The Beginning of Smiley Stomach

My love for food began when I was young, but I became interested in nutrition as a competitive swimmer for over ten years. My parents instilled the importance of eating well-balanced, nutritious meals to help fuel me for training and meets. When I was in high school, I shadowed Registered Dietitians (RDs) in nearby hospitals who provided nutrition education and counseling to bariatric patients post-operation. I was fascinated by what I was learning and inspired by the RDs I met. This solidified my choice to go to Purdue University to study Nutrition & Dietetics. I started Smiley Stomach as an Instagram page the summer of 2016 to share food and nutrition information with close family and friends.

My Nutrition Education & Experiences

The Coordinated Dietetics program at Purdue includes classes, like anatomy & physiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry and microbiology to food chemistry, micro/macronutrient metabolism, medical nutrition therapy, and nutrition counseling. Dietetic coursework is rigorous, proving to be much more than healthy food and weight management, and definitely more than aesthetically-pleasing food pictures. Over the past few years, I have had various positions in food service and community settings. As the last leg of preparing to become a dietitian, I completed the required minimum of 1200 hours of supervised practice in community/public health, food service systems management, and clinical settings. After all of this, I was eligible to sit for the registration exam for dietitians to officially become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist!

Fuel for the Future

As an RDN, my hope is to educate about good nutrition and provide practical tips to help people fuel themselves and their families. I am a “non-diet dietitian”, meaning I’ll provide you with the nutrition knowledge and tools that you will need to make sustainable, healthful changes. Overall, as the foodie that I am, I hope to get people to fall in love with food, not only for the nutrition side, but also for enjoyment. Food is connection, food is a love language, food is a creative outlet, and it is self-care.  Guilt is NOT an ingredient in any food! I offer one-on-one nutrition counseling to help people understand their unique needs and to provide evidence-based guidance toward their goals. I hope to help you find what makes your stomach smile!