A lifelong passion

Since my childhood in Saltillo, Mexico, I've absolutely cherished sports. It’s crucial to not only my physical health but my mental and spiritual wellbeing. My love for sports has been a gateway to some of the most wonderful communities I've ever been a part of — and the interpersonal element was one of the core reasons I decided to become a dietitian and sports nutritionist to help other athletes achieve their personal best.

But my journey hasn’t been without its challenges.

Pursuit of “perfection”

I’ve never been “skinny,” and in my teenage years, my longing for a “perfect” body turned into an unhealthy obsession. Studying nutrition improved my relationship with food somewhat, but it still wasn't ideal. I put all my effort into counting calories and filled my computer with nutrition plans from an ocean of different dietary approaches (paleo, accelerated metabolism, gluten-free diets, to name a few). But nothing yielded results, and I was still drawn constantly to foods I saw as forbidden.

While I’m so proud of my endurance achievements in those years, I knew on some level that my relationship with food was holding me back from a more enriching lifestyle.

Clarity, and love

It wasn’t until I moved to Western Australia in 2016 to earn a Master’s Degree in Health Science that I realised I had been doing everything backwards. I’d been focusing on everything I shouldn’t eat — afraid to eat a slice of bread even though I knew carbs were energy.

In reality, every food has a purpose.

After this realisation, I shifted my attention from calories to nutrients and fueling with purpose.

Now, after meeting my husband, Aaron, my “two years in Australia” have become eight and counting, and I’m loving the Perth lifestyle. There are so many beautiful places to run, ride, swim, and walk our dog, Clark. The endurance sports community is thriving, and I’m truly honoured I’m able to connect with amazing endurance athletes here and all around the world.