Please help us welcome Emily Knoll, MS, RD, LDN, as she joins our iLiveWell Nutrition family.

This month’s blog features an interview with Emily. We know you will love her as much as we do! In this month’s blog, we want you to get to know Emily, so we are doing an interview style blog.

iLW: What does being a registered dietitian mean to you?

Emily: To me, being an RD means helping people take back their health and empowering them to make positive choices that align with their personal goals and values. Ultimately, I want to help spread the message that there is no one size fits all when it comes to leading a “healthy” lifestyle.

iLW: What is your favorite food and why? What is your least favorite food?

Emily: Hands down, my favorite food is pizza (although a juicy burger comes in a close second). I love that pizza is a complete meal. You have your carbs, fat, and protein all in one. Additionally, you can get creative with your toppings. Yum Yum! I actually do not have a least favorite food. I am not a picky person and I’m always ready to try something new.

iLW: Do you enjoy cooking? What do you cook? Do you ever cook ahead?

Emily: I do enjoy cooking, but as someone who lives alone, I confess I do not cook as regularly as I wish I did.

My favorite foods to make are roasted vegetables, curries, big pots of soup, and anything Mexican themed. I am a regular baker too. My specialty is chocolate chip banana bread. The secret to a moist loaf is really ripe (aka almost black) bananas. The last time I cooked was yesterday evening. I made breakfast tacos. It was nothing fancy, but I love eating breakfast for dinner. Sometimes I cook ahead, but it isn’t something I regularly do.

iLW: Why did you choose to become an RD?

Emily: I chose to become an RD because I love talking about food with others. I appreciate how it connects people and can bring joy. It is sad to me that diet culture uses food as a way to punish our bodies and make us feel like we are not good enough. I want to help people understand that food is not the enemy.

iLW: Besides seeing clients at iLW, what other type of work are you involved in?

Emily: I am a clinical dietitian, working primarily in the ICU and also with surgical oncology patients. I really enjoy the medical nutrition therapy side of dietetics and helping others manage their chronic diseases.

iLW: What do you like to do for fun when you are not seeing clients?

Emily: I love being active. I like walking Town Lake and taking workout classes. I also enjoy concerts, reading, and hanging with friends. I am slowly working through trying all the yummy restaurants in Austin.

iLW: What is your food philosophy?

Emily: All foods can fit and don’t overthink it.

iLW: What experience as an RD has been life changing?

Emily: One of the most impactful experiences I’ve had so far has been learning about intuitive eating and the Health at Every Size® movement. In school, I was taught counting calories and meal plans. It was very diet focused. It has been exciting to evolve beyond that and learn how to help clients take care of themselves without focusing on size and weight as the end all be all.

iLW: What is the best nutrition advice you can give anybody?

Emily: You do not have to eat “perfectly” to take care of yourself. It’s about your choices as a whole, in general. At the end of the day, you know your body best and what it needs.

iLW: Who are some of your favorite clients to work with?

Emily: I love working with weight management, intuitive eating, and diabetic/cardiac clients.

iLW: Tell me about yourself… Where were you born? Do you have pets? Favorite vacation? Biggest indulgence food or otherwise?

Emily: I was born in Chicago, but I primarily grew up in Florida. I have the sweetest cat named Nala. She is ten years old. My favorite vacation was Cape Cod (I’m a big New England lover). My favorite “indulgent” food is cake. Extra frosting please! My favorite non-food related indulgence would be getting a facial. I don’t do it often, but when I do it always feels luxurious.

iLW: If you had two wishes, one could be work-related and one personal, what would they be?

Emily: My work related wish is to continue growing as a private practice dietitian and to continue expanding my knowledge base. My personal wish is to have a big family one day, with a chicken coop in the backyard. Although, I want to travel more before that happens!

iLW: Do you have a hero? If so, who is it and why is he/she your hero?

Emily: My hero is my dad. He is a man of integrity and hard work. I am always trying to emulate those qualities. I am so lucky to have had him as a role model growing up.

Thank you to Emily for sharing herself with us! To read Emily’s full bio, please click here.