Background
I earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from UNC-Charlotte and my Masters in Human Nutrition from Winthrop University. I have worked in the clinical setting but mostly in the wellness and sports world since my undergraduate days. I am an ED survivor, athlete, a mother, cancer survivor and an RD who proudly lives in a plus size body. As a Board-Certified Sports Dietitian, I pride myself on using evidence-based research with the gentle nutrition model of Intuitive Eating to guide athletes and non-athletes to trust their hunger cues and choices to fuel their success.
Experience
I have spent the last nine years teaching nutrition at UNC-Charlotte and the past five years at Queens University of Charlotte. At Queens University I have also had the pleasure of working with athletics as their sports dietitian and this is where my experience as an athlete, ED survivor and body acceptance ambassador really came together and allowed me to teach courses like “Diet Culture You Suck.” I have interests in sports nutrition, Relative Energy Deficient in Sport (RED-S) and building positive body images in our youth through parental body image and acceptance work. I also have a personal interest in celiac disease as I was diagnosed in May of 2018.
I have worked with athletes from NASCAR to high school wrestling since becoming an RD in 2008. As I settled into higher education, I found I was not looking at nutrition through all lenses. I then discovered HAES, mindful eating and intuitive eating. It changed my practice as a sports RD, mother and educator.
Practice Philosophy
I truly believe that trusting your body will be the hardest thing we can ever learn to do in our lifetime on earth. I practice by questions and explorations that are client centered and non-judgmental. I also practice metacognition, thinking about your thinking. Our thoughts can be traps to our success with choosing foods that bring us nourishment and joy.
Email: christindowrd@gmail.com