What attracted you to the field of nutrition and dietetics? When I was an undergraduate student, I originally was on a pre-med track; however, after interning at an eating disorder clinic and taking a general nutrition course, I fell in love with nutrition and decided to pursue a career as a registered dietitian instead. I wanted to help prevent disease instead of treat it.

Your Job Title?

• Owner of Lauren Manganiello Nutrition & Fitness in NYC (in-person & virtual consulting)
• Adjunct Professor in the Department of Family, Nutrition & Exercise Science at Queens College, CUNY 

Company you are with now? Lauren Manganiello Nutrition & Fitness in NYC

Website: Laurenmanganiello.com

Social Media:
– Twitter: @manganiello_rd
– Instagram: @manganiello_rd
– Facebook: @manganiello.rd
– LinkedIn: Lauren Manganiello 

Describe a typical (or not so typical) day-in-the-work-life for you? Every day is different which is what I love about what I do. I thrive off of variety! I typically wake up around 5am since my first client might be as early as 6am. I will usually see a few clients in the morning and then head to the gym for my own workout around mid-morning. Depending on the day, I’ll either teach in the afternoon (our lecture classes are 3 hours) or catch-up on work at the office. My evenings will usually consist of more 1:1 client sessions or networking events.

How did you get your current job in dietetics? After finishing my MS in Nutrition at The Ohio State University and my dietetic internship at New York Presbyterian Hospital in NYC, I joined the clinical nutrition staff at Weill Cornell Medical Center in NYC. After working for several years as an in-patient clinical nutritionist, I then moved into the wellness area working for a large corporate company for some time. I’m also a personal trainer so I was able to combine my love for nutrition and fitness while in that position. I really enjoyed working one-on-one with clients and helping them to achieve their goals but I wanted to branch out more and get more variety into my day. After several years, I decided to start my own nutrition private practice and consulting business in NYC. My business is part private practice working with one-on-one clients (both in person & virtually) & part consulting with other companies/brands/media/etc. My other passion is teaching so I also began teaching several nutrition courses every semester at CUNY Queens College. My ultimate goal has always been to teach and have my own business so I’m grateful to be living my dream!

What skills were you born with and what skills have you learned along the way? I’ve always had a lot of passion and I love to learn and try new things. I was always a curious kid! Skills that I’ve learned along the way are to listen more than you talk (I love to talk so this was a hard one for me!). In the field of nutrition and dietetics, listening to our client’s needs is incredibly important. Each of my client’s programs is very individualized because they all have different wants/needs/goals/etc. By listening more, I’m able to help guide them in the right direction to achieve their goals.

What advice do you have for others wanting to be just as successful and fulfilled as you? Never stop learning and growing. It’s important to reflect back and be grateful for all that you’ve accomplished but always stay hungry for more.

If you could be paid for your job with something other than a paycheck, what would it be? Plane tickets. I love travelling and exploring new countries and places. The people, the culture, the food – I love it all. Any opportunity I get to travel, I take it!

Sarah Koszyk is founder of Family. Food. Fiesta. A family-based wellness program and blog focusing on recipes, family health tips, and videos with kids cooking in the kitchen. She is a Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach specializing in sports nutrition and adult and pediatric weight management. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn.