Hi,
I am Victoria Chouklina
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Food and its connection to our minds and bodies has always fascinated me. When I was little, I remember picking wild blackberries and gooseberries with my grandpa and eating so many that my hands and face were purple then bringing them home to my grandma who would make the most delicious gooseberry pie you could imagine. I’d eat a piece after dinner while it was still warm, then just one more sliver to even it out. ;) Food is enmeshed into our memories- into our lives. It’s one way we are connected to the world around us.
“Food is enmeshed into our memories- into our lives. It’s one way we are connected to the world around us.”
Fast forward a bit, and my interest in the culture of food, health, and nutrition grew. I decided I wanted to learn the science behind food so that I could help guide people in the right direction for their health, while still honoring the other aspects of diet that go far beyond macronutrients and micronutrients.
I was so thrilled when I was accepted into the Coordinated Program in Dietetics at the University of Missouri. It was a very competitive program to get into with only 15 accepted out of hundreds applying. After I completed my education and supervised practice, I graduated in 2010 with my Bachelor’s Degree in Human and Environmental Science with a Major in Dietetics. I then passed the national Registration Examination for Dietitians shortly after.
My first job was at a health department working with the WIC (women, infants, and children) program to counsel and educate expecting moms, new moms, and their young children on ways to improve their diet and prescribe food packages to them. I enjoyed this job but after having my first child, I found myself needing to spend time focusing on my family and children before being able to really throw myself into my practice again.
I am a wife to my wonderful husband and a mom to three amazing kiddos- each totally different from one another in their personalities and tastes. They continually teach me how to adapt, be flexible, try and try again, have grace, keep an open mind, and have fun while still creating structure and boundaries. Being a mom is no easy job but my family is my world. They drive me to do my best and try to make the world a better place in the ways that I know how. Through the experience of raising my children, I’ve gained a better perspective and empathy for real life challenges that families face.
During my time as a stay at home mom, I stayed abreast in the latest nutrition by continuing my education through many different courses such as The Gut Balance Revolution, Yoga Teacher Training, Yoga and Meditation: Tools for Weight Management, Nutrition and Mental Health, The Complete Vegetarian, Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating, The Anti-Inflammatory Diet, and much more!
And now I’m here and I’m committed to helping you, in your unique situation, to practice the art of slowing down in a fast paced world. I’m here to teach you how to listen to your body and your needs along with your goals to create a diet that works for you and honors the food you eat and your body- a way of eating aligned with your intentions.
