Happy RDN Day! Learn What Dietitians LOVE About Their Jobs

Today is Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day. So, in order to celebrate all of the amazing dietitians out there and all of the work they do trying to keep you healthy, I asked some of my friends and colleagues to share what they love about being a dietitian. Read on to get to know these dietitians just a little bit better. And if you want to learn more about what we, as dietitians do, check out the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website here.

Here’s what these dietitians say about why they LOVE their jobs.

1. “My favorite thing about being an RD is getting to talk about something that we are all so connected to- food. Food is not boring, it’s constantly changing and it’s such a blessing to make a career communicating about such an important component of our daily life!” says Shannon A. Garcia, MDS, RD, LD, KISS in the Kitchen.

2. “My favorite thing about being a dietitian is helping people cut through all the information overload and get back to the basics to see how nutrition can easily fit into their lifestyle,” says Lindsey Janeiro, RDN, LDN, CLC of Nutrition to Fit.

3. “My favorite thing about being an RD is the ability to translate scientific food and nutrition terms to the general public and hopefully inspire them to make healthier food decisions. It is such a rewarding career and very proud to be an RD,” says Dixya Bhattarai, MS, RD, LD.

4. “My favorite part of being an RD is being able to connect with so many people and help them find a way of eating that makes them happy, satisfied and promotes longevity. I love being able to see a happy face every time I meet with a client,” says Gabriella Vetere, RD, MacroBalanced.

5. “I love helping folks figure out the facts about food so they can decide what’s good to eat,” says Lauren Swann, RDN.

6. “As an RD, my favorite part is helping others evolve their eating to see the bigger picture of how what they eat affects their health, happiness and longevity. I get a kick out of seeing people create lasting, healthy lifestyle changes before my eyes. It’s so uplifting,” says Vicki Shanta Retelny, RDN,   Simple Cravings Real Food.

7. “My favorite part about being an RD is that we have so many opportunities to reach and help people. We work in the food industry, hospitals, clinics, food service, research, media, and community programs. I work in private practice counselling people and love to see the sign of relief from my clients after helping them become empowered managing their health goals. It’s truly rewarding to help people through food because it’s so central to everyone’s life,” says Rahaf Al Bochi, RD, LD at Olive Tree Nutrition.

8. “Sharing the news that healthy and delicious can be on the same fork,” says Judy Barbe, MS, RDN, Live Best.

9. “Food and nutrition is such an integral part of everyone’s life. RDs are the experts in this field and when a client is so confused by all the info scattered about on the Internet and everywhere around them, we are the best resource to clear that confusion. When I see patients in my practice they come in with an overwhelmed feeling of what to do and when I break it down to something they can relate to, I love seeing that “aha” moment in their faces. That’s the most rewarding part about being an RD, empowering patients or clients with tools to take charge of their health and wellbeing,” says Pushpa Soundararajan, RDN, VPK Nutrition.

10. “I love just having fun with food all the time! Growing, shopping, cooking, photographing, talking about it (non-stop)… Being a dietitian is fun plus you get to genuinely help people live healthier lives,” says Ginger Hultin, RDN, Champagne Nutrition.

11. “Teaching and learning! I teach nutrition at a university. For the majority of my students, it is the only nutrition course they will ever have. Some even dread it before starting the semester. Yet, it melts my heart when I hear how the students implement what they learn from the course into their daily lives and then share those stories with their family and friends. I learn as much from my students as they learn from me,” says Denine Marie, MPH, RDN, Healthy Out of Habit.

12. “I absolutely love seeing the “aha moments” from patients, seeing them succeed, seeing things click, and debunking the myths that they’ve heard. We can play such an important role in their lives, and I love to be their resource and help make a difference,” says Sarah Schlichter, MPH, RDN, LDN, Bucket List Tummy.

13. “My favorite thing is when that light bulb goes off for a client (and their face lights up and a smile grows huge) as they realize that restriction is a crappy way to get healthy. When they realize that they can eat mindfully and intuitively, that is probably the best thing I experience in my work,” says Rebecca Clyde MS, RDN, CD, Nourish Nutrition Blog.

14. “The most rewarding aspect of my career is watching the years of self-doubt, guilt and shame melt away from my clients’ affects. I love watching them gain confidence in themselves as they learn to overcome challenges, but have a gentleness in their self-talk as they’ve given themselves permission to not be perfect. I have the best seat in the house to watch the journey unfold,” says Stacey Mattinson, MS, RDN, LD.

15. “I work with nutrition students. I love helping them discover their passions and niche in this field that has become broader and broader since I started 25 years ago. Often I’m learning as much from them as they do from me! In my decade-plus as a dietetics educator, my interns have turned me onto new concepts like blogging, the Blue Zones, and FODMAPS,” says Julia Robarts, RDN.

16. “I would say the best thing about being an RDN is that I get to work in a profession that makes me excited every day. Nutrition is the backbone of living your best life and I am so grateful I get to help people understand how to do just that. Plus, it’s a bonus getting to work with so many wonderful colleagues who share that same passion,” says Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CLT,   Shaw Simple Swaps.

17. “The thing I love most about being an RD is being part of a community that has an outsized impact on public health. From working with clients 1:1 to shaping public policy around food and nutrition, we’re all doing our bit to move the needle on health which is both powerful and inspiring,” says Edwina Clark, RDN.

18. “One of my favorite things about being a RD is that I can inspire others to live healthier lives through food. With my culinary background, I like to educate about nutrition through food. It’s empowering knowing I can make an impact on someone’s health by educating them on making delicious and nutritious food choices. As nutrition experts, we have all the evidence-based knowledge, but relating that to food that everyone can understand can make such an impact on long-lasting behavioral changes,” says Julie Harrington, RD Culinary Nutrition Consultant of RDelicious Kitchen.

For other resources on healthy eating, check out some of my favorites:

The Path to a Healthy Vegan Diet
How to Eat a Healthy, Plant-Based Mediterranean Diet
Insider Tips for Budget-Friendly Plant-Based Eating