Nutritionist hits target on health, hunt

Ruidoso raised Kallie Griffin is no stranger to life in the great outdoors.

Griffin, 25, knows how to hunt and the mounted skulls in her living room are a testament to her capabilities.

link Joshua Lucero: staff photo

Kallie Griffin, 25, flips a large tire as part of her daily workout Thursday afternoon in Clovis.

Griffin has participated in four successful hunts and has taken up bow hunting in addition to hunting with her .243 and .300 caliber rifles.

Griffin isn't all about hunting though. She battles Celiac disease, which has pushed her to keep herself healthy and take more care in the foods she eats.

Griffin is a middle child, with an older brother and a younger sister, and a 2010 Eastern New Mexico University graduate. Griffin graduated with her bachelor degree in family and consumer sciences with an emphasis in Human Services.After graduating, Griffin began working at the New Mexico Department of Health office in Clovis where she is a full-time nutritionist.

What was your first hunting experience? My first hunt was an antelope hunt in Clayton. My first shot dropped the antelope, and then I shouted an expletive from the adrenaline.

Do you prefer bow or rifle hunting? Why? I prefer bow hunting because it adds a whole other element to hunting. You have to be at least 50 yards from an animal rather than the 400 yards with a rifle. I have been successful on all of my rifle hunts, but have yet to be on a bow hunt. This element of challenge makes it that much more addicting.

How many successful hunts have you participated in? One antelope hunt, two cow elk hunts and one deer hunt.

What was your favorite vacation and why? This last October I went to Montana with my fiancée and we stayed at his grandparent’s log cabin. We got to see elk, deer and so much other wildlife daily. It was the most relaxing vacation I have ever had.

What are you looking forward to in the next 5 years? I am excited to get married this September and to hopefully finish my masters in the next two years.

What motivates you to work out? I was diagnosed with Celiac disease four years ago; it made me pretty unhealthy for quite a while. Now that I am healthy again I feel so blessed to be able to work out. Also, working out helps me to feel better and healthier, plus I want to look hot.

Why did you choose the career field you are in? Due to my Celiac disease I take nutrition very seriously. It is amazing how ones diet can affect their health. I like being able to help people on a daily basis with their nutritional needs.

Who or what made you the person you are today? My best friend’s mother Shelly Jones. I grew up in Ruidoso. Her mother was an amazing example of what a person should be, always so selfless and trying to help others. She took me to church with her family and it is because of her that I became a Christian. That has influenced my life more than anything else.

Is there any advice you wish you would have received earlier in life? To enjoy college while getting my bachelors degree. I finished college in 3 1/2 years, I wish I would have slowed down and enjoyed it more.

What is your favorite type of weather? Fall time! I know that is technically a season, but I love the weather in the fall. It is cooler, but not too cold.

Do you have any pet peeves? When people make fun of someone else in order to make themselves feel better.