Today we’d like to introduce you to Malak Saddy.
Hi Malak, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in an American/Lebanese Muslim household. Food and family were an integral part of our culture, like many cultures around the world. I became aware at a young age that food was more than just what we ate. It served a multitude of purposes. It was an integral part of many cultural celebrations, where it created joy and fulfillment. It was also there in times of sorrow, and pain and in various religious functions. Different foods were associated with different occasions. It became so intriguing to me, and I loved exploring it. My aunties’ and grandmothers’ love didn’t just come with hugs and adoration but also with the food they made to show that they noticed your favorite dish.
My school lunches always intrigued my friends’ curiosity and looks of antipathy as they ate their pizza slices or pb&j sandwiches. I was always the only girl in the school cafeteria with a small tub of hummus, raw vegetables, and pita slices, or leftover shawarma sandwiches with tons of garlic spread. Their curiosity came with questions that I was hesitant to answer, so I constantly had to come up with creative descriptions of my food to satisfy their probing and still feel “cool” and not too unlike the crowd.
By the end of my junior year in high school, I knew I wanted to do something around food and nutrition. Becoming a dietitian combined the two things I love most, talking, sharing my experiences around food, and helping people. I went to Michigan State University for my undergrad. I was fortunate to work with an exceptional dietitian, who specialized in eating disorders, and who ultimately fueled my passion. I was fascinated by the notion that food can feel uplifting to some while having a negative impact on others. This in itself fueled my fervor more into entering the field of eating disorders. I later completed my dietetic internship at Keene State College in NH. I held onto my childhood experiences at home and at school and kept in touch with my college professor, who eventually confirmed to me that my future career can go past a clinical job.
My first dietitian job was at a mental health facility for adolescents, in which I worked with clients with different mental and physical issues, including eating disorders, Prader-Willi Syndrome, Type I and II Diabetes. I cherished every day of work there, as it was both challenging and healing. Throughout my career, I worked at various facilities (non-profit work, food service, and eating disorder treatment center), and each facility offered me more opportunities, knowledge, and compassion.
Today I own my own private practice and continue to focus on eating disorders and disordered eating, intuitive eating, and finding body acceptance. I am very grateful to have found a career that I truly love, and that allows me to help different people across different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences to reconnect to their bodies and souls.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Every story has its struggles; mine is no different. It is those challenges that help push us forward. One of the bumps that I had to overcome was the first time I took my board exam to become a registered dietitian, I failed by one point! I was devastated and embarrassed. How could this happen to me? Five months later, I took it again. I walked into that testing center determined and confident. I walked out as a registered dietitian (RD). I noticed there was a difference between the first time I took that exam and then 5 months later. The first time I walked in there scared, unsure of myself, and that negative self-critical voice was loud. The second time I took it, I studied just as hard, but this time, I gave myself the world’s greatest pep talk and was confident that I did know the material, and I was capable of passing. That moment gave me so much more than just my RD, but it allowed to me to see how positive self-talk and confidence can make a difference.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a Registered Dietitian practicing from an anti-diet, anti-fat, Health At Every Size (HAES) lens and intuitive eating framework. My focus is working with clients who have eating disorders, wanting to get out of the diet and shame/guilt cycle, and working towards healing their relationship with body image and food. I practice virtually throughout the states of Texas, Illinois, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Michigan, California, and Florida. I am a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist Supervisor, Licensed Body Positive Facilitator, and Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. As a dietitian, I work towards providing empathetic, compassionate, and a dash of humanness into sessions. Each person has a story, and I am grateful to the clients that allow me in to help support and enrich their journey.
Fun fact, I didn’t start speaking until I was about four years old, where my mom tells me I just woke up one day speaking full in sentences. Some may say that since that day, I haven’t stopped talking or let my voice be heard! The desire to educate and bring awareness has allowed me to speak at over 60 national conferences, universities, local iaedp chapters, and at corporate wellness programs. I provide case and business consultation and supervision to other RDs and therapists.
If you’re curious about working with a non-diet dietitian, consider the following.
- Support in healing your relationship with food, body image, and movement.
- Finding connection in food rather than a sense loss of control.
- Moving away from using movement as punishment.
- Wanting to learn more about what intuitive eating is and how to use the framework.
- Sick and tired of going on another diet or counting your calories/macros.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.malaksaddy.com
- Instagram: @msaddyrd
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/msaddyrd/
- Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/malaksaddy/
Image Credits
Lisa Kay Creative Photography
