We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jonene Ford a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonene, thanks for joining us today. Can you recount a time when the advice you provided to a client was really spot on? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

The best advice I ever gave a client was this: follow the 90-10 principle. That means 90% of the foods you eat should support your health goals, and 10% should be for pure enjoyment. I remind clients that food isn’t just fuel, it’s also cultural, emotional, and social, and when we ignore that, it typically ends in disaster.

One patient in particular stands out. She came to me after years of yo-yo dieting, emotional eating, and labeling foods as either “good” or “bad.” She was mentally and physically exhausted, and constantly felt like she was either “on” or “off” the wagon. When I introduced the 90-10 principle to her, something clicked. She stopped feeling guilty for wanting a slice of cake at her son’s birthday or a Mimosa during brunch. Instead, she began planning for those moments, enjoying them fully, and then continuing her week with foods that supported her goals. Over time, she lost weight, but more importantly, she improved her relationship with food. Her mindset shifted from punishment to partnership with her body.

This approach helped her eat more mindfully, reduce bingeing episodes, and feel in control without being overly restrictive. It gave her permission to enjoy food without sabotaging progress. And for her, that was life-changing.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m Dr. Jonene Ford, a licensed clinical nutritionist, and the founder of Ford Wellness, a nutrition and integrative health clinic committed to helping individuals live healthy and balanced lives.

My path into this field was personal. I struggled with chronic health concerns that weren’t fully resolved through conventional medicine alone. That experience opened my eyes to the power of functional and integrative nutrition, and ultimately led me to pursue advanced degrees in nutrition science and specialize in holistic approaches to health. I wanted to be the kind of practitioner I needed at that time – someone who looks at the whole person, listens deeply, and provides practical, science-backed strategies for real life.

At Ford Wellness, we provide individualized nutrition counseling, medical nutrition therapy, wellness education, and personal training. We also offer support for those studying to become Certified Nutrition Specialists (CNS), through both exam prep and the 1,000-hour supervised clinical experience requirement. We work with both individuals and groups, and we accept insurance because accessibility to care is one of our core values.

We help our clients navigate issues like PCOS, obesity, metabolic syndrome, hormonal imbalances, sports nutrition needs, and disordered eating patterns. But we don’t just give you a meal plan and send you on your way. Our approach blends evidence-based nutrition science with compassion, habit change psychology, and spiritual alignment for those who desire that integration.

What sets us apart is our commitment to whole-person care, our ability to blend science with soul, and our deep respect for each client’s lived experience. We don’t believe in “one-size-fits-all” solutions. Instead, we co-create strategies with our clients that are realistic, sustainable, and empowering. And we don’t demonize food. We help people build a healthy relationship with it.

I’m most proud of the impact we’ve made in both individual lives and in underserved communities. We regularly provide free services to local schools, churches, and community events because wellness should never be a luxury based on socioeconomic status, but something achievable for everyone! At the heart of everything I do is a desire to see people live full, vibrant, healthy lives without guilt or shame.

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

Beyond just technical training and academic knowledge, empathy, adaptability, and the ability to truly listen are crucial in this field. Food is connected to culture, emotion, trauma, and identity, making discussions about food deeply personal. If you can’t hold space for someone’s full experience without judgment, you’ll find it hard to create meaningful change as a nutritionist or dietitian.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

I would choose this path again in a heartbeat! There have definitely been challenges, especially navigating healthcare systems, insurance red tape, and the emotional weight of supporting people in pain, but I truly believe I’m doing the work I was meant to do. Helping people heal, thrive, and reconnect with their bodies in a healthy way is incredibly fulfilling. If anything, I might have started sooner or trusted my instincts more in the early years. But every part of the journey has prepared me to serve my clients more deeply and authentically. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joneneford.com
• Instagram: @drjoneneford
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamjoneneford
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joneneford/
• Twitter: https://x.com/joneneford