Chatting with Ana Veloso, RD

Lots has been happening behind the scenes at Body Honor Nutrition over the last several months! I’m so excited to introduce Ana Veloso, MS, RD!

Ana (she/her) joined the practice earlier this year. She loves helping people learn about nutrition without a side of diet culture. She is also passionate about working with people from Latin communities. Ana was my intern last year, and I was so blown away by her work and compassionate demeanor, that I knew she would be a great fit for BHN. Ana even worked hard to shape her dietetics training to incorporate a lot of Intuitive Eating and weight-inclusive nutrition practice. I sat down with Ana for a fun interview to learn more about her work. 

Are there any identities that you would like to share?

The primary identity that’s important to me is that I’m a Brazilian. I was born in Brazil and moved to the US when I was 7 years old. This means that although I lived most of my life here, my parents raised me through Brazilian and Latin-American cultures. This influenced my relationship with my body and relationship with food, and it also made me passionate about working with Latin-American women that had similar experiences. 

Why did you decide to become an RD?

This is a good question because it wasn’t the first thing I thought I’d do as a career. I have always been passionate about nutrition and how food interacts with us on an emotional and physical level. But I’ve also always had a complicated relationship with food. I pursued this field to find a solution to my “weight loss problem.”

I remember in my first nutrition class, our teacher asked us what makes people change their behavior and I confidently said that the answer is knowledge. The professor challenged me on this and helped me realize that there is more to it. I was even more surprised when I started learning about Health at Every Size and weight-inclusive care. 


How did you learn about weight-inclusive nutrition?

I learned about it through a podcast. I was walking to work and listening to NPR Life Kit. It was an episode about starting Intuitive Eating. I was a busy graduate student so I was intrigued, but I didn’t have time to dive deeper.

Later when I began the internship process, I asked myself what kind of experience I wanted to have. It was during that time that I delved into the research about non-weight focused approaches to health and wellness, and decided that I would apply it to both my life and also my professional practice.

What is one thing that you wish everyone knew about food/nutrition/this work?

This is a tough question because there is so much that I want to share. The thing that resonates the most with me is the feeling that I should be doing more or that I’m not enough. This can happen when we compare ourselves to others. I do what I do because I want everyone to know that regardless of body size, we are all good enough where we are. We are worthy of happiness, of self love, and of love from others. We are worthy of respect and of fair treatment from all. We are worthy of enjoying food and eating when we are hungry. I want everyone to know that self worth, happiness, and health doesn’t have to be defined by a number on a scale, jean size, or body shape. It’s important to have compassion for ourselves and recognize that we are doing our best when we are having difficult days.

How do you like to spend your time when you aren’t working?

I love unwinding with my fiance and pets (dogs and a bunny), watching a good anime or other TV series, or reading a good book. 

Tell me one fun fact about yourself.

This question really takes me back to icebreakers in high school or college. It actually makes me remember that I used to draw and paint in high school, and I was pretty good at it! 

Do you have a favorite thing to do that helps you feel embodied?

I love hiking or camping. It’s funny because when you are going out in nature, it still feels like you are entering this internal peace. I also enjoy joyful movement. I used to really struggle with this one because I used to engage in physical activity for weight loss, but now I enjoy it in a way that helps me feel grounded. 

What do you like about being an RD?

I love seeing people become happier by not having their thoughts occupied by fears of food and body as they work on their healing.

What’s bringing you joy these days?

Two things that are bringing me both joy and stress are wedding planning and house renovations. The best part of the renovation is getting to design what I love (bonus fun fact: I love interior design and party decorating). It’s the same with wedding planning, I really enjoy these things. But in reality, doing both these things in addition to life can also be overwhelming. 

One last question, are you taking new clients?

I am! Follow this link to contact me or email me at Ana@BodyHonorNutrition.com.

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