We were lucky to catch up with Kim Duffy and Rachel Miklya recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kim and Rachel, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

We took a massive leap of faith last November after leaving our full-time jobs, with benefits, to start our own business from scratch. Neither of us had much knowledge of running our own business so the last year has been an amazing, yet anxiety-provoking, learning experience. Prior to launching Strength in Nutrition, we worked together in a large, level one trauma hospital for 8 years. Rachel worked in the medical intensive care unit while Kim covered the hospital-based cancer center. During the height of Covid, we both began to dream of working with clients on the prevention of disease rather than the acute symptoms of illness. One year later, our business is growing every day as well as our confidence as business owners. We have been fortunate to have the flexibility and means to create a business based on our passions.

Kim Duffy, 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?

We (Kim and Rachel) are both registered dietitians and certified personal trainers.

At the age of 50, Kim decided to take a great leap of faith and left the clinical world of dietetics, which she had worked in all of her career. In her 40’s, she took up kickboxing and strength training and has never felt better. Kim wants to help other women realize that they too can feel the best they’ve ever felt over the age of 50. She doesn’t believe that age, size, or health should limit a person’s desire to be more, to do more and to set limitless goals.

Rachel has always had a passion for nutrition and fitness and the well-being of others. Being a competitive athlete most of her life, Rachel realized early on that adequate nutrition is vital for a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, she chose to go into the field of dietetics, however, her love for movement propelled her to become a personal trainer as well. She thrives on seeing her clients newly found joy and confidence after working together.

At Strength in Nutrition, we provide nutrition coaching, individualized meal plans, personal training (1:1 and group settings) and corporate wellness seminars. We believe in empowering individuals to make healthy lifestyle choices and love to see clients progress towards their goals.

We use a functional nutrition approach to our nutrition coaching, which involves a full assessment of the client’s lifestyle including: nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress, medical history and gut health. This comprehensive approach allows us to see the big picture to create the most individualized program.

Our meal planning program allows our clients to choose recipes with ingredients they have at home or create grocery lists and purchase online for delivery to their door. They are also able to swap out meals right from their phone or computer to whatever looks the most appealing at any time.

Our personal training services start with a full individual assessment to determine overactive and underactive muscle groups. We then develop a program to help promote muscle balance and prevention of injury. We provide 1:1, small group and larger group training sessions to fit each person’s preferences.

We provide corporate wellness seminars for businesses who want to invest in their employee’s health and wellness. Topics can range from discussions on nutrition, exercise and/or meal planning.

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

As dietitians and personal trainers, we need to be ready to meet people exactly where they are. Each person must be treated as an individual with their own history, emotions, knowledge, and strengths. Empathy and compassion towards others are very important in this field. We are very open with our imperfections and love of food and a good glass of wine. We enjoy letting our clients know that we are not perfect, and we do not expect perfection in them either.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Our resilience was tested daily while working in the hospital during the main waves of COVID. If not for resilience, we may have left the hospital sooner. The healthcare field can be exhausting, but it can also be quite rewarding

Resilience can be difficult, but we continue to work on this daily. Over the past year, we have completed tasks we never thought we would overcome. Each day, we help our clients achieve goals they never dreamed were possible. We enjoy educating and motivating our clients to reap the rewards of their hard work.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.strengthinnutrition.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/strengthinnutritionllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strengthinnutritionllc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/strength-in-nutrition/

Image Credits
Andy Larranaga (Horizon Rider Productions)