At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Rittika Jain for an exclusive interview with us. Rittika is a Recognised Nutritionist (UK Registered), Entrepreneur, Inspiring Leader, Coach, Wellness Consultant, and Change Enabler. She is the Founder of Diett it up. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Rittika:
We are aware of your contributions to the ecosystem; talk us through your background and your journey, please;
My professional journey stemmed from my personal transformation, wherein realizing the significance of diet in everyday life and disease management matched with my career instincts of leadership, public service, independence, teaching and medical interest.
After my MSc. from Bournemouth University in the UK, I have registered with the Association for Nutrition, the UK regulatory body and competency-based register of qualified nutritionists and have been awarded the professional title – Associate Registered Nutritionist (ANutr).
Knowing these letters mean that the general public can rely on me to provide nutritional guidance and support based on the “scientific evidence” and that I am part of a community of professionals that will do the same.
Using the title then creates a force for good against a flourishing market of self-publicising “experts” as this registration helps people to understand that we are qualified and monitored.”
Thereafter, I worked as a senior dietitian in a Delhi- based diet and naturopathy clinic and then pursued my interest of being specialized to teach diabetics how to manage their condition by getting certification from the National Diabetes Educator Program (NDEP), trained by a senior endocrinologist with the aim of applying the learnt elements in my professional practice.
Currently, I am running my own clinic under the name “Diett it up by Rittika Jain” in Delhi, where the stereotype about being a place to visit only for weight management is broken and the reality that diet is crucial in therapeutic treatment and improvisation of the medical profile is realized.
How did you discover your passion as a ‘Nutritionist’?
Nutrition was nowhere in my mind until I completed my graduation. I have pondered on numerous areas of interest in pursuit to discover what really resonated with my personality and life choices.
Through diet and lifestyle changes, I underwent a 12-kilo transformation with other positive health outcomes which helped me identify the areas of my core passion – Consulting and Educating.”
It was essentially about finding the elements of a medical practitioner in an emerging field where I could live my dream of running a clinic.
I wanted to create my own brand and draw with a free hand; I wanted the freedom and the flexibility to work on my terms. Most importantly, I saw the opportunity of being my own boss and grabbed it!
What were the challenges that you faced in your journey?
I underwent a struggle that I had with myself: To find my passion and then finding the way to pursue it. Nutrition came to me after graduation in a different field and switching roles didn’t come easy. I had found myself applying to universities worldwide and facing continuous rejections, some as 5-6 in a single day.
The transition from an employee to an employer was not easy either. While before my becoming the founder, I had the ‘security’ of a salary and perks, I now had to tone down my personal expenses while I work on building my name and trust among the people.”
After having founded Diett it up, I realized that the hardest part of a startup is that you wake up one morning and you feel great about the day, and then you wake up the next morning and you feel doomed. And literally, nothing’s changed. It’s completely irrational, but it’s exactly what you go through.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
Even when I had days filled with grey skies, I ensured to channel my energy into finding the “way out” to build an identity for myself. I desired to build a professional life that empowers my lifestyle and would contribute some value to the betterment of society.
Nutrition is a science-based discipline that keeps changing. Best practice evolves. I intend on staying updated on nutrition research which is of critical importance to provide the best care to my patients/clients.”
Creating self-awareness about health and imparting the acquired knowledge to lead a life with dignity and loving oneself in good health, with a shift to a healthier lifestyle rather than relying on medication is my drive to work in this field.
I hope to see a world in which the nutritionists of today are given appropriate credit and given deserved importance as that of a medical practitioners in India.
At Diett it up, we envision a world in which all people have access to nutrition and lifestyle management counselling that can help them improve their physical well-being and achieve healthy and active living.
“Eat like you love yourself” is what I believe in to make you meet the best in you.
What are some of the most rewarding coaching experiences you’ve had as a dietitian?
Each experience is different but some get’s etched. The diabetes management, acidity reversal and fertility program have, in particular, been rewarding.
When you see your client getting their blood sugar levels down and the dose of medicine reduced with of course the waistline, you know you’ve made a difference.
When you see the tireless efforts resulting in the second attempt successful pregnancy report, you shed happy tears and share the same emotion as that of your client.
The anti-depression pills and dependency-oriented neuropathic medicine that a client got off after following the diets still remain an experience which makes my heart full.
What are some of the qualities you believe are significant in running a nutrition practice?
There are a few apart from the profound knowledge of the science:
(1) The ability to manage people is important
(2) Building a positive relationship with staff, clients and collaborators. Getting the right people in the team is important
(3) Must be open to learning and stay abreast with the ever-changing market and consumer behaviour.
(4) The patience, empathy and good listener to deal with clients
(5) Understanding of finance and maintaining a cost-effective operating base.
(6) Courage to take responsibility for your decisions and actions
(7) Never degrade your value by looking at your competitors offers to attract clients. This will make you lose your credibility.
What advice would you give to our readers?
Go with the flow and do not force an interest on you. You don’t choose your passion; your passion chooses you. It’s never too late to start over.
“What do I want to do for the rest of my life?” This is something I’ve never asked myself. Because 5 yrs ago there is no chance I’d know that I’d be here.
So plan for the future but be open to the fact that the route or even the plan might change and it will almost always be for the better.
With regard to my work, there is something I wish to convey to everyone. As each one of us is unique, our bodies are too. Your nutrition needs should be tailored for you, not necessarily what you saw suited others.
So do not be your own dietitian; seek qualified advice from a registered professional. We have studied and researched hard to give you the best guidance about your health and make you feel better.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
The look on the face of the clients/patients on getting counselled on where they are off track and what actually might work for them boosts my self-confidence.
Getting positive reviews from those who have benefitted through my guidance and social media content amps up my energy to deliver more value to them.
Seeing the shifts in their health, thoughts and in their journey makes it satisfying because I see their success as my success and their breakthroughs as mine. The word “grateful to you” that the client adds in their feedback makes it all worthwhile.
The urge to work towards becoming an “odd one out” from the rest adds excitement to my practice and keeps me going. I want to be known as not just a nutritionist but a “therapeutic nutritionist/dietitian”, encouraging the way of eating designed To treat or heal a disease or medical symptom.
A therapeutic diet is part of the treatment of a medical condition, normally prescribed by a physician and planned by a dietitian. There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a therapeutic dietitian because it’s not just about going low protein when diagnosed with high uric acid, not necessarily only low fat if having high cholesterol or going low carb when planning a diabetic diet.
Believe it or not, the diet has healing powers. The plan of action is not just following the diet plans to lose weight but learning the art of diet and lifestyle management whose reward is weight loss.”
My initiative is a bit to make people aware about it, allowing them space to heal and find lasting recovery.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
