The Instagram vs Reality
I post the sunrise over Indian Creek. I do not post the 3 AM alarm when the wind tried to flip my tent, or the hour I spent looking for cell service to join a client nutrition call.
Being a professional climber who also runs a dietitian practice means my life is a constant negotiation between two things that both demand full commitment. Neither one pays enough on its own. Together, they make a life I love — but it takes serious logistics.
A Typical Week
When I am on a climbing trip, a typical day looks something like this:
- 5:30 AM: Wake up, morning routine in whatever passes for a bathroom
- 6:00 AM: Breakfast and coffee (non-negotiable, even at a bivy ledge)
- 6:30 - 12:00: Climb. This is the main event.
- 12:30 PM: Lunch, usually at the crag or in the van
- 1:00 - 4:00 PM: Client calls, meal plan reviews, content creation for the dietitian side
- 4:30 PM: Second session if energy allows, or approach scouting for tomorrow
- 6:00 PM: Dinner — this is where I practice what I preach
- 8:00 PM: Journaling, route reading, sleep
What Makes It Work
Three things keep this lifestyle sustainable:
- Ruthless prioritization. I cannot do everything. I have to choose what matters most each week and let the rest go.
- Nutrition as a non-negotiable. When everything else is chaotic, eating well is the one thing I can control. It is also the thing that makes everything else possible.
- Community. Climbing partners who understand when I need to take a call. Clients who think it is cool that their dietitian is hanging off a cliff. A support system that gets the weirdness of this life.
Would I Change It?
Not a single thing. Well — maybe I would change the part where my van heater broke in November in Bishop. That I would change.
But the rest of it — the early mornings, the dual careers, the constant motion — it all adds up to a life where I get to help people fuel their potential while chasing my own. That is a pretty good deal.
