Today we’d like to introduce you to Irene Mejia.
Hi Irene, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in El Salvador, and I moved to Miami as a teenager. Fast forward, I am now a registered dietitian, personal trainer, and a freelance writer focused on mindful living. I am an entrepreneur tremendously passionate about science and learning. But I actually never imagined that I would be working in this field.
From kindergarten to high school, I disliked any course related to science and I failed all of my P.E. classes. I genuinely thought that I was a failure when it came to sports, fitness, and sciences.
In fact, when I started college, I actually chose a career in political science. I have always loved languages, debating, and I truly loved learning about it, but I did not see myself working in that field. I actually joined my college gym out of curiosity, and I became more and more interested in it. It was actually the first time in my life where I could just workout without having the pressures of sports, where the only competition was me.
One day I was talking with my partner about not feeling passionate about my career, and it was an instant click – Out of nowhere, I got this idea of wanting to study something related to health, and I thought about nutrition. The next day I immediately changed majors, and I have never looked back since, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
However, the way I approach nutrition and fitness has shifted. In the past few years, I have been dealing with many health issues caused by a poor lifestyle – I was dealing with chronic stress, sleeping issues, and I have been dealing with chronic issues ever since.
I now teach others what I have learnt from my own lessons – health goes beyond fitness and nutrition, it is also about mental health, self-care, and mindfulness.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No, it has not been a smooth road. There have been roadblocks every step of the way, starting from the limiting beliefs as a child: I genuinely thought I hated sciences and I was a failure in sports and turns out I just hadn’t found a reason to be passionate about it. It takes a lot of work to get rid of limiting beliefs we have been carrying since childhood.
The next biggest struggle was the cultural shock. Moving to a new country was life-changing, not only from having to speak another language out of nowhere but having to learn everything from scratch. Making friendships and relationships from scratch.
And as I mentioned before, there was a moment where life got extremely overwhelming, to the point where I was suffering from chronic stress and sleep deprivation. Since then, I have never recovered completely from chronic inflammation and digestive issues.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Irene Mejia Nutrition?
As you may have read in the first section – I am a multifaceted entrepreneur. I actually enjoy doing many things in my career, it keeps me inspired and I never get bored.
As a dietitian, I do consulting 1-1, group sessions, and conferences, projects, or presentations. What sets me apart as a dietitian is my interest in evidence-based information and holistic approach – food is more than fuel, and health is more than nutrition. We are all so different, and not every guideline or recommendation works for everyone.
I also do personal training in person or online. Everyone that has trained with me can tell you how much emphasis I put into form, mind-muscle connection, and also about enjoying your routine. Fitness should not be a torture; it is a gift.
I am also a blogger and freelance writer, and I write about nutrition and health-related topics. I have developed throughout the years my copywriting skills, and I specialize in SEO-optimized content.
Brand-wise, I am so proud of my “human” approach. Fitness and nutrition is not a one-size-fits-all. We are all in different parts of the journey, and fitness and nutrition should be adapted to our journeys every step of the way.
I am currently open for freelance writing and online personal training/nutrition consulting.
What do you think about happiness?
Many things make me happy, but one of them is great food! I love eating and trying new restaurants, and Miami has plenty of options.
Quality time with my loved ones also makes me happy. Whether that is having a nice meal together, going out, or staying in watching our favorite sitcoms (a.k.a. FRIENDS). At the end of the day, those are my most precious memories.
Professionally, it makes me happy to see clients getting excited about tiny life improvements, such as being able to put away the Christmas decor all by themselves without any back pains, or by dedicating a few minutes of their day to self-care and well-being.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.irenemejia.com
- Instagram: irene_mejia
