Introducing Dr. Tiffany Breeding, PhD, CSCS – Health & Human Performance Expert

Anita Jones-Mueller, CEO of Healthy Dining interviews Dr. Tiffany Breeding

"If you're not consuming the right combinations of high-quality fuel, then you're not going to get the results you want. You've got to dial in on the nutrition." - Tiffany Breeding, Ph.D., Health & Human Performance Expert

Anita Jones-Mueller, MPH: I'm thrilled to introduce you to Dr. Tiffany Breeding – she goes by Dr. Tiff. I'm so impressed with her and I know you will be too!

Dr. Tiff has a Ph.D. in Human Performance and Sport Psychology, a master's degree in Kinesiology, and a bachelor's degree in Psychology. And to top all that off, she has her Fitness Nutrition Specialization certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

So, Dr. Tiff is well educated to give us all some great advice! Dr. Tiff, tell us about your work – which I know you have a strong passion for.

Tiffany Breeding, PhD: Thanks! Yes, I've been working with many competitive athletes and executive teams. And as I got more into the coaching element, not only with athletes but also in the corporate environment, I started to realize how much of the foundation for everything – from mental, physical, and emotional energy – is grounded in nutrition. I mean, what we're feeding our bodies and the quality of that food is so important. It's like the car analogy of putting premium gas in the tank versus regular. It's all about the quality of the energy we consume and how that impacts our performance.

I've always been highly interested in what fuels performance and how people can step on a stage or on a court or a field and put forth the highest level of performance. And so, my passion for competition and helping people push to their limits allows me to love what I do by seeing people grow and thrive and – win!

I like to win! And I want to help other people win – whatever their journey is.

Anita Jones-Mueller, MPH: I love that! We all want to perform at our best - even if we are not on a stage or competing in sports. We may be sitting at a desk for work, chasing after little ones – or any other scenario in living life. What we eat makes all the difference in how we feel and perform.

You have such an impressive education and background. What was your inspiration?

Tiffany Breeding, PhD: For me, it really goes back to growing up. I was a competitive athlete from the time I was 12. I started playing competitive soccer and traveling for softball, and it was just one season to another and another. And so, when I started college, I knew I wanted to do something in sports and was envisioning a sports medicine path. But I ended up going into more of a psychology realm, and that kind of snowballed into performance psychology. Then I went on to get my master's in Kinesiology.

Once I finished my master's, I decided to pursue a Ph.D. in health and human performance. That's when I brought the nutrition and the exercise science pieces together. I felt like my Ph.D. really broadened my reach to fuse the two, so the mental and the physical aspects of performance. And I've found it invaluable because when we talk about behavior change of any type, so much of that is mental, the mindset of it. And if you're not consuming the right combinations of high-quality fuel, then you're not going to get the results you want. You've got to dial in on the nutrition.

Anita Jones-Mueller, MPH: That is truly a great Masters and Doctorate combination! I'm so thankful to have you share your expertise with our MyMenu members.

Dr. Tiff, we are looking forward to your advice and expertise as we all move through this journey to EAT to be at our very best!

In the next few interviews with Dr. Tiff, you will learn the why and how-to for setting your macronutrient targets. For those who already have macro targets, you'll discover the next step – the true secret to fully reaching your best health – by setting and achieving your micronutrient targets! And, we will be showing you how to identify and set up your macro and micronutrient targets as a MyMenu Concierge Member.