Only You Can Be the Expert of Your Body

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Maria Dalzot, Founder of Inspired Eating, located in Bellingham, WA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a registered dietitian, but more specifically, I am a trauma-integrated nutrition therapist. I work with men and women who have a trauma history and engage in disordered eating thoughts and behaviors or an active eating disorder.

Tell us about yourself

Oftentimes, when I first see clients, they’re walking around as floating heads. Eating disorders create a sense of disembodiment. When we disconnect from the body, we miss out on a lot of valuable information. People need to get to a place where they can sense their bodies more accurately so they can tolerate sensations of hunger and fullness and other uncomfortable emotional states. Together, we create a more accurate interoceptive awareness. If you are unaware of your body's needs, you can’t take care of it.

My sessions focus on how trauma and chronic stress affect our ability to eat normally. Trauma changes our physiology, which is important because it affects how we move through the world and how we take care of ourselves. All disordered eating behavior is rooted in wisdom as an adaptive survival strategy. Together, I hope to explore that wisdom.

When we understand how our behaviors are acts of self-preservation - not disordered or self-sabotage as is so often pathologized - this reduces the blame, shame, guilt, and judgment that often is coupled with it and makes room for some curiosity and compassion. Through our work together, we build safety, build awareness of behaviors and thoughts, build skills, and build resilience, which ultimately is the ability to regulate under difficult circumstances.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is my personal evolution as a practitioner. Doing the work on myself so that I can fully show up and be present for my clients has been imperative.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

The hardest thing about being a business owner is that you are never fully "off." It's harder to set boundaries and say no when you are a solopreneur.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Find what you're passionate about. This may take years, but it's worth it to wake up every day motivated and inspired.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. We weren't meant to exist in isolation. Helping others is part of our biology, so there are always going to be people willing to support your endeavors.
Learn what your ideal client is. This saves time, energy, and money for both parties when you can be really clear on who you are able to serve and not serve.

I love the work that I do. It is a privilege and a gift to hold space for my clients and be alongside them as they safely come back to their authentic selves.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.mariadalzotrd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mariadalzotRD/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariadalzot/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mariadalzotRD
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-dalzot-ms-rdn-cdn-83752835/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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