Living Well (In Style) With Nutritionist Mia Rigden

Rip & Tan: What sparked your initial interest in nutrition? How has your role as a nutritionist evolved over the years? 

Mia Rigden: I always knew that I wanted to work in food, so I went to culinary school in New York after graduating from university. My grandmother studied to be a dietician and was not only a fervent follower of the latest nutrition trends, but she was also an incredible cook. She really sparked my interest in nutrition, and after a handful of years working in restaurant PR in New York, I found myself drawn towards nutrition and fitness, but didn’t want to sacrifice my love for restaurants, food, and flavor. I tried every cleanse and diet there was, but nothing clicked for me.

That’s when I went back to school and my nutrition practice formed. I started as a health coach, then pursued a Master’s in nutrition and integrative health, followed by my board certification. Personally, the more that I have learned about nutrition, the less rigid I’ve become. For me, it’s all about abundance, loving what you eat, and feeling good.

Rip & Tan: What is the overall mission behind RASA?

Mia Rigden: Through my client work, I help people marry the clinical with the practical and find easy, delicious, and satisfying solutions to meeting their health and wellness goals. It’s my belief that healthy eating should be fun, dynamic, and celebratory. This is what excites me about my work. I want my clients to love what they eat and feel great eating it.

Rip & Tan: How do you work to make healthy eating both delicious and exciting?

Mia Rigden: Flavor is nutrition; it is vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients. And, diversity is the key to a healthy diet. Each food has its own nutrient profile, so when we eat more variety of foods, we get more nutrition from our diets.

Rip & Tan: What are some of your go-to tricks for resetting your system? Are there any specific foods we should pay attention to when hoping to detoxify daily?

Mia Rigden: I have a whole foods detox program called The Reset. It’s a 21-day mind, body, soul reboot; an opportunity to reevaluate your relationship with foods you might be dependent on or intolerant to. I do the program once a year, and always learn something new about myself, which I love. 

The body is incredibly efficient at detoxification, we just have to make sure we’re giving it the tools to do its job. Aim to leave 3-4 hours between meals, and eat a large variety of foods, especially fruits, vegetables, and herbs, so you get a variety of nutrients. It’s not necessarily about one magic food, but the entirety of the foods you eat. Hydration, of course, is also important.

Rip & Tan: What tips do you have for someone trying to prioritize their health within an already busy schedule?

Mia Rigden: Try food journaling. You cannot change what you’re not aware of, and bringing more mindfulness to your habits and how they affect other areas of your life can empower you to make a change.

I’ve had all my clients journal for years, but the point is not to count calories or macros, but rather to connect the dots between how you eat and how you live. The Well Journal is a great tool for logging your meals, sleep, exercise, mood, and more to identify patterns you want to continue or break.

Rip & Tan: Tell us a bit about your space. What are a few of your favorite pieces and where did you source them from?

Mia Rigden: Our space is very industrial and storied. It’s been a work-live place in the past; some TV shows were written here, and apparently, it used to house The Artist Formerly Known as Prince’s backup dancers. We’re lucky to have super high ceilings and lots of natural light. 

We have this print that I absolutely love: London 4 Seasons by Tiggy Ticehurst. It has four squares for the four seasons with umbrellas and rain, and we have it next to a sunny window. My husband is English, so it’s a nice reminder of the glorious weather we get in Los Angeles.

Rip & Tan: What does living well mean to you?

Mia Rigden: Feeling good and having fun doing it!

Rip & Tan: How does your home reflect your family’s lifestyle? 

Mia Rigden: My husband and I are both entrepreneurs, so we live and work in this space. We also love to entertain and have friends for dinner, so we make good use of the open floor plan and spacious indoor and outdoor eating areas. Our favorite part of the house might be the playroom of my son’s bedroom. It means we don’t have any toys in the living room (!).

Rip & Tan: Between RASA consultations, recipe development, and spending time with your family, how do you find time for yourself?

Mia Rigden: I make a real effort to prioritize myself. My work requires a lot of listening and problem solving, which I need to be energetic, upbeat, creative, and patient for.

I need to have time to myself so I can serve my clients, and be a good mother, wife, and friend. I workout a lot, do acupuncture weekly, try to hang out with my girlfriends at least one night a week, and am lucky to live within walking distance to the beach, which I try to escape to in between client calls when I can.