Ventures S U M M E R 2021 | VO LU M E X LVI I | N U M B E R 1
In This Issue: Note From the Editor � � � � � � � ���������������2 Letter From the Chair � � � � � ���������������3 It's Time for a Refresh � � � � � � ��������������� 4 Try This For a Change: Ask for What You Need � � ��������������� 5 Financial Refresh: How to Reorganize Your Finances ������������� 6 Revamp Your Social Media Presence with Reels � � � � � � � ����������������7 Starting a Side Hustle � � � � � � �������������� 8 Why You Should Have a Newsletter and How to Start One ��� 9 Craving a Change in Your Practice? Give CBT Techniques a Try � � � � � � � � � � � �������������� 10
Summer Refresh: T RY S O M E T H I N G N E W
Product Reviews � � � � � � � � � � � � �������������� 11 Meet the NE Executive Committee � � � � � ��������������� 12
Ventures
Note From the Editor
SUMMER 2021 J E S S I CA B EA R DS L E Y EDITOR
MS, RD, LDN NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Jessica Beardsley, MS, RD, LDN
INCOMING EDITOR Meagan Nielsen, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN
EDITORIAL BOARD 2021-2022 Nicole Rodriguez, RDN, NASM-CPT Amanda Sauceda, MS, RDN, CLT Cathy D’Orazio, MS, RDN, LDN Lauri Egan, RDN, CPT Jessica Oswald, MS, RDN, LD/N Stephanie Dorfman, MS, RDN 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: Jessica Beardsley, MS, RD, LDN newsletter@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 Enjoying our new layout? Snap a selfie with this magazine in a fun place and post it to IG or Facebook with #VenturesNEwhere
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Every summer since I was born, I’ve spent a week or more at Lake Tahoe with my family, who began this tradition before my birth. Lake Tahoe is a gorgeous freshwater lake with perfectly clear and cold water. Taking a plunge in the lake is the most refreshing and invigorating experience - and I love it! With energizing swims in the lake, summer has represented a time to embrace refreshing experiences and try new things. During the summers I was in school, I would imagine new habits that I wanted for the fall. I always tried new things in the summer! The theme for this Summer Ventures issue is: Summer Refresh - Try Something New. It's been a rough year-and-a-half for all of us in many ways. I hope you have been able to take a break and get
away to a different state or a different state-of-mind this summer. Enjoy this issue and consider trying something new - whether it be embracing changes in our culture, taking care of yourself, refreshing your finances, trying out Instagram Reels, starting a newsletter or even your own business!
Jessica Beardsley, MS, RD, LDN, owns a private practice in Chapel Hill, NC, where she specializes in intuitive eating and sports nutrition. Her idea of a perfect birthday involves running a half-marathon followed by beer and good food. When Jessica isn't running, she's probably dancing in the kitchen with her kids or jumping on the trampoline.
Letter From the Chair A M A N DA SAU C E DA MS, RDN, CLT CHAIR
We are ringing in the year at NE with a new theme “You can do NE-Thing.” If you read the chair note in our e-newsletter then you already know the inspiration behind this theme - a breakup. While that breakup sucked at the time, it turned out to be one of the best gifts ever given to me. Over a four-piece chicken nugget meal with a friend consoling me about the breakup, she told me four words that have stuck with me to this day, “You can do anything.” I did a lot of new things those first couple months after the breakup. The most exciting one was becoming a new RD (because that breakup landed right as I finished my internship … good times).
Now I’ve taken the spirit of that simple statement and turned it into a mantra both personally and professionally. But, to be honest with you all - that phrase does and doesn’t come easily. It comes to me easily when I just naturally get something. I’m all about doing “NE-thing” when it comes easy. It’s difficult for me to think I can do “NE-thing” when I am struggling with new skills or battling the ever-tricky imposter syndrome. When I do struggle with believing in my ability to do “NE-Thing,” I don’t have to look further than the members in NE (Nutrition Entrepreneurs) to boost my spirits. The members of this DPG (dietetic practice group) are by far one of the most diverse and amazing set of dietitians. I am constantly inspired by the wide range of work and talent that our members have.
My goal for my letters to you in this newsletter are to share with you what I’ve learned as an entrepreneur (honestly, even calling myself an entrepreneur was a mindset switch in itself) and the imperfect journey because that’s where the magic happens. Where can you try something new by applying the mantra of “You can do NE-thing?” Amanda Sauceda, MS, RDN, CLT, loves pizza. She has a running list of her favorite places and places that she wants to try. Her number-one pizza place used to be a luggage room in the golden days of Hollywood and has a fermented sourdough crust that is to die for.
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It’s Time for a Refresh CA R E E J. COT W R I G H T PHD, RDN NE DIVERSITY LIAISON
On July 1, 2021, I became the first Black woman in the Department of Foods and Nutrition at the University of Georgia to earn tenure and promotion. I share this not to boast but to claim the accomplishment as a win for the field of nutrition. With this success, I can continue to teach and mentor students and conduct communityengaged research. During the last year, most of us have a heightened sense of the need for more diversity in our field. Although we train registered dietitians in the hallowed halls of higher education institutions across our country, the reality is students of color do not normally encounter professors like me. More specifically, while the percentage of Black dietitians is low (approximately 3%), the portion of Black professors in the Academy is even lower at 1.9%. I mention this because I want to highlight that the need for diversity, of course, extends far past the profession of dietetics. There is a need for a refresh. After earning tenure, professors are undoubtedly tired. I mean feel-it-inyour-bones tired. New professors know that the first five, six or seven years of their careers, each decision
made, each academic endeavor, will soon be judged by peers, colleagues and university officials. It is an arduous process. With the recent coverage of the tenure denial and subsequent approval of Dr. Nikole HannahJones, many were forced to see that the playing field for the promotion and tenure process is not equal for professors of color. As a graduate of the University of Georgia who has the privilege to teach in the department that gave me so much, I relate to why Dr. Hannah-Jones wanted to give back to her alma mater. I relate to her struggle to earn every part of every accolade that she wholeheartedly deserved. As an alumna of the esteemed Howard University, I am overjoyed that students in the Cathy Hughes School of Communications will be graced by the brilliance of scholars like Dr. Hannah-Jones. Now about that refresh. I willingly seek the opportunity to use my Godgiven creative abilities to empower students, leaders and communities to thrive. I am invigorated to continue doing the work I am blessed to do each day. As I reflect over so many of the moments that allowed me to reach this place, I think about my ancestors and the amazing support system I find in family and friends. I am indebted to mentors like Dr. Rebecca Mullis, who believed a young girl who entered her office in the spring of 2002 could accomplish anything she ever imagined. Not only did she cheer me on from the sideline, but she also passed the baton, even continuing to mentor me after retirement. I am inspired by mentors like Dr. Leann Birch who encouraged me and cultivated the talents she recognized within me. She also gave me space to acknowledge that I was going through tenure while giving birth to and raising my three beautiful daughters with my supportive husband. As I remove my former cloak and adorn myself with a new shroud of opportunity, I challenge you to think about mentoring a student from a diverse background. If you don’t have time to lend a hand to many students, choose one. There are BIPOC students,
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LGBTQA+ students and students with exceptionalities who are seeking our mentorship so they can change the face of our field. Mentorship is one way to help develop new entrepreneurs in dietetics that create diverse solutions for diverse communities.
Mentorship is one way to help develop new entrepreneurs in dietetics that create diverse solutions for diverse communities
I hope you will consider this challenge even if you don’t know where to begin. Follow the example of entrepreneurs like Barbara Storper, owner of FoodPlay Productions, who, upon receiving a call from a young, Black master’s student requesting a nutrition theater internship, responded, “Well, I’ve never had an intern, but come on!” I later wrote and produced the nutrition theater play, “Lil’ Red Ridin’ Thru ‘Da Hood,”as a part of my master’s thesis, and the rest is history. I am in awe of how much change could transpire if we simply say “Come on!” to aspiring dietitians. It’s time for a refresh in our field. Let’s all jump in together. Who knows how big of a splash we will make? Caree Cotwright, PhD, RDN, is a wife and mom of three precious girls, a food lover and cook, and a childhood obesity prevention advocate. She is passionate about using creativity to promote good nutrition and health. In addition to being a nutrition theater playwright and poet, she practices doing African dance and yoga to be her best self.
Try This For a Change: Ask for What You Need K R I ST I CO U G H L I N MS, RDN INCOMING DIRECTOR OF MEETINGS
Over the past few years, the topic of self-care has grown in popularity. Since the onset of the p**demic, it feels as though we have been inundated with self-care messages. I often hear objections such as “I don’t have enough time” - while others point out that they are strapped financially and are unable to splurge on pedicures or massages. As nutrition professionals, we are well aware that people often overcomplicate things. Case in point, the foundation of healthful eating includes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, nuts and seeds. Meanwhile, fad diets call for people to restrict a laundry list of foods — many of which we, as dietitians, eat regularly. In other words, fad diets make it unnecessarily challenging to eat well. Self-care is no different. Simple techniques, such as setting healthy boundaries and advocating for yourself, are often overlooked as ways to take care of yourself. One form of self-care that has made its way front and center in my world lately has been asking for what I need.
funding for insurance and a new vehicle. In order for my family to purchase a new car, my business needs to make enough money to ensure I consistently receive a paycheck. This, of course, means I need to work my business. However, with our family’s summer schedule, it can be difficult to carve out enough time to get things done. So, I asked for what I needed without being tied to a specific outcome. Here’s what it was: 1) Buy me a car without me financially contributing and I will continue to chauffeur the kids around by myself. Or, 2) Help with the kids’ schedule so I can dedicate time and energy to my business thereby ensuring I can contribute to the car purchasing process. Before the conversation, I was worried about how my husband would react. In the past when we’ve talked about this sort of thing, after I’ve reached my breaking point, it has felt uncomfortable. This time was a completely different experience because I followed the tips outlined in this article. Much to my delight, he quickly agreed to taking the kids for two full days a week to free up time and energy for me to work without interruptions. In fact, I’m sitting here writing this as he is in charge of the kids for the day.
Recently, I sat down with my husband and laid out the ways I needed him to support me and my business. Summers are particularly difficult for me as an entrepreneur because of travel and the kids’ schedules — it feels like I am constantly on the go which leaves little time and energy to get work done. In the past, I would have tried to shoulder the bulk of the summer commitments without asking for support. Inevitably, I would reach a breaking point and ask my husband for help while sobbing. Not sure if this has been your strategy in the past, but it doesn’t usually result in a happy conversation. This year required a revised strategy; it was time to be proactive in asking for what I needed.
Learning to ask for what you need can be difficult. It also takes time to learn, but is entirely possible. Once you receive support from others, you will wonder why it took you so long to ask for what you need.
Instead of waiting until I had met my breaking point, we talked before my schedule got overwhelming. We started the conversation by discussing the fact our oldest is getting her license in a few short months which requires additional
Ask Without Expectations. Frequently, we ask for help with a desire for a single outcome. We are tied to a single solution, and when our need goes unmet because it is not feasible for the other person, we are all left feeling unfulfilled.
Of course, asking for what you need can be easier said than done in real life, especially if you have spent a lifetime relying on only one person to get things done — yourself. Regardless of your history with asking for help, the more you practice, the easier it gets. Therefore, I encourage you to start practicing advocating for yourself by asking for what you need. Here are a few different ways to jump-start this essential skill:
To avoid this issue, ask for what you need and be open to receiving support that may look different from what you originally had in mind. Ditch the Fear of Rejection. In some cases, we have already decided that we will not get the answer we desire — even before asking. Tying it back to asking without expectations, ask for what you need without worrying about the answer. Remember, if you don’t ask, the answer is always “no.” Be Clear in What You Need. If you are struggling to juggle multiple responsibilities, ask for help with a specific project or task (or offer a few to pick from). A key point to remember: you can’t assume others will know what you need help with or that you even require assistance. Be sure to specify what you need rather than simply saying, “I need help.” Self-care is more than facials and bubble baths. It is about ensuring your basic needs are met to maintain your health and prevent (or deal with) issues in life. In the matter of inhibiting life issues, be proactive in asking for help. Ask for what you need before you have reached your breaking point. If you are already dealing with problems due to unmet self-care needs, take stock of where you are struggling the most and figure out a few tasks that can be delegated. Then ask for help while keeping in mind the pointers above. Final thoughts - prioritizing your self-care is foundational in health, happiness and success in life and as a Nutrition Entrepreneur. Most importantly, remember this fact: you are worthy of help from others. Kristi Coughlin, MS, RDN, loves spreading happiness with her business Bring About Happy by creating uplifting products inspired by former private practice clients. In her spare time, she can be found with her family by the lake, traveling, or enjoying her favorite food - pizza! nedpg.org | 5
Financial Refresh: How to Reorganize Your Finances A N D R EA M AS S O P - RA M OS MCN NOMINATING COMMITTEE
When was the last time you reviewed your overall household finances? How about those credit cards and the interest rates? Are they working for you? Let’s take a deep dive into how to refresh or reorganize your finances: 1 You should be aware of your credit score (FICO Score). Aim for a score of 750 or above, which is considered a healthy score. Check it at least once a year with each of the credit bureaus – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can get a free copy from each on Annualcreditreport. com. During Covid lockdown, I had the opportunity and time to buckle down and review my finances. My credit score was about 670 and I knew the target number to aim for was 750 and higher. I used the method of paying off the lowest balance credit card first. I ended up paying off four credit cards and paying down two significantly to below the 30% threshold in an eight month time frame. My credit score shot up to 741, a 71 point increase with 23% credit card usage. y As a new business owner, your FICO score is initially used as your credit worthiness, until you are able to establish business credit worthiness with your EIN number, instead of your personal social security number. 2 Monitor how you use your credit cards by being aware of your credit utilization rate or ratio, which is the amount of revolving credit you are using divided by the total amount of your available credit. It’s always best to pay the balance off in full if you can to reduce those finance charges from accruing. Otherwise, aim to keep your balance at less than 30% usage if you must maintain a balance on your credit card at all.
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y After I paid off my 4 credit cards, ranging from monthly payments of $40 - $168, I was able to save approximately $290 each month. I now use that savings to pay towards additional principal payments on other debt, continuing this process until all of the credit cards and debt is paid off. This process has saved me well over $1000 so far. 3 Paying off credit cards with balances. If you have several credit cards with balances, don’t panic. Be intentional with your goals to pay them off. There are a few ways you can do this: y You can begin with the card with the lowest balance first, by paying a much larger monthly payment than the required minimum payment and continue paying more each month until it is paid in full. While you are concentrating on this one card to pay off first, you continue to pay the minimum balance on all your other credit cards, until you have paid off the debt of the first card. Once that card is paid off (what a great feeling; you should celebrate!), the monthly payment you were paying on that card is now added to the next card you want to pay off in addition to its minimum payment amount. y Another method of paying off your credit cards is by paying off the highest interest credit card
first; this way you are paying less money overall. Have you ever paid an extra $50 or $100 on a credit card, only to see the balance decreased by only a few dollars? How disheartening is that? That is due to the hefty interest rate and charges applicable to that card. 4C all to lower interest rate. Yes, this is an option, not only during the pandemic, but any time. Call the creditor and ask to lower your interest rate; it can be that easy. It’s worth a try; the creditors want their money and they want to keep a customer. Andrea Ramos, MCN, founder and CEO of Healthy FRIENDZ Nutrition LLC. Through interactive programs, she helps families with health concerns improve the quality of life with fresh foods, customized to ethnicity and cultural heritage. Andrea is passionate about anything pertaining to children and gets practice with her five grandchildren, anywhere from planting an organic garden from seeds, to cooking together and competing in all sorts of playful competitions, like doing pushups, bike riding and jumping rope. She is definitely a child at heart.
Revamp Your Social Media Presence with Reels K E L LY WE T M O R E BS, PT MEMBER RESOURCE MANAGER
If you have not used Instagram Reels just yet, it’s time to start. Reels is hot on Instagram and will help your business reach new customers. Reels is also a fun, fast, and creative way to express the personality behind your business. Customers relating to who you are is a great first step to that bigger connection. Reels is something of a copycat to TikTok, launched last August and celebrating its first birthday soon. It was designed as a way to keep users engaged, as many were flocking to TikTok, one of the hottest apps at that time. The reason TikTok does so well is because people started showing up authentically in a story-telling genre that is fun and engaging. Instagram saw less and less of the short-form story as it became tied to long-forum IG TVs, Long Captioned Posts, and fuller Stories.
It’s been shown that the top-watched videos either tell a story, have a controversial aspect, are funny or are super-short (less than seven seconds). Short videos may have a higher watch rate due to the fact that Reels will count two loops as two plays so the viewer doesn’t have enough time to swipe away! When recording your own Reel: Use the word “you” in the first three seconds to grab the viewer’s attention; have fun with it; be yourself. The Reels that I have made have gotten over 5k, 10k and even 100k views and I have had fun making them. It’s common to reach about 1% of ideal clients out of your Reel views. Of course, to make this happen don’t forget to add a valuable caption and include your hashtags in your caption for more reach. Nine out of ten viewers will be looking for more valuable information in the caption before they click on your profile. They want to know that you are someone who may help them in the future
before they check out your profile. Finally, I do recommend saving your drafts to your phone because Instagram has a tendency to glitch and delete when recording, so record on TikTok and then post to Instagram. Reels can be a great tool. Remember, the key to Reels is Keeping it Real. Kelly Wetmore, BS, PT, has a degree in health science with a nutrition concentration. She is completing her DPD requirements at University of New Haven. She aspires to be a Registered Dietitian specializing in sports dietetics. She’s a personal trainer running Kelly Fitmore LLC, an online nutrition and fitness business. Her passions include bodybuilding, lifting heavy, and sports nutrition research - basically living, eating and breathing nutrition 24/7.
If you want to quickly grab attention: be yourself, be “real” and hop on an Instagram Reel! Take a short video (less than 15 seconds) of: y a quick nutrition tip y a moment from your hectic life y a silly thought or helpful hack that popped into your head y debunking a myth you commonly hear as a dietitian It can be anything that helps your audience to get to know the real you. Then, like any good recipe, you can make it even better by adding ingredients everyone loves: music and comedy. Play a popular song in the background, add humorous audio or perhaps amusing captions on top of the video of your struggling to cut that summer squash or get your preschooler to “eat healthy.” Then sit back and watch your Reel reach tons of viewers.
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Starting a Side Hustle J E S S I CA OSWA L D MS, RDN/LD DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
Starting your own business can be very exciting, but it can also be scary and intimidating. This is probably why many businesses - and not just nutrition businesses - start as a side hustle. A recent study in the Academy of Management Journal defines a side hustle as “income-generating work performed alongside a full-time job.” For example, the founder of Khan Academy was working at a hedge fund when he started tutoring his cousins online. This tutoring gig led to a thriving nonprofit with 100+ employees and grants from Google and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
and starting my side hustle: do a time study on myself. For a week, I mapped out on a calendar everything that went on during my days. This included sleep, exercise, family/friend time, me time, and time at my full-time job. The blank space in this calendar was time that I had to devote to my side hustle. A time study helps provide insight into your capacity for a side hustle. Then, find your WHAT and find your WHY. We’re pretty lucky as nutrition professionals because there are so many different things that we can do as a side hustle: one-toone counseling, group coaching, consulting and courses are just a few of our options. So what do you want to do as your side hustle? Also, why do you want to do this? Do you want to earn some extra income or be your own boss in the future? These questions will help you understand what you truly want to do. Next, who’s your customer? Create a profile for who you think your target customer is. Think about age, income, where the person is located, what the person’s pain points are, and how your product or service will solve a problem for a customer. For example, your ideal client’s pain point might be struggling with knowing what to eat or planning out meals. To solve this problem, you could offer meal planning support and guidance. Once you’ve figured out whom you think your customer is, find some real humans who fit your target market and talk to them.
My small business, Friendly Nutrition, started as and currently is a side hustle. It gives me the opportunity to do one thing that I am passionate about while I maintain a full-time job with an organization that I truly believe in. Here are a few things to consider if you are thinking about pursuing a side hustle: First, think about your time. A mentor of mine gave me some fantastic time advice when I was struggling through some burnout between my full-time job
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Think about your systems. Do you need an electronic medical record? Are you going to have a website, Facebook page and/or Instagram account? What system are you going to use to collect and send emails? Think about how you are going to keep files organized, how you’ll keep yourself organized to keep current with any tasks, and what you need for a calendar system. Pick a name. No pressure but the name for your side hustle is a big deal. The business’s name is often the first impression that people have of your business so pick a name that reflects
what your business is about and that will resonate with your target audience. Remember to make sure that the business name is available (check online) and that any other aspects that your business name will be part of are available as well - website domain, social media handles. Also, the “boring stuff.” y Decide if your side hustle is going to be a PLLC, LLC, sole proprietorship or something else. y Get your NPI number. y Sign up for an EIN. y Get liability insurance. y Investigate licensure laws in your state (or the state where your clients reside). y See www.nedpg.org/webinarcourses/ for more resources on starting a business. Take care of yourself. Keeping up with a side hustle and other aspects of your life can be a lot. So schedule some selfcare time whether it is to talk to your business besties about the struggles of running a business, get a massage or go for a walk. Some self-care will help keep side-hustle burnout away.
REFERENCE
Session, H., Nahrgang, J.D., Vaulont, M.J., Williams, R., & Bartels, A.L. (2021). “Do the Hustle! Empowerment from Side-Hustles and Its Effects on FullTime Work Performance.” Academy of Management Journal, 64(1), 235-264. Jessica Oswald, MS, RDN/LD, is the owner of a private practice specializing in intuitive eating and meal planning. She’s also the clinical dietitian at a pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities. Jessica enjoys cooking, reading and training for the occasional half-marathon. She’s also a proud cat mom; ask her about that time she crawled under a car to rescue a kitten.
Why You Should Have a Newsletter and How to Start One L I SA WO O D RU F F RDN, LD
Do you really need a newsletter? The short answer is YES! Disregard the naysayers because there are so many reasons why you should still have a newsletter. Email newsletters help you: y Share your latest blog post or podcast y Boost social media followers and website traffic y Promote your brand and expertise y Provide analytics and marketing insights y Highlight upcoming events or promotions. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned entrepreneur, a newsletter can be a huge business asset. So, what are some small steps to get started? 1 Identify your purpose The purpose of your newsletter should drive both your content and audience growth. When I was in corporate wellness, our monthly newsletter needed to 1) inform our audience of any upcoming wellness opportunities and 2) promote the services and expertise of healthcare providers working for our hospitals and clinics. 2 Start building a mailing list Why focus on building a mailing list so soon? Simple – it is never too early to work on audience growth. So how do you build an email list? Start by placing a call to action on your website to encourage visitors to join your virtual community. Create a lead magnet or freebie to offer in exchange for an email address. You can also add a newsletter opt-in to your intake forms. Also, don’t forget in-person events. When I worked in corporate wellness, I brought a sign-up sheet to every health fair, wellness screening and worksite wellness event.
3 Choose a platform There are dozens of platforms to choose from: ActiveCampaign, Constant Contact, GetResponse, MailerLite, MailChimp, Sendinblue, etc. Pick one that is easy to use and provides a basic reporting feature for statistics like open and clickthrough rates. You may also want an auto response or automation feature. When I started my private practice, cost was especially important, so I chose a platform with a free version that had the potential to grow with my audience. 4 Create a catchy newsletter header A newsletter header is the image at the top of the email that includes your name, logo, picture, graphic or combination of these elements. Consider your brand standards, color scheme and style when designing a newsletter header. You can work with a freelance graphic designer, your employer’s creative services team or create your own. Canva.com is a helpful website that offers a free version to design and download your own graphics. 5 Streamline with a template Look at other newsletters for inspiration and ideas, then sketch out a draft of what you want yours to look like. Do you have access to an intern or student volunteer? Ask that person to help you build a template in your platform. Remember to incorporate your brand standards, color scheme and design style into the template. 6 Develop engaging content A newsletter allows you to share links to new and relevant content from your blog, podcast or social media. The first year I had a newsletter, I made the mistake of including full articles within the email. Now I include a catchy title and short description for each piece of content followed by a clear call to action that links back to the original blog post or recipe.
7 L earn with trial and error Regardless of which platform you choose, there will be tons of detailed how-to articles and videos. Avoid that rabbit hole of neverending tutorials by establishing a timeframe to learn the basics of your platform. After that, start building your newsletter through trial and error. Your template can always be updated, revamped or improved – just get started and send! Lisa Woodruff, RDN, LD, is the owner of Lisa Woodruff Nutrition, a private nutrition practice in the Omaha, Nebraska, area that specializes in weight-inclusive food allergy and family nutrition. In addition to her virtual practice, she spends most of her time chasing after toddlers and attempting preschool at home. Lisa is also a food allergy mom and shares her experiences and recipes on her blog.
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Craving a Change in your Practice? Give CBT Techniques a Try WENDY SHAH RD
Why does our mouth water when we envision biting into a lemon? Why do we eat the food left on our child’s plate when we can easily dispose of it in the kitchen trash? Why do we buy the footlong sandwich when we’d be satisfied with the 6-inch? The answer is simple – our mind is influencing our body and behavior, and our mind is powerful! In fact, your clients will have more success changing their eating habits if they learn to change their thinking habits.
Thankfully, the latest Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggest an 85/15 approach to food choices where 85% of calories come from nutrient-dense foods while 15% come from sugar, alcohol and saturated fat. As a dietitian, you can help clients challenge their self-imposed 100/0 mindset and embrace the Guidelines’ more flexible way of thinking about less nutrient-dense foods.
When clients are more aware of how their thoughts and feelings
The cognitive-behavioral theory (CBT) model is ideal for addressing this psychology of eating. The interplay of our thoughts, feelings and behaviors has been extensively researched for decades. The use of CBT techniques is recommended in many countries’ clinical practice guidelines for chronic medical conditions. The research demonstrates that when clients are more aware of how their thoughts and feelings influence their behavior, they often make different choices. The mother who recognizes that her mind is replaying the message that “Food shouldn’t be wasted” can challenge this learned thought with others such as “But, my body doesn’t need this extra food right now” or “I can store it for later.” Awareness of thoughts like “I’ll get more bang for my buck with the bigger sandwich” may be countered with a response like “But, I’ll actually spend more and the extra bread could increase my blood sugars.”
Lead your client through a visualization of a time when she or he felt she/he gave into a food craving. For example, when a client ate a large bowl of ice cream after getting home after work. Ask your client to imagine reaching into the freezer for the ice cream. Invite the person to tune into the thoughts that preceded this action. These might include “I’m soooo stressed! Doesn’t my manager know that I’m doing my best? We’re short-staffed, procedures keep changing, and I had to stay late, again!” Now your client can acknowledge, understand and appreciate that he/she wasn’t just thinking “I want ice cream!”
Your client’s mindset is a gold mine of valuable information. Encourage a client to listen to her or his inner food conversations with curiosity. Clients are often surprised and fascinated by what they discover. Together, you may identify cognitive distortions. For example, clients often present with the problematic “all-or-nothing” thinking pattern. They think “Darn, I slipped up with my eating. That’s it, I’ll need to start over again tomorrow.”
This provides an opportunity to explore how your client could respond to these thoughts differently. The person’s inner conversation might be, “Okay, I’m not hungry; I’m stressed. Ice cream does soothe me, but it doesn’t deal with the problem causing me this stress. And, I know that I’ll feel guilty if I eat the ice cream. Maybe I’ll go for a walk to calm down instead.” This awareness, self-talk and cognitive restructuring are empowering!
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influence their behavior, they often make different choices.
Introducing the CBT approach and strategies in a group setting is especially effective. Pivoting from individual counseling to in-person or virtual workshops enables more clients to access dietitian services while dietitians can interact with more clients. More important, clients learn that they “are not alone” in their struggles. They are intrigued to learn from their peers’ experiences, reflections and results when changing their mindsets. Helping your clients learn to tune into and adjust their thoughts is a refreshing and transformative method of promoting eating behavior change. Consider giving CBT a try in your own practice. Wendy Shah, RD is co-founder of Craving Change®, a licensed, psychoeducational training and certification program for clinicians working with clients who struggle to make and maintain positive changes to their eating. Wendy consistently inspires her colleagues with novel and creative practices and received the Dietitians of Canada Member Recognition Award for Innovation. Wendy lives in beautiful British Columbia. She loves to satisfy her family and friends’ stomach, mouth and heart hunger with her awesome baking. She is totally impressed with NE’s emphasis on support and mentoring and would love to connect with more like-minded NE colleagues.
Product Reviews: Price: $189.00 Website: nutrikitusa.com Review: Looking for fun and innovative ways to provide hands-on nutrition education? Want to keep children interested in your nutrition lesson plans or teach adults with different education levels? Nutrikit will help you vamp up your nutrition education and keep your clientele involved in learning. Nutrikit is a nutrition educational tool that provides hands-on learning and creativity. It includes life-size images of food and beverages. The food items have the nutrition information and standard portions for each item. These life-size images can provide exposure to new foods. Using the food images and a large printout of a healthy eating pattern, you will be able to play games, create scenarios and other activities as a group. I recommend this product to any nutrition educator who is tired of only using PowerPoints and worksheets during their lessons. The Nutrikit is well worth the investment to improve your way of teaching and to better involve your audience in learning. Reviewer: Lauren Castellucci, MS, RD, CLC Title: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Title: The Microbiome Diet Reset. A Practical Guide to Restore and Protect a Healthy Microbiome.
Title: The PlantBased Boost: Nutrition Solutions for Athletes and Exercise Enthusiasts
Title: NutriKit
Author: Melissa Halas, MA, RDN, CDE
Author: Mary Purdy, MS, RDN
Date: 2019
Date: June 2020
Publisher: Super Kids Nutrition Inc.
Publisher: Rockridge Press
Price: Hardcover $24.95, Paperback $13.99
Price: $11
Review: Tired of sports nutrition books that only focus on protein, carbs and hydration? Melissa Halas’s The Plant-Based Boost may be exactly what you are seeking. Besides chapters on familiar topics, Halas tackles the importance of balanced intake and how fats, micronutrients and phytochemicals can not only improve health, but can enhance athletic performance and recovery.
Review: Microbiome has become the new buzz word in the wellness field. This book is a fun and practical resource for anyone trying to make sense of how food really affects our overall health including digestion, immunity and even mood. By connecting the latest scientific research on microbiome with nutrition science and natural living, the author answers an array of concerns from digestion to environmental concerns. The book helps to translate the microbiome complexity into real-life advice, including lifestyle choices, household supply, cooking and eating. Purdy addresses all current diet concerns such as personal nutrition and foods to eat/avoid, meal planning, shopping list and recipes for microbiome support.
Plant-Based Boost is intended for athletes and exercise enthusiasts interested in a plant-focused sports diet. Halas moves beyond the simple “do this, don’t do that” instructions to evidence-based discussions, so this book may be the best fit for an athletic reader keen on the science behind the recommendations. This book can also be enjoyed by dietitians interested in well-rounded, plant-based sports nutrition. Plant-Based Boost overflows with charts and tables (44 of them!) ranging from a chart listing phytochemical details including what foods they are found in and their potential benefits, to a table listing the leucine content of foods. Packed with useful tidbits, these charts and tables are separately indexed at the beginning of the book for easy reference. Halas’s helpful hints don’t stop there: sample meal plans, athlete’s plate graphics, and sections on supplements, sports drinks and protein powders are just some of the many features that makes this book a great addition to an athlete’s library. Reviewer: Karen A. Mills, JD, RDN, LD Title: Owner, Dietitian Affiliation: The Healthy Culture, LLC
Possible improvements could include adding the scientific background to support the claims and the effectiveness of functional ingredients/ recipes. Not every reader is easily convinced and readily able to give up conventional items (like household items or snacks). The book can have a stronger punch with additional supportive material from integrative nutrition science perspective to appeal to a broader audience of readers. Overall, the book is written in a very casual style with lots of jokes sprinkled throughout. The book also includes practical resources for natural cleansers and useful herbal remedies from an integrative health specialist. Reviewer: Ella Davar, RD Title: Integrative Dietitian Nutritionist Affiliation: none
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Meet the NE Executive Committee
Nicole Rodriguez, RDN Past Chair/Nominating Committee Chair Nicole Rodriguez, RDN, and certified personal trainer, resides in the metro New York area, where she offers in-home meal prep, small group training and nutrition coaching. Additionally, Nicole serves as a communications consultant and as the in-house dietitian for NavaFit (an app that connects workout buddies across the country). A passionate Master of Beef Advocacy, she’s on an eternal quest for the best burger and sharing facts about the animal agriculture industry along the way. Eager to make a positive impact on the next generation, Nicole recently took on the role as leader of her daughter’s Daisy Girl Scout Troop.
Amanda Sauceda, MS, RDN, CLT
Allison Koch, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN
Chair
Director of Member Services:
Amanda Sauceda, MS, RDN, CLT, loves pizza. She has a running list of her favorite places and places that she wants to try. Her numberone pizza place used to be a luggage room in the golden days of Hollywood and has a fermented sourdough crust that is to die for.
Allison Koch, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, The Running Dietitian, is (unsurprisingly) passionate about running. It wasn't always that way. In elementary school, Allison came dead last in PE. Her father, a runner, encouraged her to keep trying. By her senior year of high school, she was lapping her classmates. Inspired by her father, today Allison helps coach and pace runners as well as continues to race all over the world.
Carly Siceloff, MBA, MS, RD, LDN Treasurer
Stephanie Dorfman, MS, RDN Chair-Elect Stephanie Dorfman, MS, RDN 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.
Carly Siceloff, MBA, MS, RD, LDN, is an Orlando, Florida, local - born and raised! She loves all theme parks, but mostly Disney. You can catch her with her husband and two daughters playing in the parks or splash pads nearly every weekend. When she isn't playing, she's pursuing her passion in corporate health (with her home-office buddy and fur baby, a beagle/lab named Bagel). Currently, her role is onsite clinical lead for Cigna's health coaching program at Disney. Dreams do come true.
Kate Davis, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN Secretary Kate Davis, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN, is the owner of RDKate Sports Nutrition where she helps athletes of all levels from recreational through Olympian. She lives with her husband, three children and dog on a centennial farm in Michigan, where she dabbles in vegetable gardening and canning and dreams about keeping farm animals (but doesn't really want any). She is always up for a good adventure or trying a new activity.
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Avanelle Thomas, MPH, RDN, LDN Director Elect of Membership Services Avanelle Thomas, MPH, RDN, LDN, is the owner of A.C. Thomas Nutrition Consulting Services, LLC. Avanelle enjoys being relatable to those she works with. She aims to be in an airplane at least once a year, with Guyana being her favourite destination. Caribbean cuisine is her weakness!
Debbie Memmer MS, RDN, LD
Shelley A. Rael, MS, RDN
Jessica Oswald, MS, RDN/LD
Education Coordinator
Delegate
Director of Communications
Debbie Memmer MS, RDN, LD, has enjoyed many years as a clinical dietitian, preceptor and educator, but her passion lies with counseling CKD patients. She loves how others react when they realize the impact correct food choices could make on their lives. Debbie graduated from The Ohio State University and Kent State University. Debbie lives in Ohio with her husband. They are empty nesters as their children are exploring and building their lives. She loves to travel to visit family and enjoy other climates.
Shelley A. Rael, MS, RDN, is the author of "The OnePot Weight Loss Plan,” business owner, consultant dietitian, part-time faculty, and lifelong learner who is always willing to try new things from food to adventures. She is a wife, mom, grandmother, and has three four-legged employees who sleep on the job and only bark during recorded interviews and presentations from their home base in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Jessica Oswald, MS, RDN/LD, is the owner of a private practice specializing in intuitive eating and meal planning. She’s also the clinical dietitian at a pediatric rehab hospital for children with developmental disabilities. Jessica enjoys cooking, reading and training for the occasional half-marathon. She’s also a proud cat mom; ask her about that time she crawled under a car to rescue a kitten.
Leda Medina, RDN, LDN
Jessica Beardsley, MS, RD, LDN
Jill Roberts, MCN, RDN Director of Mentor Services Jill Roberts, MCN, RDN, is the owner of Living Up Wellness and loves spending time outdoors. She has recently moved back to her small hometown where her ever-expanding animals and garden keep her entertained and busy.
Kelly Wetmore, BS, PT Member Resource Manager Kelly Wetmore, BS, PT, has a degree in health science with a nutrition concentration. She is completing her DPD requirements at University of New Haven. She aspires to be a Registered Dietitian specializing in sports dietetics. She’s a personal trainer running Kelly Fitmore LLC, an online nutrition and fitness business. Her passions include bodybuilding, lifting heavy, and sports nutrition research - basically living, eating and breathing nutrition 24/7.
Policy Advocacy Leader
Newsletter Editor
Leda Medina, RDN, LDN, is the proud owner of LatinaNutritionista.com, a site and private practice where she helps Latinas make peace with food through intuitive eating, inclusiveness and body positivity. In her spare time, you can find her in the kitchen whipping up a new recipe for her self-titled food blog or cooking a meal for her all-time best friend, Capone, her English bulldog.
Jessica Beardsley, MS, RD, LDN, owns a private practice in Chapel Hill, NC, where she specializes in intuitive eating and sports nutrition. Her idea of a perfect birthday involves running a half-marathon followed by beer and good food. When Jessica isn't running, she's probably dancing in the kitchen with her kids or jumping on the trampoline.
Nancy Farrell Allen, MS, RDN, FAND
Meagan Nielsen, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN
Reimbursement Chair
Incoming Newsletter Editor
Nancy Farrell Allen, MS, RDN, FAND, owner of Farrell Dietitian Services, eloped to the South Pacific Seas Cook Islands recently and embraced the island paradise. She loves the awakening of her senses at the beach - the blue waters, fresh air, varying breezes, salty undertones, and sound of the waves. You'll find her parasailing, snorkeling or charter boat fishing when she’s not sampling fresh coconut, mango or pineapple.
Meagan Nielsen, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN, is a sports dietitian with her own private practice and is the team dietitian for USA Weightlifting. When she’s not working or eating, she’s probably either in the gym prepping for her next powerlifting competition or throwing her nieces and nephews across a pool while soaking up some Vitamin D. She also has become slightly obsessed with plants, and has kept (most of) them alive thus far.
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...CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE
Cathy D'Orazio, MS, RDN, LDN
Beth Stark, RDN, LDN
Kelli Shallal, MPH, RD
CPE Coordinator
PR Marketing Coordinator
Director of Meetings
Cathy D'Orazio, MS, RDN, LDN, owns a private practice that specializes in sports, cardiovascular and wellness. She is dedicated to meeting her clients where they are in their health journey and provides individualized nutrition plans that help each client define and attain her/his nutrition goals. Outside the office, Cathy enjoys spending time with her husband and family at the beach and traveling to cheer on one of her favorite sports teams.
Beth Stark, RDN, LDN, PR and Marketing Coordinator, is a Pennsylvania-based nutrition and culinary communications consultant and director of channel marketing and nutrition outreach for the Pennsylvania Beef Council/Northeast Beef Promotion Initiative. Beth spends her spare time outdoors taking part in both land and water activities with her family and friends. She's currently working to perfect her stand-up paddle boarding skills.
Kelli Shallal, MPH, RD, is the owner of Hungry Hobby LLC, a nutrition counseling and communications-focused business. She is author of the blog Hungry Hobby and book Meal Prep for Weight Loss. Kelli doesn't believe that food can be "too sweet"- her favorite dessert is frosting of any flavor and type.
Kristi Coughlin, MS, RDN Incoming Director of Meetings
Hailey Crean, MS, RD, CDCES
Leslie Weidner, RDN
Website Coordinator
Social Media Coordinator
Hailey Crean, MS, RD, CDCES, is the owner of Hailey Crean Nutrition, LLC and specializes in nutrition education and support using telehealth interventions for individuals with diabetes and conditions of metabolic syndrome. In addition to her nutrition practice, Hailey runs The Virtual Diabetes Education Program at Hailey Crean Nutrition, LLC, an ADCES-accredited program for diabetes self-management education and support.
Leslie Weidner, RDN is registered dietitian nutritionist with a virtual telehealth practice, providing 1:1 nutrition coaching for women in perimenopause. She enjoys teaching women over 40 how to eat in a balanced way that supports their hormonal health without dieting or restrictions. She currently lives outside of Seattle, WA with her husband and two boys. Leslie loves having the flexibility of being home with her boys while still working in a career that she is passionate about.
Kristi Coughlin, MS, RDN, loves spreading happiness with her business Bring About Happy by creating uplifting products inspired by former private-practice clients. In her spare time, she can be found with her family by the lake, traveling, or enjoying her favorite food - pizza!
Rahaf Al Bochi, RDN, LD Member Awards
Keirnin Harris, RD, CLE Hub Manager Keirnin Harris, RD, CLE, owns Ayvell, LLC where she works with women to overcome dieting mindset, reduce inflammation and stress, and increase joyful movement. She is dedicated to helping women feel their best, be their best and learn to love food again. Keirnin enjoys spending time with her two daughters, husband and cats. When not working she can be found going on walks, bike rides or reading.
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Megan McFadden, RDN, CD Community Outreach Coordinator Megan McFadden, RDN, CD. When she's not talking nutrition you can find her giggling with her two little ones, or planning her next trip. With her passport at the ready, Megan is always up for a new adventure.
Rahaf Al Bochi, RDN, LD, is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Olive Tree Nutrition LLC. Her main specialties are in prenatal nutrition, diabetes and Mediterranean eating. She's a new mom and loves to spend time in nature with her husband and girl.
Janine Faber, MEd, RDN, LD
Caree Cotwright, PhD, RDN
Andrea Ramos, MCN
Director of Sponsorships
Diversity Liaison
Nominating Committee
Janine Faber, MEd, RDN, LD, is a nutrition communications consultant focusing on media communications, health professional outreach and community education. She is often out with her two young kids exploring during the day and enjoying meals with her whole family at night.
Caree Cotwright, PhD, RDN, is a wife and mom of three precious girls, a food lover and cook, and a childhood obesity prevention advocate. She is passionate about using creativity to promote good nutrition and health. In addition to being a nutrition theater playwright and poet, she practices doing African dance and yoga to be her best self.
Andrea Ramos, MCN, founder and CEO of Healthy FRIENDZ Nutrition LLC. Through interactive programs, she helps families with health concerns improve the quality of life with fresh foods, customized for ethnicity and cultural heritage. Andrea is passionate about anything pertaining to children and gets practice with her five grandchildren. She may be planting an organic garden from seeds, cooking together or competing in all sorts of playful competitions. With activities like pushups, bike riding and jumping rope, she is definitely a child at heart.
Leah Tsui, MS, RDN Incoming Director of Sponsorship Leah Tsui, MS, RDN, owner of Leah Tsui Nutrition LLC. Leah has become quite the plant mom during quarantine. She bakes sourdough bread weekly and loves exploring Los Angeles. In her time off from being an RDN, you can find her coaching functional fitness at her favorite gym, reading a book (or two!) for the several book clubs she's in, or running along the beach.
Yvette Quantz, RDN, LDN Nominating Committee Yvette Quantz, RDN, LDN, will never turn down an invitation to connect over coffee. Serving as NE's Nominating Committee Chair, she's driven to do work that matters. She enjoys the diversity of her career and currently serves as the marketing dietitian for Ochsner's Eat Fit Acadiana, as well as the founder of Customized Nutrition Newsletters, Foodspirations, and a part time-private practice, Food Therapy. When not supporting her clients, colleagues, or community to nourish an elevated life with words, food, and service, she's watching Netflix dramas. After 16 years of marriage, her husband is still perplexed at this irony. As a dietitian, she reminds him it's called balance.
Lauri Egan, RDN, CPT Executive Director Lauri Egan, RDN, CPT. Lauri considers herself lucky to be constantly involved with today’s nutrition giants pushing the boundaries. She dubs herself a connoisseur of great sunrises, dark chocolate and sidewalk chalk art. When not on the computer, she can be found strumming a guitar, creating impromptu workouts with her kids and, of course, cooking in the kitchen.
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