I could not introduce Nutrition with LaShaundreaB without properly introducing myself first.

Hello! My name is LaShaundrea Bradford. Professionally, I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Research Consultant and Culinarian. Personally, I am a mother, daughter, sister, friend and lover of life, people.. and food. Yes, I love food! Hence, the reason for my degrees in Culinary Artistry and Nutrition and Dietetics. Just so you know, I am a storyteller, and I believe authenticity is of utmost importance. Therefore, this blog may be a little lengthy and quite personal. With this said, I will attempt to provide the cliff notes version of my journey. Smile

So, it all began in 2000 after I separated from active duty Air Force. For eight years I had worked in Airfield Management and wanted to pursue a career that was completely different from what I had been doing. So I decided to pursue a career in Hospitality Management. One of my dreams had always been to open a quaint Bed and Breakfast where I would spend my days decorating, cooking and entertaining guests. Yes, that was my dream. Well, I found a community college that offered a degree in Hospitality Management and enrolled. After attending my first culinary class, I knew I wanted to become a chef. The following semester, I changed my major, and two years later, I graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Culinary Artistry.

As you can see, my journey did not end there. Unfortunately, when I decided to become a chef, I did not take into consideration the endless hours I would spend on my feet preparing meals and cleaning. Honestly, I saw myself as a personal chef preparing meals for wealthy clients and traveling the world. Yes, I had it all planned out.

Before I continue, I want to send love and light to all food service workers. I have so much respect for them. Working in the food service industry is not easy. From manager to server, a lot of work goes into making sure customers are satisfied. I know they make it seem easy, but trust me, it’s not. So kudos to them for their service.

While completing my culinary internship at a rural hospital, I met a Registered Dietitian. Prior to that meeting, I never knew the profession existed. One day she allowed me to shadow her, and the rest is history. From that day, I knew I wanted to become a Registered Dietitian. In 2009, almost ten years from when I began, I received my Master’s Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics and became a Registered Dietitian, or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.

Today, I have over 15 years of experience in Public Health and Community Nutrition. I am aware of the struggles many people have when it comes to eating healthy – cost, time, motivation, and misinformation. I’ll be honest, although I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, I also struggle with eating healthy. Here is what I have learned over the years, the best way to adopt healthier, sustainable eating habits is to 1) understand one’s relationship with food; 2) weed out the misinformation; 3) set realistic goals; and 4) establish accountability. Also, eating healthy should not be complexed or feel like work. Which is one of the primary reasons I created Nutrition with LaShaundreaB. Nutrition with LaShaundreaB is designed to be simple, enjoyable and promote healthy, sustainable eating habits.

Over the next few weeks, be on the look out for health and wellness blogs, meal plans, nutrition counseling/coaching opportunities and Live meal prep demonstrations. Looking forward to connecting soon!

LaShaundrea