Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly McGrath, PhD, CISSN.
Hi Kimberly, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Food is POWERFUL, and we can make it work for us! Nutrition is often the missing piece for fitness enthusiasts and athletes alike to feel their best and fully realize their goals. My passion is to provide people with the nutrition strategy and support to unlock their performance, physique, and well-being. The best part of my work is seeing my clients achieve what they never thought possible.
Immediately following my PhD and MBA, I jumped directly into corporate roles as a scientist and then into international business development in renewable energy technology. With constant travel and limited time for sleep and activity, I was perpetually drained of energy and dissatisfied with the way I felt about myself. It seemed impossible to create a balance between work, eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and finding ways to stay active.
I knew changes were necessary – and that these changes had to be practical within the breakneck pace of my life. Leveraging my research background and integrating my experience of the habits of high-functioning business organizations, I dedicated myself to the study of sports nutrition and the science of habit formation. Through this personal development, I dropped about 40 lb. of fat and became a competitive endurance and strength athlete. I fell in love with the transformational process and knew I wanted to transition my career to help others achieve their health and fitness goals. Recognizing that nutrition isn’t one size fits all, I developed a highly customizable strategy to identify an individual client’s “way” – specific nutrition and lifestyle habits most effective for them – thus the name of my company “Modus Energy.”
The last year has arguably have been the most rewarding of my life. I start every day reminded of how much I love what I do when I hear from clients – perhaps it’s a new personal best in the gym, feeling better about their body, or simply the ability to get better sleep.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It absolutely hasn’t been smooth, but each hurdle has been an opportunity to improve. Within the business, one of the biggest struggles is the onslaught of new supplements, diet fads, and misinterpretation/misrepresentation of nutrition research. Navigating the landscape of confusing and often contradictory information can be overwhelming. At best, it confuses people about making dietary choices in their best interest, and at worse, takes large amounts of money out of their pocket for no benefit. I spend a lot of time weeding through “marketing noise.” I do enjoy problem-solving – one of my favorite activities with clients is designing simple and satisfying recipes that work within their nutrition plans and preferences.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a personal nutrition and performance habits coach, translating proven strategies into meaningful plans and actions. Whether your goal is to shed fat, get stronger, build muscle, or improve performance, we act as a team dedicated to your success. My clients span from athletes seeking peak performance in their sport, business leaders, moms and dads, and those simply looking to build a strong foundation at the start of their health journey. Modus (Latin) means “the way by which something is done.” Through the coaching process, we establish your nutrition strategy based on your goals, requirements, and life circumstances.
I hold a PhD in Chemistry, an MBA and am certified by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (CISSN). My combined background of technical research and applied practice means I can empower you with information – the deep “why”. I closely monitor scientific developments in nutrition and apply the best of the best in practice. Whether you are an omnivore, vegetarian, or vegan, your nutrition “way” is tailored to you. You will gain a powerful understanding on how different foods are contributing to your needs, explore new foods, learn to be time-efficient with cooking, and establish healthy habits that will support your progress. I do not provide meal plans nor meal prep services.
I’m most proud of the core values of my practice which I live by:
1) We establish an environment of trust and maintain open dialogue. I work with a limited number of clients to achieve a stronger level of individual engagement and focus. I explore your purpose and behaviors to refine a nutrition strategy which enables your adherence. This is a the key driver for sustainable success.
2) As your nutrition coach, a core part of my role is as an educator. I empower you with information to be able to make informed decisions about your nutrition. This is a skill set that will carry through the rest of your life.
3) I am here to hold you accountable to meeting your goals and becoming more self-aware of your needs. Experience sharing and self-reflection is a powerful tool for building awareness around our bodies, and how we feel.
4) Your nutrition plan is based on best practices of nutrition science and proven nutrition strategy. Your best interests are my best interests.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I’m fortunate to have an incredible family who supported my career transition and have several mentors who I rely on to get candid feedback, question my assumptions, and help me look at a problem from another angle.
My clients deserve the credit for the amazing growth of my business. Most of my clients have been referred from other clients – their success is my success! People around them notice changes and start to ask questions, and I appreciate them sharing their journey and firsthand experience with others.
Contact Info:
- Email: kim@modus-energy.com
- Website: www.modus-energy.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kmcgrath.phd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1modusenergy
Image Credits:
Headshot photo credit: Gretchen Otero Photography
