Meet Mary-Catherine LaBossiere | Registered Dietitian & Owner of Defy Nutrition

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mary-Catherine LaBossiere and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mary-Catherine, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
Starting my business was one of both necessity and wanting to fill a void in the local community. I had geographically relocated due to my husband’s career, and options within my own career field were limited unless I wanted a minimum 1.5-hour commute one way. At first, I was discouraged by the paucity of jobs, but then I realized that it was an opportunity to serve my community. When I first started my business, I was one of two private practice dietitians in my area – meaning people did not need to go to a hospital or outpatient clinic to access a registered dietitian. It started as a side hustle to supplement my income and then transitioned into a full time business for me.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At Defy Nutrition, I offer individual nutrition counseling, personalized meal plans, and an online program to help individuals repair their relationship with food. I also assist businesses and organizations in providing more value to their employees and customers through interactive nutrition workshops.

What sets me apart from others is my personal experience in addition to my formal education. I know what it is like to not feel listened to, and I strive to defy that norm by viewing my clients as whole people and truly taking the time to listen. I don’t “give out” goals but instead work with my clients to facilitate goal setting that works for them.

As any entrepreneur will tell you, this path is never easy, but it is absolutely rewarding. I’ve overcome challenges by leaning on peers and support organizations that offer the resources, validation, and encouragement I need during those challenging times.

My brand motto is “Defy the diet rules, defy yesterday’s you.”

We are in the business of personalized nutrition and breaking free of arbitrary diet rules that lead to discouragement, lack of confidence, and a negative relationship with food.

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.
This is such a great question! I love practicing joyful movement by way of being out in nature. Some of my favorite places in Colorado Springs are Garden of the Gods and Red Rocks. I also love walking around Memorial Park and Quail Lake during non-busy hours. Some of my favorite coffee shops locally are Good Neighbors Meeting House, Third Space Coffee, and Peak Place. There are some great shops and places to eat in Old Colorado City, with Bear Creek Regional Park just a few miles away. I also can’t forget the Incline in Manitou!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d love to dedicate this to my mom, whose experience lead me to pursue a career in the healthcare field and to continuously fight obesity stigma by treating the person as a whole person, not just a number on the scale. I am grateful for all the individuals and organizations who helped me get to where I am today.

Website: https://defy-nutrition.com/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/defy.nutrition/

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DefyNutrition/

Image Credits
Mad Faith Photography