Meet the Dietitian: Georgia McArtney

In the fifth edition of Meet the Dietitian, we got to ~virtually~ sit down with the awesome Georgia McArtney, MS, RD, LD. With experience in partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient, and outpatient eating disorder treatment, she works to apply evidence-based practice to help clients with eating disorders find lasting recovery. Georgia’s approach to nutrition follows the Health At Every Size, Intuitive Eating, and All Foods Fit framework.

Read on to learn more about Georgia!

1. What’s your favorite food today? What was your favorite as a kid?

I would have to say pizza because it’s endlessly customizable, you can share it with others, it’s easy to make and so tasty! There are so many ways to prepare it, some of my favorite toppings are goat cheese or feta, pesto, sausage and kale.

As a kid my favorite food was pizza too because my family had a weekly pizza and movie night. I also have a fond memory of always enjoying my mum’s spaghetti bolognese, so that is in the running too.

2. Where are you from? What is your favorite thing about that place?

This question is always hard to answer for me because I’ve moved so much throughout my life. I was born in Ohio, but my family is originally from New Zealand and I lived back in NZ for a while before I moved to North Carolina as a kid. I stayed in NC until I went to college in Nashville for my undergraduate degree, then moved to Chicago to pursue my Masters in Nutrition.

If I would have to pick one place, I would say New Zealand is my home land, but I don’t really tie my identity to a certain place, I think each of them have shaped me in different ways.

My favorite thing about New Zealand is that they have a laid back, slow and easy going pace of life. The culture there is very outdoor-centric, the weather is great and I love how easy it is to travel to the beach or the mountains all in the same day!

3. How did you become interested in nutrition?

I grew up in a family that was centered around food and a love for cooking. My mum especially loved cooking and worked in the food industry. My dad worked in agriculture and mainly focused on studying fruits. So when it came to deciding what career I wanted to pursue, I was influenced by my love for food and I knew that I liked healthcare, talking with people, and building relationships. I found that becoming a dietitian was an excellent way to combine all of those passions together.

4. What brings you joy in your daily life?

In this present moment my garden brings me the most joy. I’m growing some flowers, herbs, and lettuces. It’s nothing massive but it feels so exciting & rewarding to grow something, especially when it stays alive! I love using my fresh herbs for cooking and cocktails.

5. Are you a dog person or a cat person?

I am definitely a dog person but I wouldn’t say that I hate cats.

I think dogs are a lot more friendly and cuddly. Also they are a great way to meet people because they are social animals. As for cats, I am a bit allergic to them so I tend to stay away. I think they can sense my hesitancy towards them and they give me more attention because of it!

6. Tea or Coffee?

I am more of a coffee person, I don’t drink it everyday, and I hate to say that I’m a coffee snob but I really only drink espresso. One of my favorite things to do is go to a coffee shop and have a nice cappuccino or flat white.

I’m an oddball in my family because drinking tea is a big thing in New Zealand, and my family drinks a whole lot of it but I just think it’s boring!

I really enjoy being a dietitian and can’t imagine choosing a different career! Traveling more has always been a big aspiration of mine.  Telehealth is very accessible now so living somewhere else while continuing my RD work is an idea I’ve tossed around. Working in another country is exciting but there can be a language barrier so my ‘wish list’ of places to live and work is: Ireland, New Zealand, and maybe Canada.

7. Do you have other aspirations outside of being a dietitian?

I really enjoy being a dietitian and can’t imagine choosing a different career! Traveling more has always been a big aspiration of mine.  Telehealth is very accessible now so living somewhere else while continuing my RD work is an idea I’ve tossed around. Working in another country is exciting but there can be a language barrier so my ‘wish list’ of places to live and work is: Ireland, New Zealand, and maybe Canada.

8. What is the most valuable thing you’ve learned… In life? And as an RD?

One of my top values is honesty. When I was younger it was hard to be up front with others because it’s easier to tell people what they want to hear out of fear of wanting others to like me. So one of the most valuable things I’ve learned is to not live my life based on what other people think but rather to honor my own values. This helps me feel more fulfilled and content than working for others approval!

As an RD I’ve really developed an appreciation for the value of listening. Truly listening to my clients helps me to be a better provider, it increases empathy, compassion and understanding. It’s so important and helps you learn more– not just with my clients but in life in general.

Bonus Question: How did she get into this part of the field?

Partly through my undergrad while I was studying nutrition, I got to a point where I was fed up with all of the pressure of weight stigma and diet shaming that are present in the field. I would just think about my future self sitting down with clients having these harmful conversations and I didn’t want to do that to people.

When I found out about intuitive eating, I knew this was the right place for me. The emphasis on making peace with food and letting your intuition guide your food choice made sense to me. And through this lens of intuitive eating, more realistic goals can be set instead of goals that harm the relationship people hold with food and their bodies.

Interested in working with Georgia? Click here to schedule a discovery call!