We had the good fortune of connecting with Crystal Pace and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Crystal, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
Work life balance is something I am extremely passionate about; largely due to my lack of it early on in my career. When I first became a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), I said “yes” to any and all opportunities at the sacrifice of my own health and well-being. I was working a full time job while running my own business, and quite literally burning the candle at both ends. Over the past seven years, I have had to learn how to set boundaries to ensure I have more work life balance. It can be hard saying “no” at times, however, it is essential to ensure that I am taking care of myself to best show up for my clients healing. I think it’s so important for us all – especially healthcare providers, and those in helping professions – to ensure we do not lose sight of what is most important to us in life aside from work. I love asking myself these questions periodically, and always encourage others to do the same: “What matters most to me?” “What brings me joy?” “What are my values?” And assessing how my work goals, commitments, and priorities align or don’t align with what matters most to me in life. I believe work life balance is truly a lifelong journey and commitment!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I am Crystal Pace, the owner of Re-Nourishing Roots, and I specialize in helping people make peace with food and their body. I take a holistic approach to help individuals learn to re-nourish their body, finally stop dieting & obsessing about food, and actually enjoy moving their bodies. A large part of my work involves helping individuals re-connect to joyful movement, and learn to experience the pleasures and satisfaction of eating again by honoring their inner intuitive eater.

Growing up on the standard American diet (AKA “SAD” diet) and listening to messages from mainstream media on how to look and what to eat left me feeling overwhelmed & stressed around food throughout my teens. I struggled with weight fluctuations, low self confidence, body image disturbances, disordered eating, and irritable bowel syndrome (which included pretty severe bloating and constipation). I spent too much of my precious time and energy worrying about how my body looked, counting calories, and depriving myself of the foods I enjoyed. I exhausted my mental and emotional energy thinking about food and how much I hated my body. Eating became a chore. I never felt satisfied after eating, nor did I enjoy eating.

I was in a vicious cycle. My relationship with myself and with food affected not only the quality of my day to day life, but my relationships with family, friends, and those around me. As I reflect back on this time I can easily see how these thoughts, emotions, and feelings impacted every aspect of my life in a negative way, and led me further away from my true, authentic self.

Using experiences from my own struggles, academic coursework, and clinical training I have made it my life’s mission to help my clients learn to re-nourish their mind and body to reclaim their time, happiness, and well-being. My own mental health struggles fueled my passion, desire, and commitment to do the work that I do each and every day.

I am most proud of staying true to my beliefs, philosophy, and style of practice as I’ve developed my business. This has involved having to say “no” to certain opportunities, and speak up for what I believe in (guided by the best evidence, of course!). I attribute my success to where I am today through seeking out further knowledge, training, and education to obtain the tools to start and grow my business. I also attribute my success to the network of dietitian entrepreneurs that are essential in helping me continue build the confidence to support me on this rollercoaster of a journey of owning my own business.

Owning my own business is never easy, however, I think what helps me continue to overcome challenges is the dedication to the work that I am doing. My mission is to help my clients finally enjoy eating again, and help them tune into their body’s intuitive wisdom as to what it needs for its nourishment and self-care. This is what keeps my fire burning, and having amazing clients definitely helps. I continually learn and grow from the clients I serve, and I am so grateful to be able to do what I do each and every day!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting me in Portland, Maine, I would most definitely take them to the Portland Farmers Market! An ideal weekend day would include waking up early, going to grab coffee at one of my favorite local coffee shops, then walking to the market to get some farm fresh produce and chatting with the vendors. Then, we would come back and cook up a delicious local brunch, followed by a beach day at one of the local beaches (the beaches in Maine are absolutely stunning!). At the beach we would be catching up and each reading a good book (as myself and my friends love to read!), and simply relaxing. Then, we would head out to one of the farm-to-table restaurants later on, and of course stop by my favorite authentic gelato spot after dinner for some delicious gelato. The evening would involve lots of walking around the city to and from dinner, gelato, and simply exploring! The next morning, we would go to an outdoor yoga class before my friend has to head back home. The perfect weekend trip!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I must give a shoutout to my ‘business dietitian tribe’. These are the dietitians I make sure to connect with on a regular basis that are running successful private practices. We share success stories, struggles, and help each other navigate challenges. I truly don’t think I’d be where I am today in terms of my business skills, knowledge, and confidence if it wasn’t for my fellow business owner Registered Dietitians.

Also, the work of Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch has completely revolutionized my practice, and inspired me to become a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor. These two Registered Dietitians have truly inspired and guided my career in helping individuals make peace with food and their body, and recover from disordered eating and/or an eating disorder.

Website: www.renourishingroots.com

Instagram: @renourishingdietitian

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystalmichellepace/

Image Credits
Molly Quill Photography (https://mollyquill.com/) and Wholer and Co (wohlerandco.com)

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