Confessions of a Prodigal Dietitian

I love food. I come from a long line of food lovers. My mom could be Paula Deen’s twin sister who puts extra cheese in everything. My uncle nicknamed “Yeller Dog” is listed as “one of the original chili celebrities” on the Texas Terlinqua Chili Cook-off circuit. This past holiday, my older brother was left alone in the kitchen with some olives, cream cheese, and carrots for less than 10 minutes and suddenly a colony of penguins was upon us.  We’re foodies.

(colony of olive penquins that arrived on the table Christmas 2009, courtesy of my brother)

I, of course, am the only one deranged enough to make it a full time profession. I am a registered dietitian – which means I majored in food. I have a bachelors degree, a masters degree, and carry the credentials to counsel and treat people with nutritional concerns. I’m what my professional organization likes to call “the nutrition expert” As if that weren’t enough – I went a step further in my studies and became certified in adult, adolescent and pediatric weight management.

For eight years, I helped people achieve their nutritional goals. I helped my clients lose weight – anywhere from 10 pounds to 300 pounds. In the years I counseled clients one on one, I venture to guess that no one really cared if I helped lower their blood pressure or their blood sugars. They weren’t so concerned if there LDL was less than 180 mg/ dl or that their HDL was above 70 mg /dl. I’m sure they did appreciate as they grew leaner, their bank accounts were a little fatter because they weren’t buying as many medications. Mostly, they appreciated that the scale was a little friendlier and clothes fit better. I confess the friendlier scale and smaller clothes are quite the motivator for me personally as well – although as the “nutrition expert”, I should be above such confessions. I’m not.

(this is me in 2007 doing a story for Sync Magazine, picture is courtesy of their archives.   I can’t believe I wore such a blah outfit and carrying my silly notebook. I had no idea she was taking MY picture.  I thought we were just talking peppers. Sneaky photogs)

Interesting thing about being a dietitian is that people treat us like the clergy of food, as if we have a higher calling that makes us supernaturally prone to choose the Omega 3’s and ward off ice cream. When ministers are asked to dinner, people are on their best behavior. When a dietitian is present, the menus are guilt free. “Oh – grilled chicken, steamed carrots, and brown rice. why, gee thanks. Did you get the RD memo this is all we eat?” Or I’m laden with apologies for the decadent cake or salad dressing present. (Dietitians were sworn to a life without blue cheese. Angel Food cake is our favorite. How did you know?)

Here’s the deal. I know dietitians who are completely by-the-book. They are organic, whole food, no-foods-with-a-face kind of folks. I admire that! And then there’s me. I call myself a nutrition moderate. I blame my genetics. (See above) I mean, chili, cheese, and olives – I come from staunch liberal foodies. It’s hard to shake that.

(This is sampler stitched by my great aunt Mable  in 1934 hangs in my kitchen.  She was a foodie, too)

So, over the years, I developed my own method of helping my clients and myself achieve our weight goals while still enjoying our favorite foods. It’s not a revolutionary method. The American Dietetic Association agrees, all foods can fit. Its the practice of balance. I have a more commonsensical approach to weight management and health than the all-or-nothing that seems to overtake most of us this time of year. In a word – Moderation. It’s not sexy. It’s not quick. It just works.

(the Food Guide Pyramid gives an outline to how Americans should eat)

Now here’s my BIG confession.   In 2008,  I was named the Emerging Leader in Dietetics by the Arkansas Dietetics Association.   I joke that it was a very fitting honor because later that year I emerged right out of dietetics.   I accepted a new role as Director of Marketing in a non food environment.   I left my clinic.  I left my food portion models.  I left my scales.  I left my calorie counting ways.  I forsook moderation.    And I gave myself  the past year to live life as a nutrition prodigal.   I’ve eaten what I‘ve wanted.  I may have made it to the gym 2 or 3 times a MONTH in the past year.  (Odd behavior for the girl who used to go twice a day, 5 days a week)   I’ve given no regard to portion sizes or second helpings.  And I’ve ordered tea sweetened with sugar.   REAL sugar.

A year later, like the biblical prodigal, I’m ready to repent of my nutritional wanderings and get back on the narrower path to a healthier, leaner me. ( I have a few pair of jeans that miss me. The feeling is mutual) I will still be able to enjoy my favorites. And I plan to post bi-weekly tips that I will be using personally – the same tips I used to give my clients. If you’re feeling ready for the challenge, I invite you to join me on this journey. We’ll call it Boot’s Camp. Again, it won’t be quick. It won’t be sexy. It will be practical. ( which is a word rarely used to describe anything I do)

(iPhone self portrait taken during one of my few runs in Oct 2009.  Yes,  I take random pictures)

Best thing about Boot’s Camp – I won’t make you get up at the crack of dawn; I won’t yell at you; we won’t have to see each other sweat; and I’ll still give you some delectable “normal” recipes to entertain your family and friends.   So check back often.

Now, enough sitting and typing for me today, I gotta get this Boots walking.

Cheers to a healthier 2010, y’all!