GET TO KNOW ...
JIM WHITE
Rising Up and Giving Back in Fitness
and Nutrition
By Lindsey Getz
As the owner of three successful fitness and nutrition stu-
dios, three MNT offices, a corporate wellness company, a
restaurant consulting firm, and a thriving nonprofit—among
so many other accomplishments—it’s almost impossible to
imagine a time when Jim White, RDN, ACSM EX-P, wasn’t suc-
cessful. But he’s the first to admit that all of his success grew
from humble beginnings—a dream and $400 in his pocket.
Even in college, while pursuing a degree in dietetics, White
can remember being told he was a “dreamer” and that those
dreams weren’t realistic. But White was determined to see
them come to fruition—and they certainly have.
That same drive and motivation was emerging decades
earlier when White was a self-titled “135-lb weakling”
who played sports but “got pushed around a lot.” Through
leaning on his two brothers—one a marathon runner and
another a body builder—for advice, White ended up gain-
ing 40 lbs of muscle. As his energy and confidence soared,
both also ignited a passion in him that he was determined to
transform into a career.
After graduating from Youngstown State University with
his bachelor’s in dietetics, White moved to Virginia Beach with
that $400 cash and a big dream to start a business. He began
offering dietetics counseling services and personal training
and, in 2005, opened his first gym. Today, Jim White Fitness &
Nutrition Studios has three locations, and, as an entrepreneur
at heart, White has gone on to create Jim White Medical Nutri-
tion Therapy, Jim White Restaurant Program, and Jim White
Workplace Wellness.
In addition, White sits on several advisory boards, regu-
larly contributes media content to print, radio, and television
outlets, and is a former Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
spokesperson. He also commits a large amount of his time
to professional speaking. At press time, he was scheduled
to speak in 10 different states in the next six months. White
has won dozens of accolades and awards, but he points to his
nonprofit, Lift Fitness Foundation, which serves the nutri-
tion and fitness needs of homeless populations, as one of his
greatest accomplishments.
White resides in Virginia Beach with his wife, Krista, their
daughter, Ava, and their dog, Flex, and the couple has another
daughter on the way. Being so busy with work, White says
that he cherishes family time wholeheartedly; his favorite way
to spend a weekend is going to church, enjoying brunch, and
spending time at the beach.Today’s Dietitian (TD): There are many gyms out there; is
nutrition the differentiator in your fitness business?
White: Absolutely. In fact, about five years into the business we
added the word Nutrition into our name. It used to just be Jim
White Fitness Studios, but we realized that many people were
coming in for nutrition. So, we re-did all of our marketing and
branding, even though that was quite expensive. But nutrition
is the game changer and all the sayings are true—you can’t
train a bad diet, you are what you eat, and you can’t outrun a
bad diet. We recognize that the nutrition aspect of what we do
is what is helping get people the results they desire.TD: How do you fit nutrition into your fitness services?
White: We require that every person that comes in our doors
sees an RDN. Since we know how important nutrition is in our
clients’ lives, we incorporate it into every fitness package. We
offer nutrition boot camps, grocery store tours, cupboard clean
outs, nutrition kitchen makeovers, telehealth, virtual health,
and in-person consulting. We also accept all major health
insurances for medical nutrition therapy. This has helped us to
transform the lives of so many in our last 15 years of business.TD: What is your nutrition and fitness philosophy?
White: Our nutrition programs are based on science, not
sensationalism. They are results focused and easy to follow.
We take a holistic, tailored approach and use motivational
interviewing to meet clients where they are. We are partners
in their health, and we take that seriously. We use technology
such as fitness and nutrition charting and progress apps to
help increase adherence. We offer meal plans and nutrition
advice that will help them reach their goals. It’s not all about
their weight loss; we also focus on body measurements, sleep,52 today’s dietitian august 2019