My Purpose, Dancing!

     There were multiple factors that sparked my interest in nutrition, but the greatest influence was my passion for dance. I have always loved dancing. I have been taking dance lessons for 12 years, and have danced competitively for almost ten. What started as a hobby clogging with a local group for recreation turned into a taking classes multiple times a week, practicing, competing and performing year-round. As I became more serious with Irish dance in the past few years I found that I was unable to keep up in class if I had eaten poorly that day or didn’t have enough good food to fuel my body. This in turn affected how I improved, which had an impact on my placement at competitions. I quickly traded a snack of a sugary granola bar for nuts, carrots and hummus. 

​The power of food as fuel intrigued me and I began looking into careers in food science. I soon found dietetics was offered as a coordinated program at the University of Missouri-Columbia and knew it was the major for me. I am on track to apply for the program next winter as a sophomore,  graduate by 2024 with a master’s degree, and begin my practice as a registered dietitian. Because I love food and learning about the way it impacts not only my performance but also my overall physical, mental, and emotional health, I am determined to share the importance of proper nutrition with anyone who is willing to listen. 

    My purpose may stem from dancing, but yours could look very different. Maybe you love playing sports, running, biking, or even just leading a healthy lifestyle where you enjoy being active.  Not only does proper nutrition impact your physical health, but it can boost your mood and outlook in positive ways that are crucial for living a happy, healthy, and well-rounded life. So with that, I encourage you to find your purpose, feed your passion, and enjoy the endless benefits that a proper diet has to offer! 

​-Ashley Voeller is a college student, future dietitian, dancer and blogger