August Member Spotlight: Kayla Girgen, RD, LD

Provide us with a brief description of your job: I am a newbie RD entrepreneur. I help women after weight loss surgery (specifically VSG or gastric sleeve surgery) lose weight and all the emotional baggage that clings to food. I work remotely and manage my group programs through a mobile app: LIFe – Lose It Forever. My day-to-day varies and includes activities such as client motivation, social media, marketing, operations, writing, networking, etc.

What do you love about what you do? I love connecting with my clients on a personal level and supporting them as they learn how to handle life before and after weight loss surgery. The decision to pursue bariatric surgery is deeply personal. I love building an engaging online community where women can come for reliable nutrition advice and connect with others in the same shoes. In addition, I enjoy the variety of being an entrepreneur and having the freedom to manage my day. No two days are the same!

What are the challenges? I am naturally self-motivated; however, being my own boss comes with challenges like holding myself accountable to achieve not-so-fun tasks such as taxes, bookkeeping, and website development. 🤯 At times, it’s overwhelming, and I feel like I’m on an island.

How has your MAND membership benefited you? Networking – 100%! I love meeting fellow RD/Ns and learning how they hone their specialty area and skills. I am constantly building my referral network, so if there is a problem I cannot solve for a potential customer, I know someone who can. I love how dietitians have so many career paths, and we all have something to learn from each other.

What do you think is the future of nutrition and dietetics? Consumers are savvy, and they can access information at the click of a button. I believe that transparency and personalized services such as lab and genetic testing will be trends we’ll see moving forward. This includes devices such as CGMs, microbiome testing, and food products. Connection and personalization are what consumers want.

What are your favorite activities/hobbies? Nature is my happy place. I love paddleboarding, biking, hiking, and backpacking the North Shore with my husband Jeremy. I am also an avid reader and have recently dabbled in homemade kombucha brewing. Food science is coming in handy! Fermentation, anyone?! 🤓

What is your favorite restaurant in Minnesota? OMC Smokehouse in Duluth is ahh-mazing! Great food, service, and location – Bent Paddle Brewing is a short walk away! You have to try the jalapeno brisket bombs – yum!

Please share your Instagram handle (and any other social media handles that you would like us to share): @kaylagirgenrd on Instagram