But first, Pivot.

Danielle Rancourt, RD
  • 4.7 (30)
  • Nutrition
  • Updated Weekly

I’m Dani Rancourt, registered dietitian, certified sports dietitian, and founder of Pivot Nutrition Coaching. In But First, Pivot, we cut through diet culture and break down what actually works for sustainable fat loss, better nutrition, and a healthier relationship with food. You’ll hear real client success stories, practical nutrition strategies, and honest conversations about mindset, metabolism, and long-term weight maintenance. If you’re tired of starting over every Monday and want a realistic approach to nutrition that actually fits your life — this podcast is for you.

  1. 14h ago

    Episode 98: From 3 Minutes to 3 Miles: Kristen's Inspiring 60-lb Transformation

    One year ago, Kristen struggled just to walk from her car into work. She needed help with everyday chores, constantly thought about food, and felt trapped in a cycle of guilt, binge eating, and starting over. Her doctor recommended a GLP-1 medication, but Kristen decided she wanted to invest in building lifelong habits and improving her relationship with food. Fast forward one year... Kristen is down nearly 60 pounds, completed her first 5K, goes to the gym regularly, and says she has a running list of all the everyday things she can do now that she once took for granted. In this emotional conversation, Kristen sits down with her dietitian, Sam, and Pivot founder Danielle to share what really changed over the last year. They discuss food noise, binge eating, mindset shifts, sustainable habits, and why this journey became about so much more than the number on the scale. In this episode, we discuss: Kristen's life before coaching and the moment she knew she needed help What food noise and binge eating felt like The mindset shifts that changed her relationship with food Why she chose Pivot over a GLP-1 medication How she lost her first 40 pounds in less than six months The non-scale victories that mattered more than weight loss Advice for anyone who's waiting for the "perfect time" to start If you don't recognize yourself or feel like you've been trying to lose weight "for as long as you can remember," this episode is for you.

  2. Jul 24

    Episode 97: She Thought She Was Doing Everything Right…Arissa's Success Story

    "I'm doing everything right... why isn't anything working?" That's exactly how Arissa felt when she reached out. In this client success story, Dani sits down with Arissa to discuss how one nutrition consult helped her get unstuck and transform her relationship with food. Just two months later, Arissa is down 10 pounds, feels stronger, has a healthier mindset around food, and even enjoyed her first vacation without gaining weight. In this episode, we discuss: Arissa's experience with the Whole30 diet and why it wasn't sustainable The simple habits that made the biggest difference How food tracking became a learning tool instead of a punishment The mindset shift that helped her stop making excuses and stay consistent The donut story that perfectly captures what food freedom feels like How she enjoyed pizza, ice cream, and piña coladas on vacation while staying on track If you've been feeling stuck and wondering why your hard work isn't paying off, maybe it's time to get some answers. Sometimes it only takes one conversation with the right person to identify what's missing and help you start seeing results. Host: Danielle Rancourt, MS, RD, CSSD, LD Founder, CEO & Lead Dietitian, Pivot Nutrition Coaching Connect with Dani: https://www.instagram.com/dani_the_rd/ https://pivotnutritioncoaching.com/

  3. Jul 11

    Episode 96: Behind the Scenes: What Dietitians Actually Do on Vacation

    Ever wonder what a dietitian's habits actually look like on vacation? You might picture us ordering grilled chicken salads and drinking water all weekend. Spoiler alert... that's not what happened. In this episode, Pivot Dietitians Danielle and Sam give you a behind-the-scenes look at how dietitians eat, move, and make food decisions while away from home. No food rules, no calorie counting, and no "cheat days", just realistic habits that make healthy eating feel effortless, even on vacation. In this episode, we discuss: Simple ways to stay consistent while traveling How dietitians approach restaurants, snacks, and treats Common habits that make healthy eating feel effortless A surprising portion-size experiment that might change how you look at serving sizes The mindset shift that helps you enjoy vacations without guilt How to build habits that stick through every season of life The biggest takeaway? You really can have your cake and eat it too. You can work toward your health and weight loss goals while still enjoying drinks, donuts, French fries, and vacations. Lasting results don't come from being perfect. They come from building habits that fit into real life, no matter the season. That's the difference between constantly starting over and creating a lifestyle you can actually maintain. Host: Danielle Rancourt, MS, RD, CSSD, LD Founder, CEO & Lead Dietitian, Pivot Nutrition Coaching Connect with Dani: https://www.instagram.com/dani_the_rd/ https://pivotnutritioncoaching.com/ Co-Host: Samantha Ferguson, MS, RD Connect with Sam: https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_samferg/

  4. Jun 19

    Episode 95: We Tracked Our Food for a Week... and Even Dietitians Underestimate Their Calories

    Think you're eating a certain amount of calories each day? You might be surprised. In this episode, Pivot dietitians Danielle and Sarah share what happened when they tracked their food for over a week for the first time since becoming moms. From random bites while cooking to finishing toddler leftovers, they quickly realized those little things add up, especially when your focus is elsewhere. In this episode, we discuss: • Why awareness is the first step to change • The difference between what people think they eat and what they actually eat • How tracking improved Dani's relationship with food • Why tracking doesn't have to lead to restriction or obsession • Practical tips for tracking more accurately as a busy parent If you've ever felt frustrated because you're putting in effort but not seeing results, this episode is for you. Our hope is that you'll walk away realizing that awareness isn't about judgment, it's about gathering information. When you understand your habits, you can stop guessing, stop starting over every Monday, and start making decisions based on facts instead of assumptions. Sometimes the most powerful changes come from simply paying attention.

  5. May 15

    Episode 94: She Lost 33 Pounds…Then Stopped Trying to Lose Weight

    In this episode, Danielle sits down with Pivot client Sarah to share one of the most refreshing weight loss success stories you’ll hear. Sarah is a mom of two boys and former physique competitor who spent years trapped in all-or-nothing dieting, restrictive meal plans, binge/restrict cycles, and believing she always needed to push harder to be successful. After losing 33 pounds through sustainable nutrition coaching, improving her relationship with food, and building a workout routine she genuinely enjoys, Sarah was preparing for another fat loss phase… until she realized something surprising: She didn’t actually WANT to be dieting anymore. Together, Danielle and Sarah talk about: how bodybuilding impacted Sarah’s mindset around food and exercise the emotional toll of restrictive dieting binge eating, food obsession, and starting over every Monday why sustainable weight loss feels different learning to enjoy movement again tracking breaks, flexibility, and food freedom why maintenance is NOT failure and the powerful realization that health should make your life bigger, not smaller If you’ve ever felt exhausted by constantly trying to shrink yourself, this episode is for you. Mentioned in this episode: E82 - How Jess lost over 50 lbs without feeling restricted: https://podcast.pivotnutritioncoaching.com/82 Host: Danielle Rancourt, MS, RD, CSSD, LD Founder, CEO & Lead Dietitian, Pivot Nutrition Coaching Connect with Dani: https://www.instagram.com/dani_the_rd/ https://pivotnutritioncoaching.com/

  6. Apr 17

    Episode 93: We Ate 1200 Calories for a Day… That Was Long Enough

    Someone once told me, ‘I’ve been eating 1200 calories for 2 years and I’m not losing weight!’” That statement sparked this entire episode. As dietitians, we hear this all the time—so Sam and I decided to put it to the test. We each followed a fully planned, measured 1200-calorie day to see what it actually feels like—physically and mentally. What we found wasn’t just hunger. It was constant food thoughts, a scarcity mindset before the day even started, and already thinking about what to eat next before the day was even over. In this episode, we break down: Why 1200 calories is nearly impossible to hit consistently without strict planning What it actually feels like to eat that little (physically + mentally) How “food noise” increases when you’re under-eating The “last supper” and “I earned this” mindset that leads to overeating Why volume eating only goes so far How this cycle keeps people stuck (restrict → overeat → repeat) We also share exactly what we ate, how we felt throughout the day, and why eating as much as possible (while still in a deficit) is key for sustainable fat loss. If you’ve ever felt stuck, frustrated, or like “nothing is working”… this episode will give you a whole new perspective. Host: Danielle Rancourt, MS, RD, CSSD, LD Founder, CEO & Lead Dietitian, Pivot Nutrition Coaching Connect with Dani: https://www.instagram.com/dani_the_rd/ https://pivotnutritioncoaching.com/ Co-Host: Samantha Ferguson, MS, RD https://www.instagram.com/dietitian_samferg/

  7. Apr 3

    Episode 92: The Mental Load & Mom Guilt: How to Lighten the Load

    Do you feel like you’re doing everything at home and still feeling guilty taking time for yourself? In this episode, Danielle sits down with relationship identity coach Nicole Carney to talk about over-functioning, the mental load, and mom guilt — and how these patterns are keeping so many women stuck, exhausted, and overwhelmed. We dive into: what the “mental load” actually is (and why it’s so exhausting) why moms feel guilty taking time for themselves how to start shifting that dynamic without nagging or creating conflict We also talk about how to get your partner more involved in a way that actually feels supportive (not forced), and why taking care of yourself isn’t selfish… it’s necessary. If you’ve ever felt like you’re carrying the load and have 100 tabs open in your brain, this episode is for you. Learn more about Nicole’s program, The Good Wife Detox (and get $20 off with code PIVOT): https://nicolelynne.co/good-wife-detox Host: Danielle Rancourt, MS, RD, CSSD, LD Founder, CEO & Lead Dietitian, Pivot Nutrition Coaching Connect with Dani: https://www.instagram.com/dani_the_rd/ https://pivotnutritioncoaching.com/

  8. Mar 20

    Episode 91: From Food Fear to Food Freedom: When “Healthy Eating” Goes Too Far (A Mother-Daughter Story)

    This episode is a really special one. I’m joined by a mom and daughter I’ve had the privilege of working with over the past year: Kristen and Brooklyn. Brooklyn is a middle school athlete, and her story is one I know so many families are going to relate to. One year ago, Kristen was working out listening to a podcast I was a guest on… and something just clicked. As she listened, she thought, “This is exactly what Brooklyn is going through… and maybe this is what she needs.” At the time, Brooklyn was severely restricting. She was only eating “healthy” foods, counting calories, losing weight… and had lost her period. As a mom, Kristen knew something was wrong, but didn’t know what to do. In this episode, Kristen and Brooklyn share their full story — from how it started, to the early warning signs, to the turning points that changed everything. We talk about: • How “clean eating” can quietly turn into under-fueling • The pressure from social media and body image • What it actually feels like to have constant food noise • The fear of eating more and gaining weight • The moment Brooklyn got her period back (we all cried) • And what life looks like now — eating pizza, going out with friends, and feeling free around food again This episode is for moms, athletes, and anyone who feels stuck in food rules or chasing the “perfect” body. Because what looks healthy on the outside… isn’t always what’s going on inside. And the goal isn’t just to eat more — it’s to feel free around food again.

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Ratings & Reviews

4.7
out of 5
30 Ratings

About

I’m Dani Rancourt, registered dietitian, certified sports dietitian, and founder of Pivot Nutrition Coaching. In But First, Pivot, we cut through diet culture and break down what actually works for sustainable fat loss, better nutrition, and a healthier relationship with food. You’ll hear real client success stories, practical nutrition strategies, and honest conversations about mindset, metabolism, and long-term weight maintenance. If you’re tired of starting over every Monday and want a realistic approach to nutrition that actually fits your life — this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Danielle Rancourt, RD
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    98
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Pivot Nutrition Coaching
  • Show Website
    But first, Pivot.

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