In The Gym with Kareen Turner

I am very happy to present to you Kareen Turner. I put a call out for professionals in health and wellness to share their stories and she stepped right up and delivered. I am sure you all will get a lot from this interview. Be sure to visit and follow her blog and Facebook Public Page as she is offering up some interesting stuff.

Enjoy!

After losing 32 lbs and counting.

FFF: Please introduce yourself to our readers.

Kareen: My name is Kareen Turner. I’m a Registered Dietitian with a Master’s degree in Public Health with a nutrition focus. I live in Southern California with my husband. We don’t have kids yet but who knows what the future holds. Currently I work as the Director of Nutrition Services at a hospital but I also consult clients privately.

FFF: How did you get interested in health and wellness?

Kareen: I became interested in health and wellness while I was trying to lose weight. What was the “right” way to eat to gain muscle , support cardiovascular activities and general health? There were so many competing opinions that I decided to start my own research.

FFF: What prompted you to make this your career?

Kareen: I realized that I was not the only person with questions about nutrition and I wanted to get the education so I could have the credentials to help others.

FFF: What do you like most about what you do?

Kareen: Helping others find the best nutritional path for them!

FFF: What is your most favorite aspect of your job?

Kareen: I enjoy answering nutrition questions. Everyone is truly nutritionally unique and the questions I receive reflect that fact; I rarely get asked the same question twice!

FFF: What do you consider the most useful wellness tool?

Kareen: The Mayo Clinic and the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics are useful and reliable sites.

FFF: What do you think is the biggest misconception about this field and what you do?

Kareen: The biggest misconception is that anyone can do the job of a Registered Dietitian (RD). While nutrition information is widely available to general public and many people can find their own way, an RD is your nutrition expert! We have learned not only general nutrition but also how to treat medical conditions such as diabetes, cardiac, renal (kidney), cancer, obesity and others. We have been trained to understand how food can possibly interact with prescription medication.

Whew! This is clearly a topic I’m passionate about so I’ll stop there 🙂

Before and After losing 20 lbs.

FFF: What general tips do you have for the average woman balancing family, career with health and fitness?

Kareen: Be realistic and put yourself first! I often choose to follow programs (nutrition and fitness) that don’t fit my schedule. You know your commitments so be honest about what you can move around and what cannot be changed. Tailor your plan around what works for you. Once you have created a schedule, share it with your family, friends and co-workers when you will be unavailable. Hopefully that will minimize how often you’re recruited for something during the time you’ve set aside for your well-being. I struggle with this concept myself so I know it’s easier said than done but it’s possible! I’ve lost 32lbs (and counting) so I know you can do it!

FFF: Do you have any special events or conferences where our readers can hear you speak?

Kareen: I recently moderated a free screening of the movie Forks over Knives which was a great experience as my passion is sharing new information with others. At this time, I do not have any other events scheduled but keep checking my Facebook page – Kareen EatingRight (https://www.facebook.com/iamEatingRight) for updates.

FFF: How can our readers find you on the web or inquire about your services?

Kareen: Your readers can find me on my website i_amEatingRight (http://www.iameatingright.com) or send me an email: [email protected] with any questions.