Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsay Hazard.
Lindsay, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always been a runner and because of this, I have always been interested in food. I love eating and putting meals together and six years ago found myself constantly reading about food and nutrition. As a marathoner, nutrition is so important not only while training but during the race itself. I realized I desired to make a career of something I truly was passionate about. I talked to my husband and he supported me taking the plunge and going back to school to become a registered dietitian (graduated college with a marketing degree).
What sets registered dietitians apart is we have a degree in nutrition (a master’s degree will soon be required), 1200 hours of internships and must pass a registration exam. I had to take SO many science classes to get into UT Southwestern’s clinical nutrition program and in this time, I had our first child. I finished UTSW, passed my registration exam and then had our second child. As a mom of 2 kids, I knew I wanted a more flexible career so I decided to start my own business and that is how Cherish Nutrition was born.
Through my internships, I realized I loved working with kids and teens and since I grew up as an athlete, I decided to put those two passions together and create a business geared towards young/teen athletes Young and teen athletes have so much drive to be better and to constantly improve and many of them are not aware of how much nutrition impacts performance. Nutrition is often overlooked in the “whole athlete” and I want to help athletes realize the impact nutrition has AND show them how easy it is to implement a fueling plan. As a former collegiate athlete myself, I know the impact nutrition can have on performance. Today, I work with athletes individually to implement a nutrition plan to meet their goals. I work with teams by giving nutrition talks, individually working with each athlete, educating coaches/parents and even giving out fueling snacks to help athletes recover and hydrate.
Has it been a smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Having a baby pretty much right when I started the business made it difficult to even have the motivation to work on my business. But, just like in marathons, I kept pushing and doing small things to keep pushing me to meet my goals. Even if I just created a social media post, reached out to one contact, read one research article, all of those small things added up. Just like I tell my athletes, making small changes eventually gets you where you want to be. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing! Now, my baby is 15 months old and I feel like I’m getting closer to reaching my goals.
COVID-19 is a huge obstacle right now. With athletes not able to train, teams not able to meet up, opportunities I had set up are on hold. Since athletes now have more time on their hands, working on their nutrition is something that can be done from home! I can work with athletes virtually and jump into team meetings and provide a nutrition education or do a Q&A session. The off-season is actually the best time for athletes to start working on their nutrition.
My husband is definitely my biggest cheerleader and supporter. He’s constantly coming up with ideas for me to implement and cheering me on.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Cherish Nutrition – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My company’s name is Cherish Nutrition. I am a registered dietitian and specialize in working with young and teen athletes. I help athletes take charge of their nutrition and help them gain a competitive advantage through nutrition. Nutrition allows athletes to have energy, recover from their training, help prevent injury/illness and allow their bodies to develop muscle strength and endurance. I help athletes use their nutrition to gain these strengths.
As an RD, I am constantly reading about sports nutrition and staying on top of the latest research so I have the education to back up my recommendations. My credentials and education allow me to give athletes science-backed nutrition recommendations. Nutrition is SO individualized and there is not a one size fits all plan. When I work with an athlete, I take the time to learn about their schedules and food preferences so the plan we work together to create will actually be implemented.
I am proud of my ability to break down “science-y” concepts into something simple that athletes, coaches and their families can understand. I like to try and make nutrition as simple as possible for athletes. What I love about working with athletes is that normally we are trying to put things INTO their diet rather than take things out of their diet. I will not tell an athlete he/she needs to get rid of their favorite food (unless medically indicated), we figure out when it fits into their diet.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love living in Dallas, TX. I have run all over this city, I definitely dislike how hot it is over the summer. I love how friendly everyone is here and all the amazing food available here! My husband and I got married here and had both of our children here so it definitely holds a special place in my heart.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.cherishnutrition.net
- Phone: 469-667-7880
- Email: lindsay@cherishnutrition.net
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/fueling.young.athletes
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/CherishNutrition/
Image Credit:
Robyn Gourley (on both professional family photos)
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