Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Kyla Gavlin and I am the in-house Registered Dietitian at Remedy Health & Wellness Store.

From an early age, I have always loved food. In fact, some of my earliest memories are making pizza from scratch every Friday night with my mom. I loved every flavor combination from sweet and salty to fresh and savory. I loved going out to eat and trying new foods at restaurants. I remember trying Persian food when I was seven and discovered new foods like hummus. I was not a picky eater and would eat everything, which eventually caught up with me.

Due to my love of food and my general lack of interest in sports, I found that I was bigger than other kids my age. For the most part, I wasn’t bothered by my size except when I couldn’t shop at Limited Too or Delia’s like the other girls my age. As a kid, it’s hard to be different. And it’s hard to be laughed at by other kids.

The worst feeling? Being called fat by other students.

I remember during a school field trip to a play, I was dressed up in an outfit I was really excited about. I felt confident and pretty in my charcoal gray sweater and black skirt as I walked into school. That bubble quickly popped when another girl said: “Your skirt is too short...for a FAT girl!” I felt humiliated, embarrassed, and ashamed.

Comments like this followed throughout my childhood.

One summer, my mom joined Weight Watchers and I loosely followed her program. At the age of 13, I lost over 20 pounds! And for the first time in my life, I was called thin. I felt like I fit in. I felt truly confident in my appearance and appreciated the attention I received from other students when I came back to school that fall.

Through my own weight loss experiences, I had developed an interest in nutrition and health. I took up running regularly and finally found an exercise that I loved. I loved the feeling of running and how meditative it was for me. I ran my first half marathon going into my senior year of high school and became hooked on endurance running. That same year, I decided that a career in nutrition was the field for me. In the fall of 2008, I started college at Saint Louis University seeking a degree in nutrition and dietetics.

Even though I was a nutrition and dietetics major, I was still a normal college kid experiencing life on my own for the first time. While running helped me stay on the leaner side, I was still drinking on the weekends and getting the munchies with my friends after a night out. You know, like a regular college student.

Eventually, I developed an overuse injury from running and had to back off from physical activity. For the first time in years, I was inactive, which is dangerous for a college student, especially one with a history of overeating. I was still eating the same amount of food from when I was marathon training and as a result, I gained weight. Feelings I hadn’t felt in years came flooding back and I felt like that same girl who was called too fat for her skirt.

My weight stayed stable for a few years until I started grad school at Saint Louis University. Graduate school was challenging enough, but it was even more difficult trying to maintain healthy habits. I was stressed from the rigorous coursework as well as personally dealing with family health issues (my father and brother were both diagnosed with cancer 6 weeks apart from each other). When you’re down and life is kicking sand in your face, pizza is the only logical food, not salad and veggies.

During that time, I felt like I was just trying to keep myself from drowning. The emotional stress amounted in unintentional weight gain. I was still running but found myself burnt out after my last marathon in 2015. It was during this time, when I was emotionally checked out, that I started powerlifting. I discovered a passion for lifting heavy weights and a fire was lit from within. I felt strong, powerful, and appreciated my body for what it could achieve.

In the summer of 2016, I moved to Asheville and decided it was time to lose the weight I had carried over the past few years. Since the summer of 2016, I have lost roughly 20 pounds and maintained my weight. I have competed in powerlifting meets, tried Crossfit and other interval training workouts, hiked, enjoyed some delicious southern cooking, and fell in love with western North Carolina.

I feel the best I have ever felt. Let me tell you, it’s amazing to feel comfortable in my own skin.

You might wonder why I shared all of this. The reason is, I am like you. I have been through it all; from weight loss to weight gain, and back again.I have run marathons, half marathons, mud runs, joined a gym and started lifting.

Remedy Now Offers Nutrition Coaching in Asheville and Hendersonville!

I am pleased to tell you that Remedy Health and Wellness is now offering nutrition services.

We offer:

• One on one coaching
• Group health challenges
• Nutrition classes
• 20 minute consult that will help you identify practices you can start implementing today.

This 20 minute consultation is at no cost to you

I promise to deliver the best customized nutrition coaching tailored to fit YOU. No templates, crummy diets, fads or unhealthy meal plans. Work with me and let me help YOU live your best life.

Cheers to wellness!

Kyla Gavlin, MS, RD, LDN

M.S. Nutrition and Dietetics from Saint Louis University

B.S. Nutrition and Dietetics from Saint Louis University

Licensed Dietitian and Nutritionist

How to Sign Up

If you have a question about nutrition, or how we can specifically help you, reach out to me via the Contact Us form