Michelle Bacarella, MS, RDN’s unexpected journey into health and fitness led her to a career in nutrition and product development. Despite having a poor diet and limited interest in exercise earlier in life, she discovered a passion for nutrition as an aerobics instructor on an army base. Part of her training in fitness instruction included nutrition–an experience that changed her trajectory.
“It [the nutrition class] talked about how the foods that we eat, how connected they are to how we feel and performance and it was so fascinating,” she said. “I just said, you know, this is for me. I changed my diet and I changed my major to dietetics. I could be sitting in front of a computer all day everyday but instead I get to work with nutrition, which is so much more fun.”
Now, as the head of product development and innovation at NutriFusion, Bacarella leverages her deep knowledge of phytonutrients and formulation expertise to create products that improve people’s quality of life. Her diverse background in fitness, nutrition and product development positions her to understand the important connection between diet, exercise and overall well-being.
Bacarella said she is motivated by the ability to make a positive impact by sharing her knowledge and helping others improve their well-being through better dietary choices.
“Being able to help someone in that little, just a small way, it’s really a blessing, and that’s what keeps me motivated,” she said.
