Becoming a Nutritionist

Hey there!

My name is Julia, and I'm a registered associate nutritionist and dietetic apprentice. I'm excited to share my journey of becoming a nutritionist with you. Although I am new to this profession, my path towards it has been a long one, and I’m passionate about helping people lead healthy lives through balanced nutrition.

Ever since childhood, I have been fascinated by how people perceive food. I was born in Brazil, but having lived in the United States and the UK, I have been exposed to various cultures and their unique approaches to eating. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a culturally diverse school in Oxford, where I had friends from all over the world, eager to share some of their traditional food (and I loved it!). While some view it as a basic necessity for survival, others associate it with creating community, pleasure, social status, and even viewing food as medicine.

I was born in Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, 1997.

As a teenager, I became aware of societal expectations of women to have a "thin" body to be beautiful. Over time, I was exposed to messages from movies, magazines, friends and family that promoted unhealthy eating habits to achieve this “thin” ideal. I personally struggled to cope with this distorted view of beauty and struggled with self-confidence, body image, and my relationship with food. I know that many people face similar struggles. Even today, it still affects me to some extent. However, this is one of the main reasons why I chose to become a nutritionist: I want to help myself, and others break free from societal pressures and help people learn to love their bodies and nourish their bodies with food.

YouGov online survey (2019) of adults and teenagers found that “One in five adults (20%) felt shame, just over one-third (34%) felt down or low, and 19% felt disgusted by their body image in the last year.”

Reaching my 20s, I applied to study nutrition at Oxford Brookes University, but after my first year, I realised I was not ready for that kind of commitment. So I explored a few other fields, such as biomedical sciences, nursing, retail and even ministry work, but I couldn’t find my niche. Still, my love for food and nutrition never wavered, so I decided to return to University and finish my degree in nutrition.

Re-entering the university and the field of nutrition was challenging. Balancing work, university responsibilities, family obligations, and personal matters were overwhelming, and sometimes I felt like I wouldn't be able to complete my degree. However, with the help of my loved ones, friends, and therapy, I was able to persevere and successfully graduate. After putting in much effort and staying committed, I proudly announce that I am now a certified associate nutritionist!

I completed my BSc in Nutrition at Oxford Brookes University, with an Upper Second Class, in Spring 2023.

In two weeks, I'll begin my Dietetic Apprenticeship with Oxford Health. I'm grateful for the encouragement and support from loved ones and colleagues who helped me through the interview and application process (big shoutout to Lucy Gardner!). It's rewarding to share my passion and nutrition expertise to aid people in improving their health each day.

Throughout my journey, I learned three valuable lessons: to trust my intuition and follow my heart when deciding whether something is right for me, to stay committed and finish what I started, and never to hesitate to ask for help and support from others.

And that is my journey so far!

I am only just getting started, and I still have much to learn and share, and I hope to continue doing so on this platform. I would love to hear from you and what you think of this post. If you have a passion for nutrition and want to explore your next steps, please get in touch.

Yours truly,

Julia.

p.s - If you struggle with body image or food relationship issues, know you are not alone. Seeking help from a certified nutritionist like me can make a positive difference in your life. Remember to trust your intuition, stay committed, and never hesitate to ask for help and support from others.

get in touch - juliam.nutrition | juliamnutrition@gmail.com