Travel As A Digital Nomad & Help People Feel Their Best As A Registered Dietician

It’s no secret that the food we consume in the USA is subpar, especially compared to the rest of the world. Between the GMOs, pesicides, preservatives, etc., it feels as if we are almost being poisoned. And the stats would agree. 

Acccording to the CDC, 73.6% of Americans are overweight or have obesity. That’s staggeringly high. They also state that about 51.8% of Americans have at least 1 chronic disease and 27.2% have multiple. I don’t know about you, but that number makes me uncomfortable. 

People are starting to become less trusting of our food industry, government standards and our traditional doctors. This makes them want to seek out the expertise of dieticians who specialize in holistic measures of full body health. They often times can treat issues that have long been overlooked by their doctors. 

I’d like to introduce you to the third woman in this series of digital nomad jobs, Claire Carlton,  who is a registered dietician. Claire is an amazing woman I have had the pleasure of working with in the past, who’s mission it is to help people specifically with their digestive issues.

She specializes in gastrointestinal health so she can help people get to the roof of health their problems. I think we all know now thanks to social media, that our gut plays a big role in our overall health. 

Digital Nomad Job:

Can you really work remotely as a dietician?

Medical professionals have always traditionally been in a medical setting whether that’s a hospital or a doctors office. It’s becoming increasingly more popular to have digital sessions with some practitioners these days ever since Covid.

A lot of practitioners choose to have their own business, bringing it online where they are now able to serve a greater number of people whereas before they were limited to their locality. They can create one-on-one coaching programs, group coaching, and organize medical tests at a client’s local facilities.

I asked Claire to give me an overview of her business, how she got started, what to expect and much more. If you’re someone who loves the idea of being able to help others live their best lives as a digital nomad job, I think you’ll enjoy learning what Claire has to say.

Let’s dive right in, shall we?! ↓

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Digital Nomad Job:

Interview With Registered Dietician, Claire Carlton

Summary of what your digital nomad job entails

As an RD, I specialize in gastrointestinal health conditions and help people suffering digestive problems optimize their nutrition to alleviate painful and uncomfortable symptoms. My services are provided exclusively online through a HIPAA compliant electronic medical platform.

When clients sign up for a service package, we meet through video chat and work to get to the root of their digestive illness during a comprehensive intake session and then develop a plan for nutrition interventions, lifestyle changes, supplement protocols and functional lab testing if needed. 

What made you get started with this digital nomad job?

I’ve always thought of myself as an entrepreneur at heart. Even in college as I was studying to become a dietitian, I knew that my dream career was to work for myself. When I first graduated, I worked conventional jobs and learned a lot about my industry, helping people and working with the interdisciplinary health team, but I also felt trapped… I felt like I wasn’t making the impact (or income) I wanted.

I also felt like I could never uncover the secret to work/life balance, I became overwhelmed, stressed and ultimately resentful over the typical 40 hour work week. I wasn’t able to balance the demands of work and also take care of myself in all the ways I needed to thrive (regular exercise, proper sleep, quality time with loved ones).

The thought of working for someone else (on their terms) until retirement felt icky and so I began to pursue a path that would allow me the freedom I longed for. Entrepreneurship isn’t easy, it requires self-discipline, motivation and hard work (and a lot of TEARS haha), but once you find your groove, it’s all worth it.

What’s a typical day like for you?

I typically set an alarm, but I always wake up about 30 minutes before it goes off. My mornings start with a walk outside to energize myself and relieve stress, sometimes I listen to music, other times I’ll listen to motivational business podcasts (James Wedmore, anyone?). A good breakfast is a MUST before getting the work day started.

Since we moved to Hawaii, I’m still adjusting to the time change, most of my clients are still on the east coast, so my appointments are usually in the mornings. If I don’t have appointments, I’ll spend time researching, writing or doing continuing education. I stop for lunch and then finish the afternoon with administrative tasks like billing, client documentation, website tech stuff, etc.

Pre-covid days I would go to my local yoga studio a few afternoons a week, now I am trying to commit to a home based practice, which is a bit more challenging. Typically every afternoon, I walk to the beach for a swim, float or surf session (or shall I say attempt? LOL). This is new since we moved to Honolulu, but it’s my favorite part of the day! The water relaxes and recharges me and is a great way to seal the work day.

Best thing you love about your digital nomad job + the lifestyle 

I love that it allows me the flexibility to help people who are struggling with life altering health problems while also prioritizing my own health and wellness. I am inspired by the limitless possibilities of the online world. There are so many creative ways to make money (blogging, affiliate programs, course creation, etc) that I hope to explore as I grow my business.

Least thing you like about your job + the lifestyle

The hardest part about this lifestyle and career choice is that it can be a lonely journey at times. Often people don’t understand the stress or pressure you feel when you are your own boss. Everything is up to you and you have to constantly remind yourself to stay the course and actively do things to keep motivation high and maintain self-discipline, avoid procrastinating, etc.

Average income whether that’s based on an average sale, hourly, yearly, per project, etc.

Clients invest an average of about $1700 to work together for several months at a time. When you are trading time for money in service based business, there is a limit to how much you can make because we only have so many hours in a day.

My goal is to reach 100K/year in the next 2 years and I know that I’ll have to create passive income sources to make that happen. Freelance writing for nutrition/health publications, blogging and course creation are some of the ways I plan to reach that goal.

What qualifications did you need to get in order to do this career?

To become a registered dietitian you have to have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited dietetic program plus a post graduate internship that is composed of 1200 practice hours in a variety of clinical and community settings. This will prepare you to enter the field and qualify to obtain a license in your state.

Shifting to entrepreneur life required a lot of independent research, I’m a member of a lot of online business groups for dietitians and I’ve invested in business coaches in the past. Right now I’m in a group coaching program for nutrition entrepreneurs.

Advice to those who are looking to pursue this field as a digital nomad job? 

The field of nutrition and dietetics is growing and there are so MANY professionals taking their expertise to the online space. There is so much potential, don’t let fear or imposter syndrome hold you back.

Best tips on how to be successful working remotely and/or while traveling?

I think creating a routine that facilitates work life balance is really important. Isn’t that why we all seek this type of work? I use a Google calendar to time block my days and schedule in my personal and fun time so that I make it a priority and don’t burn out on work stuff. If you can, batch your work when you have extra time so you have more time for fun/adventure/travel.

Did you face any criticism getting started, from family or friends, in your digital nomad or remote work lifestyle, and if so, how did you overcome their judgment?

My close family members and husband have always been super supportive and encouraging. Although I worry that others may judge my choices or the risks I’ve taken to do this, they haven’t ever personally criticized me, it’s really my own fear of what others may think. This is crucial to overcome. I just learned of Teddy Roosevelt’s daring greatly quote – Google & READ IT! I already put it up on the wall by my desk.

“Daring greatly is being brave and afraid every minute of the day at the exact same time.”

What’s your favorite quote?

“Action creates clarity,”

I think I heard it from James Wedmore.

Your best travel tip or budget travel tip

I think practicing the art of simple living. In the process of making the move to Hawaii, we had to let go of a lot of “stuff,” it’s easy to become attached to these things that really don’t matter or add a lot of value to your life. I think when you can master the art of simple living, you can truly experience travel in a new way by fully embracing the way of life in the places you visit.

Digital Nomad Job:

Extra Resources

If you are interested in helping others look and feel their best through nutrition, then consider becoming a registered dietician and running your own  business. I have gathered a few more resources to help you on your journey to this digital nomad job, below.

Coaches To Help Grow A Successful Dietician or Nutritionist Business:

• The Ambitious Dietician 
• Charlyn Ooi
• Rachael Hartley Nutrition

Podcasts:

• The Dietitian Success Podcast
• Next Level Nutrition Biz Podcast
• The Unconventional RD Podcast

Certification

• To become a dietitian you need to complete a tertiary level course accredited by DAA.

Digital Nomad Job:

Summed up as a Registered Dietician

If you’re someone who’s already in the healthcare field or considering it, becoming a registered dietician may be for you on your hunt for a digital nomad job. I hope you found everything you learned from Claire valuable and can use the information to assist you in your job search. You can find her over on her instagram here. Alternatively you can visit her website to learn more about her business. 

Stay tuned for the next  post in this series on digital nomad jobs going live where I’ll announce on my Instagram.

xx, christine

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