​When I moved from Minnesota to Washington for my dietetic internship, my plan was to specialize in sports nutrition. This led me to a rotation in eating disorder treatment, due to the prevalence of disordered eating in athletes. As I completed this rotation and began working with athletes, I reflected on my own experience of marathon training the previous year, remembering how poorly I was fueling my body for that level of activity. My fear of weight gain being responsible for causing low energy, slow recovery, and injuries.

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This realization caused me to swing to the opposite extreme. I was so fearful of having an eating disorder, I began limiting my physical activity and making sure to include all the foods I had previously restricted. Though this did help my preoccupation with eating perfectly, I had also given up exercising and running - activities I had always loved.

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Feeling stuck between two extremes, I became determined to optimize my relationship with food and exercise.  Nutrition that was empowering, rather than fear driven. Over time, I regained control of food, using it as a tool to reach my goals and fuel my body, while also enjoying it with friends and exploring recipes and restaurants. Finding this balance for myself eventually led me to starting Beyond. I have found so much joy in this process, and I'm passionate about helping others find the same - whether their goal is normative eating, or athletic performance.