We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jess Cording. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jess below.

Jess, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the story behind how you got your first job in field that you currently practice in.

Writing has been a part of my work from very early on. I actually started writing professionally about nutrition when I was still in grad school. I had been in a long-term relationship with a partner I lived with, but then we broke up right before I started my dietetic internship, which is the clinical residency-type training required to be eligible to sit for your licensing exam to become a registered dietitian.

He moved out, and I suddenly had to figure out how to cover his half of the rent of the one-bedroom NYC apartment.
I wouldn’t have enough hours in the day to take a more traditional job, but I could write on the side, so I started reaching out to editors at various health publications, asking if they ever published student work.

Most said no, but a few said “No, but send us your portfolio anyway.” That was where my first paid writing jobs came from. It was a major moment for me. Not only did it allow me to pay the rent for those months until I was able to change my living situation, but it helped me establish myself as a wellness writer.

Jess, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a registered dietitian, health coach, and author who focuses on the intersections between nutrition, lifestyle, and mental health. I have a passion for helping people build sustainable healthy habits that support their goals. Through my writing, consulting, public speaking, and counseling, I work with individuals, corporations, food and lifestyle brands, and the media.

I’m the author of The Little Book of Game-Changers: 50 Healthy Habits For Managing Stress & Anxiety and The Farewell Tour: A Caregiver’s Guide To Stress Management, Sane Nutrition, and Better Sleep (Viva Editions). I also run the Drama-Free Healthy Living podcast and have recorded guided meditations for Simple Habit. I’ve also created educational content for CARAVAN Wellness and mindbodygreen and am a frequent contributor to various media outlets such as Forbes, SHAPE, and more. Additionally, a big believer in the mental and physical benefits of exercise, I’m a certified Pilates mat instructor and am also a certified reiki practitioner.

I bring a little of everything I do to my work. I’m known for my mind-body-spirit approach to health and wellness.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When I was 31, my dad was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer. Because we didn’t know how much time he had left to live, I made the decision to quit my clinical job and run my own business doing private consulting, public speaking, brand partnerships, and media work. It was scary, but it gave me the flexibility to be there for him during the last months of his life and to be fully present with my family, something I’d struggled a lot with prior to that.

While I can never get the time back that I sometimes feel I wasted working myself into the ground in my twenties, I can look back at those 15 months of my dad’s cancer journey and know that I was there and that we really made the best of that time, creating some beautiful memories I’ll always have. It was a valuable lesson and also showed me how much I value freedom when it comes to my time.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I prioritize kindness, clear communication, reliability, and integrity in everything I do. I make an effort to meet people where they are and to offer actionable advice. I use science and storytelling and am not afraid to show up as a human. Clients and readers often tell me they find my work very relatable, which means a lot to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jessicacordingnutrition.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesscording/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaCordingNutrition/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicacording/
• Twitter: ttps://twitter.com/JessCording
• Youtube: https://Youtube.com/@JessicaCordingNutrition
• Other: Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/drama-free-healthy-living-with-jess-cording/id1460384072

  WTF To Eat Substack: https://jessicacording.substack.com/

Image Credits

First 2 photos, credit to Alyssa Peek ; book and lake photos are by Jacob Tschetter ; Pilates / yoga photos are by Karen Obrist