Most of my days start the same way lately. I wake up, head to the kitchen, and make myself a morning nutrition drink — Carnation Breakfast Essentials. It’s a small habit I started recently after realizing that waiting to eat until I got to work did not vibe with my ADHD medication or my brain. Instead of wondering why I feel so drained at 10 a.m. and realizing I forgot to eat breakfast, I’m starting my day off strong.
March is National Nutrition Month®, an annual campaign from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics that highlights the role nutrition plays in our health and daily lives. This year’s theme is “Discover the Power of Nutrition”.
As a dietitian, I help my patients harness the power of nutrition in their own lives. But sometimes I forget just how much power it has in my own. Nutrition powers everything I do in my everyday life — from getting through my workday, to going for a run, and even managing my mental health.
How Nutrition Powers My Workday
Like I mentioned earlier, I recently made a change to start having breakfast right when I wake up instead of after I got to work. I underestimated how much of a difference it would make. Starting my day with some nutrition has helped create a steadier foundation for everything that follows. My brain has the energy it needs to focus, my body feels more prepared to take on the day, and I’m not trying to play catch-up with my hunger later in the morning.
As a dietitian, most of my work requires mental energy rather than physical energy. I spend a lot of time listening carefully to my patients, thinking through their questions, and helping them apply nutrition science to their own lives. My brain is constantly processing information, problem-solving, and communicating.
Just writing that has me feeling tired – it really requires a lot of brain power.
Having ADHD on top of it means I also have to be intentional about eating throughout the day. It’s very easy for me to get hyperfocused on work and suddenly realize hours have passed without eating anything. To avoid that, I try to check in with myself regularly and stay nourished — sometimes with small snacks during the day, other times with a solid breakfast and lunch.
When I don’t eat enough, I notice it pretty quickly. Brain fog creeps in, my working memory struggles more, and focusing becomes harder. My executive function is running on empty. Nutrition may not always feel dramatic in the moment, but it quietly powers my ability to do the work I care about.
The Power to be an RD on the Run… Literally
Nutrition not only powers my workdays, it also powers my runs. I’m fortunate that most foods don’t bother my stomach when it comes to exercise. Timing does, though, and that can get tricky at times with my ADHD brain and tendency to forget to eat.
I don’t like to eat too close to a workout, so if I have forgotten to eat during the day, I sometimes have to decide between doing a workout before dinner or skipping the workout and eating dinner right away. Sometimes I can get away with working out after not eating much, but I’ve definitely had runs that felt much harder than they should have because I didn’t eat enough earlier in the day.
When I’m under-fueled, I notice it pretty quickly. My legs feel heavier, my energy fades faster, and the run just feels harder than it should. On the other hand, when I’ve fueled well throughout the day, running feels smoother and more enjoyable. My body has the energy it needs to keep moving, and I’m not fighting fatigue the entire time.
And then there’s the post-run meal. Not only does food taste extra good after a run, but it also plays an important role in recovery. Refueling helps repair muscles, replenish energy stores, and get me ready for the next run.
Nourishing Mind, Body and Soul
Running is a powerful tool in my mental health toolbox, and so is food. My mom used to say to me when I was upset or stressed, “When is the last time you ate?” I realized at a young age how much eating regularly could impact my emotions.
This continued to resonate with me as I got older, and especially when I became a dietitian. I began to understand that food isn’t just fuel. Yes, it provides the energy and nutrients our bodies and brains need to function, but it also plays a role in connection, comfort, and healing.
Some of our most meaningful moments in life happen around food: sharing meals with family, celebrating milestones, gathering with friends, or simply sitting down to eat and connect with your significant other after a long day. Food can bring people together in ways that go far beyond nutrition science. At the same time, our relationship with food can sometimes become complicated.
In my work as a dietitian, I’ve spent time supporting patients recovering from eating disorders, helping them rebuild trust with food and their bodies. Now, working with bariatric surgery patients, I continue to see how emotional, complex, and deeply personal our relationships with food can be. Nutrition has the power to support both our physical and mental health — but part of that power comes from learning how to approach food with balance, compassion, and flexibility.
For me, fueling my body consistently helps stabilize my energy, support my mental health, and give me the capacity to do the things that matter to me — like showing up for my patients, going for a run, and navigating the everyday stresses of life.
Nutrition: Our Everyday Superpower
When I think about the theme of this year’s National Nutrition Month®, “Discover the Power of Nutrition”, I envision nutrition as an everyday superpower to help us live our best lives. Writing this makes me realize that power shows up in my life in ways both big and small.
It’s there first thing in the morning when I start my day with breakfast instead of waiting until I get to work. It’s there during my workday when my brain needs fuel to focus, listen, and support my patients. It’s there when I lace up my running shoes and head out the door for a run. And it’s there in the quieter moments too — helping stabilize my mood, manage stress, and support my mental health.
Nutrition might not be obvious in the moment, but it’s constantly working behind the scenes.
As dietitians, we often talk about nutrients, metabolism, and evidence-based recommendations. Those things matter. But sometimes the real power of nutrition is much simpler than that. It’s the daily act of nourishing ourselves so our bodies and minds have the energy they need to live our lives.
For me, that power starts with something as simple as a morning nutrition drink — a small habit that reminds me that fueling my body isn’t just part of my job as a dietitian. It’s part of taking care of myself, too. And that might just be the most powerful thing nutrition can do.
RD on the Run 