardsley, MS, RD, LD Second Career Dietitians Having a niche or specialty can really help drive people to your business.

Human beings are drawn to clarity. Rather than just being a general dietitian, consider how it sounds to hear “I am a body-positive, intuitive eating dietitian” or “I specialize in lifestyle coaching for diabetes prevention and management” or “I’m passionate about working with athletes and honing their nutrition to support their performance.”

These all describe dietitians with a niche and a target audience and these dietitians will attract clients because they are clear about their expertise. General dietitians might lose out on potential clients who aren’t sure if the dietitian can address their special needs.

Don’t have a specialty yet? No problem.

1. First start by looking around at the dietitians who inspire you.

2. Sign up for their blogs, follow them on

Instagram and listen to their podcasts.

The RDNs who pique your interest are talking about something they are passionate about. What is that topic?

Something in you is also attracted to that topic. Listen to that voice - What is it saying? You want to specialize in eating disorders? You want to work specifically with children and families? Maybe you’re more interested in sustainability?

3. Next, listen to those people who inspire those RDNs that you’re fan-girling.

Inspiring people are inspired by others.

Who are those people? Now go read their books and listen to their podcasts.

If these continue to fire you up, then you’re onto something.

4. Invest in training. Now you know

what fires you up - next you need the knowledge and training to become an expert in that area. Sign up for a certification course or specialized

training. There are in-person trainings over days or weeks or virtual trainings online. Figure out what works best for you. Yes, it takes time. Yes, it takes money.

It’s an investment in YOU. And guess what? You’re worth it! The investment will pay back with more clients and more confidence in your expertise.

5. Tell people. Especially those clients

you’re targeting. When you choose your area (or areas) of specialty, it’s time to tell your potential clients about it. Don’t be afraid to announce the specialty that you are particularly passionate about - on your website, your business card, your elevator pitch, your Instagram.

People will be attracted to you simply by your fire.

Jessica is a nutrition and lifestyle counselor in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She loves to read cookbooks but hardly ever follows a recipe as she prefers to use them as “inspiration.”

She specializes in intuitive eating and sports nutrition (her passions). When Jessica isn't cooking or talking about food, she enjoys rock climbing, dancing and reading with her two daughters.

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Becoming Your Own Boss Nicole Goodrich, MS, RDN Private Practice VARIETY Our formal education gets us ready for the professional world in entry-level nutrition positions. So what do you do when you want to be an entrepreneur?

Or even better, an entrepreneur in private practice who wants to have a specialty?

In my experience, a variety of resources and continuing education is key to operating a successful private practice.

DRILL DOWN TO YOUR NICHE In your practice, you may really want to have a niche in a specific area of nutrition but feel a little overwhelmed. Where do you start?

Find your focus area and start to make a list. A great first step is to see if there are continuing education units (CEUs) available so you can satisfy your portfolio at the same time. To begin, check out these resources.

•G et board certified. There are several certifications such as Obesity and Weight Management, Sports

Dietetics and Pediatric Nutrition.

Learn more about certification at CDRnet.org under Certifications.

• E nroll in a course or e-learning. Our profession is so knowledgeable. You can learn from your colleagues. A favorite site is rd2rd.com where you can learn from other dietitians who are the experts in that niche.

GET BUSINESS SMARTS If you want to own a business, it is wise to get some training under your belt. While you do not need an MBA, a few classes and resources can be very fruitful to your career.

Here are some noteworthy resources that are budget-friendly: • The Small Business Association offers a lot of free resources and webinars for starting and managing your business. sba.gov.

•M aking Nutrition Your Business: Building a Successful Private Practice. This is a comprehensive book which is sold in the The Academy's bookstore that helps you create a roadmap for your private practice.

•N E webinars. Browse through the diverse topics in our library; webinars give advice on learning how to set up insurance to marketing to growing

your business. The best thing is that they are free and provide CEUs. BE READY FOR NE-THING You currently might not be thinking about being a boss and running a group practice, but when that day comes, here are some resources for you.

•C ourses from the American Management Association •B ooks: Good to Great by Jim Collins and Dare to Lead by Brené Brown Managing people is really an art, and learning the legalities of being boss is very important.

As your adventure into private practice continues, your education needs to continue as well. There are so many good resources for you to engage in and excel.

Nicole is a passionate dietitian who is the founder of several businesses including Anderson’s Nutrition, a multi-state, multi-dietitian private practice, and Nutrition Business Consultants and Services, which is geared to assist dietitians in creating and growing their businesses. She is a mom to two young kiddos, married to a foodie and loves to travel.

Over 20 countries toured and many more on the list.

Interest and Necessity: Use Both to Create Career Opportunities Lindsey Herr, RDN Website Coordinator As a dietitian offering virtual coaching services and webinars, I am online a lot. I am also the website coordinator for NE which requires additional web experience and time.

How did I stumble into such an onlinefocused corner of the RD world? Interest and necessity.

Interest – Follow your passion and interests. Do what you love! (Obviously.)

Necessity – Don’t be afraid to fill a gap or seize a new opportunity as needed. Even if that means having to pivot.

I was the website coordinator for my local Academy group in Chicago (CAND) because I wanted to be involved, not because I necessarily had the experience to do the job. It was the only open position so I took it and decided to learn along the way.

Fake it until you make it, right? So along the way, I watched webinars and read articles on how to improve my technical online skills.

When I decided to join and get involved with NE, guess what position it needed to fill … website coordinator (WC)! I then had the actual skills to do the job. I could do the role but also add in my own expertise on websites to really shine in the position.

First came necessity, then I filled my knowledge gap, then came genuine interest and expertise to lead me to proficiently doing the WC role for NE.

Use necessity and interest when thinking of your continuing education. Choose CEUs that align with your interests but don’t shy away from CEUs that seem a little off-topic at the time. Challenge yourself to try new specialties within nutrition that may help develop you to rise to new opportunities.

Sometimes you find your specialty and sometimes it finds you!

New to entrepreneurship, Lindsey started Your Dietitian Friend in January 2019. She hopes to make nutrition accessible and easy to everyone and to prove that, just as we have a hair stylist and a dentist, everyone can benefit from having a dietitian. Lindsey loves to eat and travel ... and loves to travel where she can find the best eats. Her favorite meal so far was having gyoza in Japan.

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Five Tips to Finding Your True Happiness Chere Bork, MS, RDN Abundance Ambassador “Everyone is certified.

I need to be certified too, but I just don’t know what to get certified in.”

“I need ‘more’ and no one will hire me until I have it.”

“I will be happy when I am successful at …”

Sound familiar? Maybe it is time to stop comparing yourself to other RDNs and begin to focus on what YOU truly want.

It’s time to live authentically. Authentic RDNs know who they are, and given the opportunity, they discover their own answers. They listen to their inner voices and connect with their inner wisdom and make decisions aligned with their hearts. In contrast, there are RDNs who act out of fear because they don’t trust their inner wise selves. They often listen to the advice of others or follow the crowd and, oftentimes, have a hard time making decisions.

When you follow your inner wisdom, you will never be wrong and will lead a more confident, inspiring, authentic life. Here are some tips to help you create a fabulous, authentic life, whether you go after that additional certification or not: Practice gratitude. Train yourself to see beauty and joy around you. Remember, what you focus on gets bigger and bolder.

Check out my favorite gratitude journal, “Good Days Start with Gratitude Journal,” by prettysimplebooks.com.

Identify your strengths. Life is too short to “fix.” Instead, focus on what you do really wonderfully well and do more of it. Don’t know what you are good at? Others know.

Ask five people what your gifts are.

Dump your inner critic. Notice your beliefs.

Write them down. Are they limiting or are they empowering? What is your “go-to” self-talk? Here’s one to get you started: I am creative, resourceful and whole and I can accomplish anything!

Use the Law of Attraction. The Law of Attraction says that you attract into your life whatever you give your focus, energy and attention to. The Law of Attraction is all about infinite possibilities and opportunities. So if you are focused on the positivity, you will feel confident, excited,

happy and abundant and send those vibes out to the universe. When you are feeling negative, you will feel stressed out, frustrated, perhaps angry and will be sending out negative vibes to the universe.

Whatever you are feeling is your request to the universe for more of the same. Bottom line, we attract WHO we are, not what we want.

Identify and honor your values. If things just don’t seem “right,” your life is not aligned with your values. Knowing your values helps you make decisions and aligns your actions about what you deem important in your heart. It takes mindfulness to live with authenticity. Live in the now and you will see fabulous opportunities unfold.

Mahatma Gandhi reminds us,“Happiness is when what you think about, what you say and what you do are in harmony!”

Chere Bork, AKA “The Dietitian Energy Igniter,” is the happy owner of cherebork.com and a Law of Attraction coach. She gives RDNs a confidence boost to live the lives they have always wanted. She helps them find clarity so that they can be the best they can be. She thought she was a failure many times in her career. And every time the challenge and adversity created a more beautiful meaningful life. She wants that for you – a beautiful meaningful life!

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Enhancing Your Food Photography Gabrille McPherson, MS, RDN, LDN CEU Article

up on the ins-and-outs of the camera’s features such as aperture, ISO, exposure and shutter speed. See these definitions in Table 1.

of year1. It is important to be smart about which foods are chosen to photograph and to think about the best attributes to photograph of a food.

ABSTRACT

Knowing the full capacity of the camera’s features can provide even better opportunities to capture the beauty of the food that has the starring role.

Relearning the camera features can also be an evaluation of the camera’s functions so that you can be assured your camera is functioning optimally. When your camera is functioning optimally, you are in a better position to take a winning photograph.

Trying something new with your camera such as using a tripod may be helpful in getting improved shots. Check out YouTube videos on how to use your specific camera’s settings. An expensive camera is not essential to better your photography skills.

Take into consideration the size and shape of the food, along with which parts of the food would be best captured by the angle. For example, a decorated cake may make a better photo if taken from a side angle as opposed to a bird’s-eye view. A bowl of butternut squash soup garnished with seeds will probably look better from a bird’s-eye view versus a side angle. The seasonal produce schedule should be considered especially when capturing the best attributes of fresh produce. Imagine a store-bought tomato in the middle of the summer compared to a store-bought tomato in the middle of winter. The opportunity for a photographed vibrantly red and juicy tomato is more likely to happen in summer compared to a dull pale-tomato shot in the winter.

Building up your food photography skills can serve many benefits for nutrition entrepreneurs.

Attractive and appealing photos can help to market your own personal brand. The photos with the best aesthetics are the most likely to gain popularity through increasing numbers of pins on Pinterest boards and follwers on Instagram. These increased exposures can lead more traffic to your website or blog. Potential clients will look at your photography and immediately think of how tasty your healthy meals look. They may even be more motivated to invest in your services since your recipe photos make healthy cooking look that much simpler. Well-executed photos can increase the sales of cookbooks and e-books, and even interest companies to hire you for their own food photography publications. All of these benefits have great potential to increase your income streams as a nutrition entrepreneur.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR ENHANCING FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY SKILLS: Know your camera How well do you know your camera?

Maybe it has been a while since you have read your camera’s instruction manual.

Maybe even looking at the instructions is downright intimidating or boring. Cameras have many features and exposure modes that would be worth exploring further for some experimentation. Getting to know your camera better can help with brushing

Smartphone cameras are used by many people today.Whether it is a Galaxy S10 Plus or an iPhone X, smartphones have a remarkable ability to produce highresolution photos. There are many popular apps that can assist with photo-editing projects, such as Adobe Lightroom, Snapseed, and Adobe Photoshop Express.

PLAN AHEAD: KEY ELEMENTS Do you tend to capture food photography on a whim? Spontaneity can work for many types of photography; however, food photography works best when there is some forethought. A detailed plan of action includes subject, composition and form.

Subject When choosing a recipe to photograph, a good approach is to choose in-season produce or dishes that are popular per time

Camera Function Definitions (Table 1)

Aperture

The focus of the image. A lower aperture allows for a greater depth of field (blurrier background). A higher aperture allows for more things to be in focus.

ISO

The light needed to make sure the photo is properly exposed. The lower the number, the more light is needed for exposure.

Exposure

The amount of light needed to create an appealing photo. ISO, shutter speed and aperture are combined to create a perfectly exposed image.

Shutter Speed

How fast the photo is taken. A higher shutter speed creates sharper images.

Improving food photography takes patience and practice.Take advantage of every opportunity to capture a photo.

Capture the steam rising from your morning coffee or the bubbly details of a foamy latte at your local coffee shop. Don’t be afraid to try new things. Maybe standing on a table at a bird’s-eye view is just the shot you need to try next.

Experiment with ways to make your food look better. To prevent produce from turning brown, bathe it in 2 cups of water and a tablespoon of Accent Flavor Enhancer2. Liven up foods like lettuce with Pam cooking spray for a fresh look.2 COMPOSITION Mallory Ubellohde, MPH, RDN, LDN, suggests sketching out a plan for a photo's composition before starting to arrange the actual subject. The composition of the photo is what is going to tell the story.

Executing composition requires two essential elements: lighting and props/ backdrops.

Lighting Lighting is the most important part of taking a great food photo. The best and simplest kind of lighting is natural daylight.

This solar resource can help bring out the best attributes of the subject. Direct sunlight can create too many light areas of the photo; therefore, indirect sunlight works better. As reported previously,1 diffusing light with a white foam board

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angled opposite the light source can create a more balanced photo and help to remove some pervasive shadowing.

Props and Backdrops What colors will be used to create contrast while still drawing attention to the subject?

What linens, materials and props will be used to create the story? Textures, patterns and lines can create perspective and depth in a photo. This can be done with props and backgrounds. Props and backdrops don’t have to be expensive when there are plenty of thrift shops and in-store clearance opportunities. Wooden chargers and dishware create a nice contrast with foods that have a pop of color. White dishware in different sizes and shapes is always good to keep in your kitchen studio. Props such as vintage utensils, wooden spoons, burlap cloths, patterned scrapbook paper and a granite block can provide versatility to your photography, as previously suggested3.

Layering textures is a technique Ubellohde uses to make an image more enjoyable to view. Arranged vinyl flooring panels serve as an inexpensive surface or a backdrop.

Vinyl backgrounds can also be ordered online if you don’t want to do it yourself.

Utensils can help create lines by pointing the viewer’s eye to the focal point, the subject.

FORM Positioning Techniques Positioning is very important to grasp because it determines how a viewer's eye will move throughout the photograph.

There are several rules and techniques that can be used. The “rule of thirds” is a technique that helps with positioning the subject within the camera frame. This rule suggests that if you were to visualize a nine-square grid over your frame, you should then position your focal point so that it is along the lines or intersections within the grid.1 Props like utensils or linens can be angled in a way that directs the viewer's eye to the subject. A technique called the S-curve can be used to “guide viewers' eyes to where you want to focus attention.” 3 To create an S-curve, use your props by positioning them in an S-shape that draws the eye to your subject.

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

FINAL THOUGHTS

These days, just about anything can be learned via YouTube. Learning food photography and food styling tips from YouTube food photography experts can help enhance your skills in just a matter of minutes. This can be especially advantageous for visual learners. Watch videos of various food-cutting techniques to create some impressive dishes. Try several ways to drizzle a garnish like a yogurt-based dressing on your subject to see what looks best. Even consider putting the garnish on the side if that looks better.

Check out photography books like “Plate to Pixel” by Helen Dujardin at your local library. Enroll in classes and workshops within libraries, community centers and colleges in your community. Expert food photography professionals have created online courses, webinars and e-books to educate others on how to begin or advance in various areas of food photography.

Rebecca Clyde is a dietitian who has a course and an e-book called “Make Your Food Photos Pop.” Collect cookbooks and food magazines for more ideas and learning opportunities. Spend time reviewing poorly captured photography and consider why it did not turn out well and avoid those things. Think about what could have been done differently.

Food photography for dietitians include knowing your camera, making a plan, learning the essentials, educating yourself, and seeking social media support.

Developing your skills can help sharpen your expertise, adorn your website, attract more clients, and ultimately create new income streams for your growing business.

SEEK SOCIAL MEDIA INSPIRATION AND SUPPORT

Website foodphotographyblog.com/resource-library

Is there an influencer in your life whose food photos make you suddenly salivate? Who are your favorite food photographers on Instagram? Spend time on Instagram and Pinterest to find food inspiration. Discover food photography and styling ideas and accounts on Instagram by searching the hashtags “#foodphotographyandstyling” and “#foodphotographyprops.” Don’t be afraid to reach out to food photographers to ask for tips and tricks. They may even be able to give you feedback on your photography as well. Research food photographers and/or food stylists in your area and look at their work. Reach out to them to set up a shadowing experience or even an apprenticeship.

Courses and E-Books Rebecca Clyde’s “Make Your Food Photos Pop”

REFERENCES

1. Chang, S.Creating Images with Impact: Food Photography Tips from MyPlate.

Journal of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. August 2017;117:1171-1173.

2. Peters, C. 12 Tips for Fabulous Food Photos [e-book]. Available from Foodphotographyblog.com. Accessed November 5, 2019.

3. Sharedappetite.Top 10 Ways to Improve Your Food Photography. Available at https://sharedappetite.com/foodphotography-2/top-10-ways-to-improveyour-food-photography/. Accessed on October 24, 2019.

4. Santo, Tony. “Food Photography Mastery.”

Today’s Dietitian. October 2015:46. October 2019.

RESOURCE LIST:

Facebook Groups facebook.com/groups/foodbloggerscentral facebook.com/groups/1761505420776497

CEU ARTICLE: CEU quiz at NEdpg.org.

Login and go to Resources & Information > CEU Library. Scroll down to the Newsletter Courses. Passing the quiz with 80% will grant you immediate access to your CEU certificate Gaby McPherson, MS, RDN, LDN, is a Registered Dietitian in community nutrition, freelance nutrition entrepreneur and owner of Fruitful Nutrition LLC. She also specializes in childhood nutrition.

There are many food photography interest groups on Facebook where constructive feedback is invited to drive improvements if you are comfortable with posting some of your work. Food Blogger Central and Healthy Food Photography Support Group are two Facebook groups. Healthy Food Photography is specifically for dietitians.

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Think Outside the Box Deanna Wolfe, MS, RDN Corporate Wellness When I started my career in corporate wellness, I was a telephonic health coach, eventually doing onsite, in-person coaching for a large Fortune 500 corporation. After seven years in the industry and building my own successful online business, I now spend my time on sales, marketing and brand work and don’t do as much clear “dietetics” work day-to-day.

The continuing education for my first five years was easy: I sat for the American Council on Exercise Health Coach exam and earned all 75 credits that way.

After my first five years as an RD, I’ve grown and changed a lot to now working in leadership and sales in corporate wellness and owning my own successful online nutrition business.

So my continuing education looks a lot different now. It looks like:

Key takeaways as you think about continuing education:

•H iring an online business coach and program to continue to scale my business

1. I t’s OK for your continuing education to look VASTLY different from one set of five years to the next.

• I nvesting in myself

2. T hink outside the box for how to earn your CEUs. A lot of online programs now include them.

• Attending career growth, leadership and entrepreneurial sessions at FNCE® • Listening to audiobooks and podcasts to spark my confidence when I need inspiration or clarity (not continuing education but definitely helps with inspiration) • Attending workshops that help me focus on my niche My second five years of continuing education will look a LOT different and that is completely normal.

3. Focus on what you truly want to take away for your business. If you’ve nailed the nutrition part but need help with websites, social media, management or things you didn’t learn in school, find programs that help there and also earn CEUs. Deanna is the founder of Dietitian Deanna, LLC and helps women drop dieting and learn how to fuel their bodies. She also has been working in corporate wellness for 7+ years in sales, product management and leadership. Deanna lives in a city but always seems to travel where she can be outdoors with nature, has never met an almond croissant she didn’t like, and loves connecting with others in her online community.

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Diversity in Dietetics: Cultural Food and Health Sensitivity Monica Auslander Moreno, MS, RDN Diversity Article Q&A Tell us a little about your background.

I am the lead dietitian in a Miami-based group practice. I am also the dietitian to the Miami Marlins and Ocean Reef Resort & Club. I enjoy utilizing my husband as an experiment for healthy recipes, and our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel enjoys the subsequent kitchen droppings.

How has your background enhanced your dietetic practice?

It has been profoundly useful to call upon my Jewish heritage and my husband’s Latino culture in counseling clients and developing programming for schools, corporations and professional athletes.

Miami is a big melting pot, but Jews and Latinos are some of the dominant groups and I feel very comfortable relating personally and nutritionally with them, when I rely upon what I know actually will inspire and empower nutrition change for these populations. It’s also been a privilege to employ two dietitians who were both born in Venezuela. What they bring to the table (literally!) is invaluable both in practice and culture.

What is your definition of diversity and why it is important in the dietetics field?

I would define diversity as the unique gift of having a spectrum of personal background and professional talent at your behest. So much of dietetics curriculum unfortunately tends to be biased toward a white American demographic, and though I know huge strides have been made in inclusivity and inclusion of different cultures, it’s especially important for dietitians in metropolitan areas (and everywhere) to be proficient in culture and clinical knowledge for populations other than the “standard.”

How do you encourage people to honor the uniqueness of each individual?

What is one tip you have for others to be more culturally sensitive/aware?

Our practice name is literally “Essence” (one’s uniqueness) for this reason. The idea of cookie-cutter meal plans and drone dietitians horrified me. I wanted to create a space where the human (the client, the audience, the menu or whatever project on which we were working) was prioritized.

Our dietitians are taught to first establish connections, relationships, comfort and warmth - and then dive into work.

It’s a fabulous start to familiarize yourself with cultural practices relating to food and health, but quite another to realize how those tenets will have implications in your own work with these populations.

For example, I was always instructed (and confirmed in my own marriage) that white rice is a staple in Latin cuisine. I remember thinking to myself, “so I’ll just have them switch to brown rice or quinoa.” The reality is that a lot of nutrition “solutions” for cultural food habits are simply untenable and may cause shame in a population if you make the audience feel like their food habit is “wrong.” Not only will they not change, but now you’ve caused harm. We need to sort out ways to promote food and health behaviors in a safe space for certain populations.

How do you challenge and promote sensitivity and inclusion in the dietetics field?

I train my dietitians to constantly have their antennae out - our logo is a butterfly - for different populations, socioeconomic backgrounds, education levels and cultures that could impact their nutrition work.

They’ve all been schooled in everything from the rules of kosher to traditional Japanese breakfast foods. You really never know what you’ll encounter in Miami.

In my corporate nutrition and school nutrition roles, I am always sensitive to different cultures and demographics when developing programming, menus and educational initiatives. Spanish translations can be very helpful, especially for my professional athlete work. ALL our work, whether private, corporate, scholastic or athletic, aligns with a Health at Every Size® (HAES) philosophy that also encompasses inclusivity and compassion in a weightneutral fashion - that, to me, is the aspect of sensitivity and inclusion I am most proud of with Essence. I wish all nutrition practitioners would indoctrinate themselves with that philosophy.

How would having more diversity in dietetics providers improve our field?

We would reach, relate to, and instigate health-promoting behaviors in a much wider audience and we would be respected as practitioners who honor and include all people in our work. I think we simply don’t realize how tone-deaf our recommendations can be for certain people sometimes, and that simply won’t accomplish any health-enhancing behaviors and will forever blacklist us from being a trusted source of nutrition information.

We need mandatory dedicated courses in our dietetics curriculum that focus solely on cultural, ethnic and sensitivity training as well as the practical applications of any theoretical knowledge to create a competent workforce.

How has diversity helped you in your job role?

The fact that I can rattle off and appreciate every ethnic Colombian food thanks to my husband has also rendered me trustworthy amongst private, corporate and athlete clients alike. I’ve also been able to seamlessly prepare menus for Jewish day schools since I am so familiar with kosher guidelines, products and practices.

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Second Act Education Tisha Castillo Student Article When I first decided to go back to school to study nutrition, I had no idea what I was going to do with the education. I just knew I wanted to learn as much as I could about nutrition. I remember registering and randomly picking classes that I hoped made sense. I wasn’t even sure if there was an actual degree or certifications I could earn. I just knew the college offered courses in health and nutrition and I wanted to take them. As if fate were waiting to step in and guide me, one day when I was waiting to get my photo ID for class, I was introduced to a counselor on campus who then gave me the contact information for the head of the nutrition program. I was able to speak with her and everything started to fall into place.

First, she recommended different beginner courses than I had chosen. One in particular

was a course that I think everyone in the nutrition field should take at some time.

The course literally broke down all of the possible careers available to someone in this field. What an amazingly resourceful course. By the time I was done with the course I was even more excited about the industry because I knew that the education I was receiving could be used in so many different types of nutritional careers. It seemed as if the sky was the limit. Whether I wanted to work in a clinical setting, focus more on community education or even scratch that entrepreneurial itch that I have by building my own practice, I wasn’t going to be locked into something that I didn’t like without any options.

While enrolled in the course, I was introduced to the many professional associations for the industry and I joined many of them. In just a short amount of time, I’ve been able to connect with others in the field. I’ve been able to pick their brains and seek guidance. I’ve learned what it takes to become an RD. I’ve also learned how

incredible it is to be able to earn specialized certifications that will most definitely complement the path to becoming an RD and benefit my future clients.

As for continuing education, most industries require at least a few hours annually in order to stay up-to-date with any changes so I wasn’t surprised to learn that continuing education is encouraged and required in the field. I really can’t imagine not pursuing CE credits. The information available in this field changes on what feels like a daily basis. Whether it’s a new randomized clinical trial, a peerreviewed paper or an epidemiological study, updated information is critical.

Tisha Castillo is a second-career student studying at Central Arizona College to become a Registered Dietitian. With almost 20 years of experience running her own company specializing in graphic design, printing, web development, computer support and payment solutions, she plans to open her own health and wellness clinic that will merge her career experiences with nutrition education.

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Let Your Passion Guide You Kristen Carli, RD Guest Article As entrepreneurial Registered Dietitians, we may spend our days counseling, providing nutrition education, preparing meals, filing insurance claims, hiring employees or otherwise building the back end of our businesses. We go about our daily routines, checking off the long to-do lists required to build our dream businesses and can easily get stuck in the monotony.

We all know how long and strenuous the journey is toward becoming an RD. Think about how much time, energy and money went into this career choice. Are you living the life you imagined? Are you doing what you thought you would with your RD credential?

Specializing can be a great way to advance your career, but identifying potential areas of specialty can be overwhelming or may leave you feeling a bit lost.

THINK BACK. Why did you become an RD originally?

Whether you made this decision back in college upon picking your major or you are a career-changer that came to this decision after working in another field, what was it that made you interested in nutrition? Identifying what led you here is a great way to highlight a lost passion.

REFLECT UPON YOUR CURRENT ROLE. What pieces of your current job light you up? For example, you may not like the administrative role that comes with opening a private practice, but you love helping your clients in a one-on-one setting reach a healthy lifestyle. Identify the parts of your job that you love and seek out more of these experiences.

FIND A MENTOR. There is nothing more valuable than someone who has already accomplished everything you aspire to do. A mentor has all the wisdom and experience to guide you accordingly. Reach out to a fellow RD who inspires you and pick her/his brain.

Don’t have an inspirational RD in mind?

Find a mentor through the Academy of

Nutrition & Dietetics (Academy) eMentor Match, through your local AND district chapter, or the Nutrition Entrepreneur DPG Mentor Program nedpg.org/get-amentor.

DIVE IN! There are so many amazing resources available to us through the Academy membership and various DPG memberships. Sign up for a webinar, get a certification, take an online course or select a new book on your favorite topic.

All these opportunities not only provide continuing education credits, but provide a chance for you to figure out what you are passionate about and become an expert in that topic. Let your passion guide you and dive in whole-heartedly to your interests.

Kristen Carli, RD, is the owner of Camelback Nutrition & Wellness, a private nutrition practice specializing in chronic disease prevention in Scottsdale, Arizona. When she isn’t working, she can be found cooking up plant-based recipes for her blog Mostly-Green.com & Instagram @Kristen.Carli.

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Product REVIEWS Eat To Sleep: What to Eat and When to Eat It for a Good Night’s Sleep – Every Night

Yoga Therapy Training for Eating Disorders Professionals

Author: Karman Meyer, RD, LDN Date: 2019 Publisher: Adams Media Price: $14.50

Author: Beverly Price, RD, MA, E-200 RYT, C-IAYT, CEDRD-S Date: 2010 Price: $1,295 to $1,595 (Intro and Advanced trainees)

Reviewer: Christy Minges, MS, RD, LD Title: Clinical Dietitian Affiliation: Margaret Mary Health

Reviewer: Alanna Waldron, RD, CDN Title: Food & Nutrition Consultant Affiliation: Alanna Waldron Nutrition

Review: “I don’t get much sleep.” As a dietitian, I hear this often. Either people have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, having restful sleep or all of the above. We know the importance of sleep and this book is a perfect guide to achieving a great night’s sleep.

Karman hits the ground running by reviewing the basics of sleep, the health consequences of poor sleep, how food can influence sleep and a few non-food tactics for more Zzzs. A very helpful section of the book is the list of foods to avoid to help encourage sleep. The great part is she provides practical ways to avoid these foods or appropriately place them in your day.

Review:

The next section is a large list of foods that encourage sleep and tips for how and when to enjoy them. Karman even provides delicious, easy recipes that incorporate these foods. The book finishes with a meal plan (we all know everyone loves a meal plan) and space to log outcomes. If you are looking for a quick and easy book to recommend for better sleep, this is it. What I love about the book is that it is straight to the point without any unnecessary or confusing information. I will definitely keep this on my desk and will reference it again and again.

The Yoga Therapy Training for Eating Disorders Professionals is offered once yearly, currently as a two-part training program out of convenience for clinicians’ schedules. It is run with a licensed mental health counselor who is also a certified eating disorder specialist and registered yoga teacher. Healthcare professionals who participate in the mindfulness program will obtain 37.5 CEU throughout the weekend. Beverly’s program is proud to be a specialty program of Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy (PRYT), an accredited yoga therapy training program specializing in mental health. It is also an Approved Professional Development (APD) Course, through accreditation as a continuing education program

by Yoga Alliance and the International Association of Yoga Therapists. There are absolutely no prerequisites for participating in the training program, just an overall interest in yoga.

This program is an enlightening experience for those who wish to better understand the positive relationship between yoga and treatment in eating disorders. The Yoga Therapy Training officially began in 2010 as a complementary practice to help registered dietitians, psychotherapists and other healthcare professionals provide effective treatment for individuals with eating disorders.

With a program born out of the formerly comprehensive eating disorder treatment center, called the Inner Door Center, Beverly was inspired to integrate a mind-body approach to healing.

Upon completion of the training program, you can expect to gain not only practical skills, but lifelong connections and friendships with attendees. Clinicians often experience a significant amount of personal growth and self-development as they unleash inner emotions and compassion fatigue.

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MEMBERS ON THE MOVE Kate Davis, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, editor-in-chief of the Sports Nutrition Care Manual®(SNCM®), would like to announce a free webinar now available about the SNCM®; all RDs can earn one free CPE for viewing. The webinar is called, "How to Use the SNCM® to Enhance Your Work in Sports Nutrition."

Whether you are a seasoned sports RD or see an athlete only on occasion, check out how the SNCM® can help you be a more efficient and effective practitioner. To find the webinar, go to: nutritioncaremanual.org/free-webinars.

Jean LaMantia enjoys blogging, public speaking and writing to serve clients with cancer and lymphedema. Her latest book is The Complete Lymphedema Management and Nutrition Guide. Her goals now are educating dietitians about the lymphatic system, lymphedema and how nutrition can help - more than 50% of the body’s lymph is produced in the GI tract - and creating an online program to help clients implement the changes. You can read more about Jean and her books at jeanlamantia.com.

McKenzie Caldwell, MPH, RDN, LDN, is the owner of Feed Your Zest Nutrition & Wellness, a private nutrition therapy practice in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she helps people heal their relationships with food, recover from eating disorders, and manage conditions like diabetes as they navigate pregnancy, postpartum and everything in between. McKenzie launched Feed Your Zest in early 2019 and is excited to watch her practice continue to thrive in 2020.

The year 2019 marked a special year for Jennifer Seyler, as it is the start of her LLC – Business Strategy and Operation Consulting. Seyler has a strong background in business and nutrition, and looks forward to assisting companies/organization find and leverage strengths, market opportunity, create differentiation strategies and more. For additional information, visit fitnessandnutritionconversations.com.

Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDE, FAND, is the owner of a successful private practice in Los Angeles, speaker, and media spokesperson.

Vandana released her first book, My Indian Table: Quick & Tasty Vegetarian Recipes, in 2019. She shares heartwarming memories of her mother’s cooking while growing up in India. In this beautiful full-color cookbook, she transforms heavy Indian dishes to lighter, easyto-prepare, authentic, delicious and healthier options. The book is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and anywhere books are sold.

Sample chapters of Communicating Nutrition: The Authoritative Guide ran out within 24 hours of the EatRightStore’s opening its doors at FNCE®. This book from the Academy features many NE members as contributing authors, including its editor, Barb Mayfield. To learn more about the book, read the sample chapter, download the table of contents, and sign up for a preview copy for educators, visit: nutritioncommunicator. com/communicating-nutrition. The book will be available for purchase spring 2020.

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Ventures

www.nedpg.org

Enterprising News & Ideas for Nutrition Entrepreneurs

Kim Hoban, RDN, CDN, CPT 24 Copperbeech Road Saint James, NY 11780

Mini Meetings New York Mini Meeting On Friday November 15, NE chairelect Nicole Rodriguez co-hosted a screening of Food Evolution for dietetic interns at Lehman College in the Bronx. Followed by a panel featuring NE members Cindy Chan Phillips and Robyn Flipse, students discussed the intersection of entrepreneurship and sustainability in food systems.

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Philadelphia Mini Meeting In December, a group of Philadelphia-area dietitians met at WeWork in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties area to get to know one another while sharing food and discussing goals as entrepreneurs in the future.

Illinois Mini Meeting Metro-East dietitians gathered at Eckert’s Country Store & Farm on January 11, 2020 for an evening of networking, conversations, and food and beverages. The attendees seemed to really enjoy it, and everyone agreed they’d love to meet again in the future.

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