Monika Saigal, MS, RD, CEDS-C, CDN (she/her) is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Eating Disorders Specialist, and former professional dancer. In her 17 years in the field, Monika has helped thousands of clients develop more peaceful and nourishing eating habits, improve athletic and artistic performance, and heal their relationship with food and their body.

Monika is passionate about building a dance world that better supports and nurtures dancers’ health and well-being. She has extensive experience providing nutrition counseling to dancers and performing artists in her private practice and working with dance organizations—from small studios to world-renowned schools, conservatories, and companies. Monika currently works with the San Francisco Ballet School and Company and was previously the dietitian for the American Ballet Theatre JKO School and Studio Company for four years. Prior to this, she spent eight years as a member of the Performance Nutrition team at The Juilliard School.

To better address the health needs of dancers, Monika created and regularly delivers the Head to Pointe® Workshop series, which includes workshops for dancers as well as specialized trainings for dance educators, staff, parents, and health professionals. Monika has been featured as a nutrition expert in various dance publications including Dance Magazine and Dance Spirit. She has presented on the prevention and treatment of eating disorders in dancers at multiple academic conferences including the International Conference on Eating Disorders, the Performing Arts Medicine Association International Symposium, and the past five Annual Conferences of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science.

Training, Credentials, & Affiliations
Master of Science in Clinical Nutrition – New York University (NYU)
Dietetic Internship – NYU in affiliation with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Certified Eating Disorders Specialist credential & Approved Consultant designation (CEDS-C) – International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals
Active member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the Behavioral Health Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group (BHN), the Sports and Human Performance Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group (SHPN), the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED), the International Federation of Eating Disorder Dietitians (IFEDD), the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA), and the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS).