In this Season 5 kickoff of Feed Me the Facts, we sit down with Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, author of Eating from Our Roots, and frequent national media contributor. Maya shares her unique journey from avant-garde theater to nutrition science, her passion for culturally humble care, and her mission to make nutrition education accessible and approachable.
We dive deep into what it means to stay credible and authentic in the media space, how dietitians can leverage social platforms without burning out, and why continuous learning and evolving are critical for the future of dietetics.
Whether you’re a current or future dietitian, or someone passionate about inclusive health messaging, this episode is packed with insights on growth, media presence, and making a lasting impact.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Maya’s Unconventional Path to Dietetics (00:00) From avant-garde theater to NYU nutrition — and why she initially wanted to work for UNICEF.
Early Career Lessons & Community Work (06:00) How working with marginalized communities shaped her approach to care.
Building a Private Practice & Breaking into Media (08:00) The pivot from consulting to running her own practice and landing TV opportunities.
The Power of Social Media & Storytelling (11:00) Why Maya launched her YouTube series and how she balances evidence-based messaging with relatability.
Being a Forever Learner (20:00) How reading research, attending conferences, and collaborating across disciplines keep her credible and fresh.
What Influencers Are Doing Well — and What RDs Can Learn (22:00) The importance of storytelling, empathy, and connecting with your audience.
Evolving as a Profession (42:00) Why dietitians need to unpack bias, take stronger stances, and meet the needs of today’s diverse populations.
Measuring Success in Media & Business (32:00) Redefining success beyond followers — doing the work you love, being compensated fairly, and serving your community.
Turning Expertise into Income (35:00) Practical advice on writing, content creation, brand partnerships, and staying authentic.
What’s Next for Maya (52:00) Her passion for food science, biodiversity, and connecting with real people through street interviews.
Resources & Links:
Connect with Maya:
Maya Feller Nutrition – Learn more about Maya and her team’s work: www.mayaellernutrition.com
Follow Maya on Instagram & YouTube: @mayafellerrd
Maya’s Books:
Eating from Our Roots
Southern Comfort Diabetes Cookbook
Watch Maya’s “Ask a Dietitian” YouTube Series: Maya Feller Nutrition on YouTube
️ Stay connected with Feed Me The Facts:
Website: www.diversifydietetics.org
Instagram & Facebook: @DiversifyDietetics
Send in your thoughts/questions: fmtf@diversifydietetics.org
Don’t forget to subscribe to The Squeeze, Diversify Dietetics’ monthly newsletter for the latest updates in nutrition and dietetics.
Listen now on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
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In this Season 5 kickoff of Feed Me the Facts, we sit down with Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, author of Eating from Our Roots, and frequent national media contributor. Maya shares her unique journey from avant-garde theater to nutrition science, her passion for culturally humble care, and her mission to make nutrition education accessible and approachable.
We dive deep into what it means to stay credible and authentic in the media space, how dietitians can leverage social platforms without burning out, and why continuous learning and evolving are critical for the future of dietetics.
Whether you’re a current or future dietitian, or someone passionate about inclusive health messaging, this episode is packed with insights on growth, media presence, and making a lasting impact.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Maya’s Unconventional Path to Dietetics (00:00) From avant-garde theater to NYU nutrition — and why she initially wanted to work for UNICEF.
Early Career Lessons & Community Work (06:00) How working with marginalized communities shaped her approach to care.
Building a Private Practice & Breaking into Media (08:00) The pivot from consulting to running her own practice and landing TV opportunities.
The Power of Social Media & Storytelling (11:00) Why Maya launched her YouTube series and how she balances evidence-based messaging with relatability.
Being a Forever Learner (20:00) How reading research, attending conferences, and collaborating across disciplines keep her credible and fresh.
What Influencers Are Doing Well — and What RDs Can Learn (22:00) The importance of storytelling, empathy, and connecting with your audience.
Evolving as a Profession (42:00) Why dietitians need to unpack bias, take stronger stances, and meet the needs of today’s diverse populations.
Measuring Success in Media & Business (32:00) Redefining success beyond followers — doing the work you love, being compensated fairly, and serving your community.
Turning Expertise into Income (35:00) Practical advice on writing, content creation, brand partnerships, and staying authentic.
What’s Next for Maya (52:00) Her passion for food science, biodiversity, and connecting with real people through street interviews.
Resources & Links:
Connect with Maya:
Maya Feller Nutrition – Learn more about Maya and her team’s work: www.mayaellernutrition.com
Follow Maya on Instagram & YouTube: @mayafellerrd
Maya’s Books:
Eating from Our Roots
Southern Comfort Diabetes Cookbook
Watch Maya’s “Ask a Dietitian” YouTube Series: Maya Feller Nutrition on YouTube
️ Stay connected with Feed Me The Facts:
Website: www.diversifydietetics.org
Instagram & Facebook: @DiversifyDietetics
Send in your thoughts/questions: fmtf@diversifydietetics.org
Don’t forget to subscribe to The Squeeze, Diversify Dietetics’ monthly newsletter for the latest updates in nutrition and dietetics.
Listen now on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
Season 2 Episode 8: Curious About Becoming a Sports RD?
Feed Me the Facts
58 minutes 49 seconds
6 years ago
Season 2 Episode 8: Curious About Becoming a Sports RD?
Did you first fall in love with nutrition because you were an athlete in high school or college? Or maybe while you were training for a marathon? Lots of folks make their way to dietetics because of their own experience with learning more about nutrition to support their fitness goals. Some RDstoBE and even RDs in other areas of practice are curious about specializing in this area of practice.
At the same time, many college and professional sports teams now have an RDN on staff to provide sports nutrition counseling to help their athletes perform their best. But the skill set and demands on sports nutritionists have evolved greatly over the past decade or so. In this episode, Pratik Patel shares how he made his way to his current role as a professional sports team’s Director of Performance Nutrition. Pratik
Pratik’s journey to becoming a Sports RD was not without its obstacles. He’s a first-generation American, he hadn’t even heard of the nutrition major when he started college, and he didn’t match to a dietetic internship on his first try. But he overcame these challenges (and SO MANY MORE!) to get to where he is today.
During this episode Pratik talks about:
How he handled all the aforementioned challenges to achieve his RD
The schedule of an RD who works with a professional sports team
The resilience needed to manage the uncertainties of working for college and professional sports teams
Why he still uses MNT and Food Service skills in his current role
What are the critical qualities needed to work with pro athletes
If you’re considering working in Sports Nutrition, have your notebook ready for this episode!
Feed Me the Facts
In this Season 5 kickoff of Feed Me the Facts, we sit down with Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN, founder of Maya Feller Nutrition, author of Eating from Our Roots, and frequent national media contributor. Maya shares her unique journey from avant-garde theater to nutrition science, her passion for culturally humble care, and her mission to make nutrition education accessible and approachable.
We dive deep into what it means to stay credible and authentic in the media space, how dietitians can leverage social platforms without burning out, and why continuous learning and evolving are critical for the future of dietetics.
Whether you’re a current or future dietitian, or someone passionate about inclusive health messaging, this episode is packed with insights on growth, media presence, and making a lasting impact.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Maya’s Unconventional Path to Dietetics (00:00) From avant-garde theater to NYU nutrition — and why she initially wanted to work for UNICEF.
Early Career Lessons & Community Work (06:00) How working with marginalized communities shaped her approach to care.
Building a Private Practice & Breaking into Media (08:00) The pivot from consulting to running her own practice and landing TV opportunities.
The Power of Social Media & Storytelling (11:00) Why Maya launched her YouTube series and how she balances evidence-based messaging with relatability.
Being a Forever Learner (20:00) How reading research, attending conferences, and collaborating across disciplines keep her credible and fresh.
What Influencers Are Doing Well — and What RDs Can Learn (22:00) The importance of storytelling, empathy, and connecting with your audience.
Evolving as a Profession (42:00) Why dietitians need to unpack bias, take stronger stances, and meet the needs of today’s diverse populations.
Measuring Success in Media & Business (32:00) Redefining success beyond followers — doing the work you love, being compensated fairly, and serving your community.
Turning Expertise into Income (35:00) Practical advice on writing, content creation, brand partnerships, and staying authentic.
What’s Next for Maya (52:00) Her passion for food science, biodiversity, and connecting with real people through street interviews.
Resources & Links:
Connect with Maya:
Maya Feller Nutrition – Learn more about Maya and her team’s work: www.mayaellernutrition.com
Follow Maya on Instagram & YouTube: @mayafellerrd
Maya’s Books:
Eating from Our Roots
Southern Comfort Diabetes Cookbook
Watch Maya’s “Ask a Dietitian” YouTube Series: Maya Feller Nutrition on YouTube
️ Stay connected with Feed Me The Facts:
Website: www.diversifydietetics.org
Instagram & Facebook: @DiversifyDietetics
Send in your thoughts/questions: fmtf@diversifydietetics.org
Don’t forget to subscribe to The Squeeze, Diversify Dietetics’ monthly newsletter for the latest updates in nutrition and dietetics.
Listen now on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube
