Picture of Kayla Girgen

👋 Howdy, I’m Kayla, a Registered Dietitian on a mission to help high-performing women stop dieting and do things differently. Quit counting calories, get your energy back, and learn how to soothe without food today! Apply to work with me.

If you’ve wrestled with weight loss advice like carbs are bad, fat makes you fat, and move more, eat less, you’re not alone. I became a dietitian to selfishly sort through the “good” and “bad” nutrition recommendations, only to be left more confused.

Much of what I learned about weight loss from institutional education—primarily calories in, calories out—didn’t work for women I coached through medical and retail weight management programs. So, I continued my education on my own terms.

After years of self-study and experimentation, I discovered CGM (continuous glucose monitoring) which taught me how to balance my blood sugar balance. CGM was a game-changer.

Using glucose monitoring, I was able to see how specific foods, stress, emotional eating, and poor sleep impacted my blood sugar and, ultimately, my results. With personalized feedback from my CGM sensor, I was empowered to make informed choices and still enjoy foods I love.

Now, my mission is to help fellow high-performing women think differently about weight loss and learn to enjoy food—and life—again.

Trust me, I’ve been there

Growing up, I was overweight, uncomfortable, and insecure.

I hid in oversized basketball jerseys, and to this day, I still hate the grab of a snug, fitted shirt.

I became keenly aware of my size in elementary school as I shopped in the boys’ husky section, nearly in tears. I found solace in mini frozen pizzas, ice cream, and carbs. There was nothing food couldn’t soothe.

Fast forward to high school, and I was restricting like a champ. I skipped lunch to smoke cigarettes and deliver Meals On Wheels, avoiding the temptation of cafeteria favorites like Italian dunkers—a brilliant use for leftover hot dog buns—and chicken patties altogether.

Throughout adulthood, these back-and-forth, all-or-nothing tendencies continued. From carrot sticks and cardio to booze and bingeing—one extreme to the other. I couldn’t find peace with my on-again, off-again relationship with food.

I counted calories, over-exercised, nearly sh*t myself on the master cleanse, had a short obsession with intermittent fasting, and so much more. I worked in weight loss clinics, became a personal trainer, then a dietitian, and still wonder if I have it all figured out.

While my relationship with food—and myself—is much improved, it’s a work in progress. Self-awareness and daily choices are paramount to my—and your—success.

So please know that, yes, I am a dietitian, but I am not the food police. I understand the mental tug-of-war when it comes to food and body image. It’s frustrating to be successful in most areas of life, yet struggle with something so personal like your weight.

My goal is to help busy women match their high-performance standards to their health and work smarter, not harder when it comes to losing weight. Learn how to be deliberate, not obsessed with food and apply to work with me 1:1 today!

Education & Credentials

  • Kayla graduated with high honors from Minnesota State University-Mankato.
  • She was one of eight applicants chosen for a competitive dietetic internship with the esteemed Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.
  • Kayla is an ACE Personal Trainer, certified since 2013.
  • She has been featured in many popular media outlets, including the publications below. For a full list of media contributions, check out this Pinterest board.

In my free time

I am a Midwestern girl at heart, and even though I can’t drive a tractor, some of my fondest memories involve sitting proudly on the uncomfortable little half-seat admiring the neatly planted rows and machinery.

I love to read, hike, and bike in my home state of Minnesota, and I’m blessed to have married my best friend and business/adventure partner, Jeremy.

Jeremy and I live in central Minnesota and enjoy all the #lakelife has to offer. Our favorite pastimes are “treasure hunting” on the shores of Lake Superior—my happy place—and making wood with Jeremy’s dad in Wisconsin.

I hope you’ll stick around for practical, professional nutrition advice, blood sugar-friendly recipes, and tips for living your best life—inside and out! For free weekly insights, subscribe to my free newsletter!

Thank you for stopping by!

Yours truly,

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Helping women after bariatric surgery lose weight without eating “perfect.” Learn how to balance blood sugar & optimize your “tool” today! Apply to learn more!

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2 thoughts on “About

  1. Kayla,
    I am so glad I found you here and was so sad that you were not at your prior job to see me on my one year anniversary of my VSG. You are one of the reasons that I have been successful and look forward to still connecting here. I love your site and am passing it on to all my family to follow.
    I hope we can continue to connect and wish you a very Merry Christmas.
    Gwen Kunkel

    1. Gwen! Happy one-year surgiversary!!! I am so happy you found me, and I appreciate the kind words! I will send you an email with my contact info! 😅 Kayla

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