Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ashley Kitchens. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Ashley, thanks for joining us today. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

I grew up on an Angus cattle farm in small-town Indiana. As you might guess, meat and dairy were a big part of daily life. Unfortunately, so were a host of GI issues. For years, I was told to manage my issues with medication instead of considering the food I was putting into my body.

I earned my Masters of Public Health and Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and became a registered dietitian in 2012. But, even after all that, my issues didn’t completely go away. It wasn’t until I did personalized research to dive deep into my own life and my own eating habits that I noticed a significant change. For me, this meant transitioning to a plant-based lifestyle.

After that transition, I knew there were others who could benefit from a diet filled with more plants. I also knew it was critical for the coaching they received to be based on a deep understanding of their unique situation. That’s when I realized why I became a dietitian. I made it my mission to help others transition to a plant-centered way of eating through a holistic approach and intuitive eating practices.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

How did you get into this industry? I became a dietitian by default. I remember people asking me as a young professional, “What made you become a dietitian?” and I never had a great answer. It wasn’t until I came to a crossroads with my health did I finally figure it out. I was struggling with my own health issues at the time and I was doing everything I was taught in nutrition school to try to manage these issues. Unfortunately, nothing was working and my reliance on medication was getting worse. I could see it perfectly, continue down the path of relying on medication or try and find another alternative. I chose to find another alternative. This is when I started doing more research about what I was eating. I gradually started changing the way I ate. From having meat and dairy at almost every meal to eating a lot more plants, I started noticing a significant difference in how I was feeling. This was a turning point in my career and I never looked back.

What type of services do you provide?
At Plant Centered Nutrition, we provide a variety of services. We offer one on one nutrition counseling centered around plant-based eating and intuitive eating. We have a plant-based course that helps people transition to plant-based on their own time and at their own pace. We host a podcast called Plant Centered and Thriving, which is another way for people to engage with us and learn about the power of plants. We also provide media related services. We partner with brands to create awareness about plant-based-friendly products. I (Ashley) is a plant-based spokesperson who consults with many media outlets on nutrition and plant-based eating. She also travels around the country to speak at conferences and vegfests and gives talks at local events about plant-based nutrition.

What problems do you solve for your clients?
We help our clients incorporate more plants-based ingredients into their diet or fine tune their current plant-based diet. We continue to help our clients improve various health concerns like reversing type 2 diabetes, naturally lowering high cholesterol, coming off blood pressure medication, and so much more all while using a plant forward approach. We also help our clients break free from the cycle of dieting, embrace a more intuitive approach to eating and create a healthy relationship with food and themselves. On our podcast, we shares stories of people who have used plant-based eating to transform their lives in hopes of empowering others to potentially do the same.

What are you most proud of?
I’m most proud of taking the leap to start a business and believing in myself that I could do it. I used to let fear cage me in and keep me from doing things outside my comfort zone. Now, I embrace fear and remind myself that it’s part of growth and change.

What are the main things you want potential clients/followers to know about you and your brand/work?
Our goal is to help you break down the walls surrounding what you eat. We’re constantly told the secret to losing weight or being healthier is a trendy diet and avoiding certain foods. But that’s simply not true. The “secret” to healthful nutrition is getting to know yourself. It’s figuring out what makes you feel great, and what doesn’t make you feel great. It’s banishing the idea of restrictions and learning to eat with mindfulness. You are worth taking care of yourself.We take a gentle approach to plant-based eating and believe that everyone can benefit from eating a few more plants.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

Listening. One thing a lot of our clients struggle with is that they do not feel heard by their health care provider. Listening to our clients and taking the time to understand their situation has helped us succeed and our clients succeed. This also applies to when we work with brands and get interviewed by the media. When we listen, we’re able to further understand what the brand is looking for or what’s going to be most beneficial for that particular media outlet.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I still remember this day like it was yesterday. I was driving to the gym for an afternoon Crossfit workout. It was a sunny, cold November day. I was sitting at a stoplight waiting for it to turn green and I remember feeling like a dark cloud was looming over me. I couldn’t hold the tears back any longer. I sat there and just started crying. My business was incredibly successful, I was going to surpass my financial goal for the year, and I was the most miserable I had ever been since starting my business. It was at that moment, I knew something had to change. I was working with an incredible group of clients but it had become too much. My life was my business, nothing else. I had no social life outside the gym, I had lost friends, I was working 7 days a week, and I was exhausted. From that moment, I started restructuring my business. I cut down my client caseload by 85%, I started saying “no” to random opportunities, I set boundaries like I had never done before, and I started charging my worth. It was a scary pivot but it’s paid off immensely.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://plantcenterednutrition.us/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/plantcenterednutrition/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashley.kitchensswanson
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashleykitchens/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/plantcenteredRD
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuSMMTW23Pacci92RHW68qA
• Other: Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/plantcenterednutrition/ Podcast: https://plantcenteredpodcast.buzzsprout.com Blog: https://plantcenterednutrition.us/blog/

Image Credits
Radian Photography