Ayana’s Bio:
Ayana Habtemariam MSW, RD, LDN, is a nutrition therapist, certified intuitive eating counselor, and macro social worker based in Arlington, Va. She is the owner of Truly Real Nutrition, LLC, a private nutrition practice where she empowers clients to give up dieting in exchange for trusting their bodies and breaking free from food rules that result in feelings of failure and shame. She encourages her clients to embrace the beauty, power, and connection that their food traditions, personal experiences, and values add to their lives. She provides nutrition therapy for clients with disordered eating and those who are recovering from an eating disorder.
She is committed to increasing awareness of weight inclusive philosophies in Black communities and believes that weight-centric approaches to health and wellness only serve to exacerbate body image issues, stress, and anxiety which contribute to increased rates of chronic diseases often seen in Black communities.
Prior to transitioning to private practice, Ayana owned a community-based nutrition company in Philadelphia where she worked with community leaders and local politicians as a nutrition policy advocate and community nutrition educator. In this capacity, she wrote legislation that was introduced in Philadelphia city council, testified on nutrition policy issues, and developed and implemented community nutrition programs for non-profit organizations.
Finally, she is the co-founder of Reclaiming Our Plate, a collective of Black Registered Dietitians empowering our community, centering our stories & creating a world where we are free to be, eat & live in peace.
In this episode we discuss:
how the pursuit of thinness and fitness is dangerous to our physical and mental well-being
why an anti-diet approach can fell threatening to people when their self worth is tied to the size of their bodies
Ayana’s journey of unlearning personally and professionally
why and how she has taken a more weight-inclusive approach to her work
the resistance to her approach from clients and fellow practitioners
suggestions for people who want to take an anti-diet, weight-inclusive approach to wellness
Important Resources:
Ayana’s website: https:/www.trulyrealnutrition.com/
Connect with Ayana on Instagram (thetrillRD)
Reclaiming Our Plate on Instagram
Read the transcript for this episode HERE.