In Lane 9 with ultra-runner and adventure athlete Abby Chan, MS, RDT, RYT
Abby is the co-owner of EVOLVE Flagstaff, an integrative practice and in-person space. And part of the Lane 9 Directory!
We’ve built a national directory of women’s health and sport clinicians for our Lane 9 community of athletes. Abby Chan was one of the first dietitians to join us!
Abby Chan, MS, RDN, RYT (she/her) is a Flagstaff-based weight-inclusive Registered Dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition, eating disorders, and helping her clients re-establish their relationship to food and movement to find more peace in their relationship with food and their bodies.
If you’ve been to Flagstaff, you’ve probably seen Abby out running or cycling on the trails with her dogs, or maybe you’ve joined her for a yoga class! She’s also an entrepreneur, and has created a unique space for athletes in the community.
She is the co-owner of EVOLVE Flagstaff, an integrative practice that focuses on nutrition therapy, physical therapy, injury prevention and rehabilitation, and strength training, to help you do what you love, for life. Learn more about her below!
How did you fall in love with all the sports you engage in (cycling/running/skiing)? What makes you stick with it?
Growing up, we were always outside. Some of my best memories are biking and skiing with my family. When we were little, my brother and I built a pump track in our backyard and spent hours shaping berms, building jumps, and racing each other in time trials.
I started dancing in elementary school and continued competitively through high school. Dance was the first movement practice that felt entirely mine—it allowed me to explore how my body moved and became an essential emotional outlet.
In high school, I also began running for conditioning and as a way to get out of the house. Looking back, I can see that my “dedication” to training was also fueling an eating disorder, which led to years of injuries.
I have so much compassion for my younger self; she was struggling in silence for a long time.
That “younger me” is part of what keeps me coming back to sport—but now with a completely different mindset. Being outside, whether biking, running, or skiing, is how I get to experience my body and work with it instead of against it. I love the communities I have built through movement, and I’ve built so many meaningful friendships through sport.
What is the biggest lesson athletics has taught you?
That I can do so much more than I think I’m capable of.
Has being an endurance athlete impacted your relationship with food? If so, how?
Yes. I started racing mountain bikes in my early twenties, which was also during the early stages of my eating disorder recovery. Long hours on the bike quickly showed me just how much my body needed in order to perform. I realized that restricting food would only hold me back from being outside and doing the sport I loved.
Now, I’m deeply grateful for every minute I get to spend outside. I don’t think I could feel this same sense of freedom in my body if I were still in the thick of my eating disorder.
Have you ever experienced REDs, disordered eating, or had an eating disorder?
Yes. It was unfortunately a big part of my story—and part of the reason I became a dietitian who works specifically in this field. It’s frustrating that so many people still believe eating disorders are about thinness or wanting to look a certain way. In reality, they are often about seeking a (false) sense of safety and control. They can become something we pour our energy and time into when we don’t yet have the tools or resources to address the root of what’s really going on, especially when everything else feels too overwhelming or painful to face.
While I wish nobody had to experience disordered eating or an eating disorder, recovery taught me to stop covering up the deeper issues I needed to confront. It showed me how to create a genuine sense of safety within myself and my body.
While I wish nobody had to experience disordered eating or an eating disorder, recovery taught me to stop covering up the deeper issues I needed to confront.
What’s your nutrition pet peeve, and can you debunk it for us?
I can only choose one? (Jk… sort of.)
CARBS ARE FRIENDS, NOT FOES!
We’ve become obsessed with “low-carb” everything and adding protein to anything that will hold still. Don’t get me wrong, protein is essential—but it drives me bananas when I see an athlete spending hundreds of dollars on “recovery” via supplements, red light therapy, saunas, cold plunges, or whatever else… while not eating enough carbs day-to-day or during training. In most cases, they could get better results just by eating a sandwich and putting the extra money into their 401(k).
You specialize in working with athletes, did you always plan to work with athletes? If not, how did that come about?
I always knew I wanted to work with athletes, but my first job out of school was as a clinical dietitian in a hospital. I worked there for about two years while building my private practice on the side. At the time, I didn’t fully appreciate how valuable that clinical experience would be, and it provided me with a deeper understanding of physiology and complex conditions. Those skills have been essential in my work with athletes, helping me see the bigger picture and provide more comprehensive care.
You’re co-owner of Evolve Flagstaff, a clinic offering nutrition and physical therapy services. Why is it important to provide these services hand in hand?
Evolve is a collaborative health and performance center offering strength and conditioning, nutrition, and injury rehabilitation services. We offer a team-based approach, typically reserved for professional or elite athletes, and bring that to everyday people and athletes, helping them do what they love, for life.
We operate from a Health at Every Size™ and weight-inclusive model because so many of the injuries and challenges people face are rooted in health misinformation, disinformation, and unrealistic body “ideals.”
We believe the human body is meant to move, and to do that well, it needs both strength and proper nourishment. Our team includes skilled clinicians and experienced strength and conditioning coaches who work together to help clients reduce injury risk, rebuild after injury, and improve overall performance.
Strength training has long been overlooked in the endurance world—often due to fears of “getting bulky,” being seen as a “gym rat,” or viewing it as optional “bonus work.” In reality, strength training and adequate nutrition are two of the most powerful levers we can pull to build capacity, resilience, bone health, power, and strength for endurance athletes.
Our physical therapists and coaches collaborate closely as clients progress, transitioning from clinical care to performance training. Having all of our specialties under one roof allows this handoff to be seamless so our clients can continue to build strength and capacity long after their initial injury has resolved, reducing the likelihood of future setbacks.
Nutrition and injury prevention are also deeply connected. The body can’t fully heal or perform without adequate nourishment, and that’s only possible when a healthy relationship with food is in place. I wish every physical therapy practice and gym had a registered dietitian in-house.
By offering all of these services under one roof, we help clients see the bigger picture of their health and performance. Our integrated approach ensures that each element—physical therapy, nutrition, and strength training—reinforces the others, so people can recover faster, perform better, and be free from pain so they can do what they enjoy. Whether that’s playing with their grandkids or running 100 miles.
How do you support your clients in practicing body acceptance and neutrality? Why is that an important part of your work?
I support clients in practicing body acceptance and neutrality by shifting the focus away from appearance and toward what their bodies can do, how they feel, and what they value in life. That means we look at progress through multiple lenses, including performance, energy levels, recovery, mental and emotional health, and overall well-being—not just weight, pace, or time.
I also encourage flexibility in training plans, helping clients adapt based on how their bodies feel instead of rigidly following a schedule at the expense of health. We work together to challenge harmful messages we are constantly inundated with about what bodies “should” look like, and build skills for appreciating and living in their here and now body.
This is an important part of my work because without body acceptance or neutrality, it’s easy for people to fall into cycles of restriction, overtraining, or self-criticism that undermine both physical and mental health. When we can relate to our bodies from a place of respect instead of judgment, it opens the door to sustainable habits, better performance, and a healthier relationship with both movement and food.
What's the most important thing you want female athletes to know?
Your body doesn’t have to look like a runner, cyclist, dancer, or fit any specific mold to be an amazing athlete. Your strength, skill, dedication, and performance aren’t defined by your appearance.
Connect with clinicians like Abby Chan by searching our Directory, or filling out our Athlete-Clinician Match Form, and we’ll help you find someone who is the right fit for your needs.
If you are a clinician and want to join us in the Directory, click here.