Last night I was at Target (for the 3rd time that day), strolling through the book aisles. Something caught my eye as I was looking at all of the cook books…sayings like “guaranteed fat loss forever” and “this diet will cure your diabetes”. Being the nerd that I am, I had to look through the books to see who and/or if there were any credible sources in these books stating these facts. To my surprise (not), there were no Registered Dietitians claiming these sayings or supporting these cook books.

There were, however, plenty of nutritionists in these cook books. Now you may be asking  yourself right now if a dietitian and nutritionist are the same thing; they are not! I still remember my teacher in my Intro to Dietetics class telling us “Every dietitian is a nutritionist, but not every nutritionist is a dietitian”. I often repeat this same phrase to people I talk to when they are confused like you might be right now. So, let me break down the qualifications needed to be a dietitian and to be a nutritionist:

Nutritionist 

1. Some states require nutritionists to earn a license from the Board of Nutrition, but some states don’t require any previous education or training
2. Anyone can call themselves a nutritionist…anyone

Registered Dietitian 

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Food and Nutrition/Dietetics from an accredited University
2. Verification statement to prove you actually completed all of the rigorous course work dietetics entails (organic chemistry, anatomy, biochemistry, medical nutrition therapy, biology, microbiology, nutrition counseling, food service, etc.)
3. Completion of a Dietetic Internship that contains 1,200 hours of supervised practice in multiple rotations in clinical nutrition, community nutrition, food service, and management rotations
4. To receive those lovely RD or RDN letters after your name, you must then pass the national exam to earn your credentials
5. Complete continuing education requirements each year to withhold said credentials and to be able to provide the most up to date evidence-based information to clients

Now that you know the difference between a nutritionist and dietitian, I urge you to be more cautious when reading articles online, watching documentaries, books, etc. That way, you know you are getting accurate, evidence-based information when you are reading from a Registered Dietitian!

Sources: https://www.nutritioned.org/dietitian-vs-nutritionist.html

This recipe is one of my favorites because it is so easy to make and an easy on the go snack to bring with you to class, work, or wherever you may be! It is also super easy to customize this recipe to add your favorite foods such as adding dried cranberries or cinnamon. Try this recipe out, and let me know what you think! xoxo

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
  • If you are allergic to nuts, try sunflower seed butter or soybean butter as an alternative!
• 1/2 cup ground flax seeds
• 1/8 cup chia seeds
• 2 Tablespoons honey

Directions:

1. Combine all 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

2. Place in the refrigerator for 15-30 minutes so they are easier to roll.

3. Roll into 12 bites and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Recent studies show one in five people track their health, fitness, and food through smartphone apps.

With a fast-paced world that is constantly changing and thrives off accessibility, apps and websites are the latest trend in health care. Wearable digital tools that track health and wellness, such as FitBit and Apple Watch (#notsponsored), are becoming increasingly popular. Follow me along on this 5-week series to learn all there is to know about health tracking apps!

Benefits of Tracking Your Health

1. Become more aware of your health and fitness
2. Assist you in health or disease related conditions such as diabetes and hypertension
3. Track your progress in your health and wellness journey
4. This can immensely help your primary physician or any other medical practitioner assess your health care status with your prior data

Why Should You Use Apps To Track Your Health?

1. Convenience — in this day and age, if it takes you longer than 3 minutes to do it, you’ve probably lost all interest
2. Easy to understand — these apps are set up so a monkey could easily operate them
3. Positive accountability — you are more likely to continue to pursue your health care goals if you are being held accountable
4. Personalization — health apps take your exact information to create a personalized plan, just for you

Stay tuned for next week where I will talk about why and what you should track via digital apps! xoxo

I know, I know… I have been MIA for the last 5 months. Honestly, I don’t really think there is a valid excuse for it, but I got in a rut and I didn’t know how to present and promote my content in the way I wanted to. BUT that has all changed now! After attending the 2017 Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE), my inspiration and motivation to inspire others is through the roof! Now you may have a few questions about what FNCE is all about and how that inspired me to start my blog back up, and I am going to answer all of that for you in this post!

What is FNCE?

FNCE is a national Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo for all those nutrition nerds out there like myself! It is held in a different city each year, and this year it was held in Chicago, Illinois. FNCE was extra special this year because it was the centennial year of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The conference was packed with all sorts of events, establihshed speakers, poster sessions, and the HUGE expo center.

The Expo Center

The expo center was always a busy and bustling area throughout the entire conference. There was a large variety of vendors ranging from health food products, different schools, supplements, functional foods, and more! One of my favorite parts of the expo was the Ocean Spray section. Ocean Spray had a cranberry bog set up in the expo center that you could wade through, and I honestly felt so nerdy getting excited about it (but who cares)!

How I Got Inspired 

One of the sessions I attended at FNCE was about “How to Make a Killer Video”, one of the speakers being Holley Grainger, nutrition expert and health blogger. Throughout the session, I realized how much I can help others through content outreach such as creating  blog posts, videos, and social media blasts!

Get Ready!

Now that I have my motivation back and inspired to try new things, get ready for some new and exciting content! If you have any suggestions of posts or videos you would like to see in the future, please use the ‘Contact’ tab at the top of this page to submit them. Also, subscribe to my blog on the home page to stay up to date on my latest posts! xoxo

It is finally summer time, and we all know what that means…dehydration central! We lose water in our body all throughout the day, especially in the summer time heat! Our body’s natural way of cooling us off is sweating, and when we are in warm weather all day, it will produce more sweat in an effort to cool us off. So, when we don’t intake enough fluid to replace those fluids that are lost, we get dehydrated. It is that simple!

Some common signs and symptoms of dehydration are:

• Extreme thirst
• Dry mouth
• Fever
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Little to no urination
• Rapid heart beat

None of that sounds very fun to me, so I have come up with a few helpful tips to stay hydrated!

1. Divide your body weight in half and that is how many ounces of water you should drink each day! (i.e. If you weigh 120 pounds, then you should drink 60 ounces of water a day)
2. Eat fruits and vegetables; many fruits and vegetables have a lot of water in them which is another great way to stay hydrated. Some fruits and vegetables that have the most water content are cucumber, watermelon, celery, pineapple, cantaloupe, lettuce, and tomatoes.
3. Check your skin! Pinch the skin on the back of your hand, if it takes a while for your skin to return to normal, you may be dehydrated.

These simple tips can help you keep track of your hydration as well as avoid dehydration! Drink up! xoxo

Sweet Potato Chips (servings 8-10)

Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1/3 cup olive oil or coconut oil
• sea salt

Spinach and Mushroom Quinoa (servings 4)

Ingredients:
• 1 pound mushrooms (white or cremini), sliced thinly
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (omit butter for vegan version)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 5 to 10 ounces fresh spinach (to taste)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• salt

I get it, I’ve been there (and I still am). Constantly putting others before yourself is tiring, and quite frankly, not worth it half the time. Always caring what others think and putting their happiness before your own is an endless cycle of exhaustion and lack of self care that may not pay off in the long run. It’s a unique gift and a terrible curse all at the same time.

It often seems like your consideration, selfless acts, and continuous love go unrecognized. And it stabs you right in the heart every. single. time. But I’m here to tell you that you need to start putting yourself first sometimes. Whether that is 30 minutes of Netflix, a long bath, or reading your favorite book.

You deserve the same love that you give to others. No excuses. No questions asked. 

If someone truly cares about you, they will go out of their way to do whatever for you. Being “busy” or “not having time” isn’t an excuse given to those who truly love you. We constantly hear in college phrases like “I’m super busy, I can’t make it” or “I’m really stressed out and need to get my life together”.  NEWSFLASH: Everyone our age is just as busy as the person next to them.

This has been a difficult thing for me to realize as I seem to constantly put people first who wouldn’t do the same for me…but I am learning. And I am trying each day to love myself more and more. It is so important to stay in check with your emotional and mental health; and how can you do that if you aren’t carving time out of your day for yourself?!

I am simply here to tell you that I am in the same exact spot you are in. I am struggling with the same things you are struggling with. I know what you’re feeling and I know how much you are hurting at times.

Don’t let someone ruin your self-worth. Love yourself, put yourself first. xoxo

Ah, the month all Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (and future RDNs!) look forward to…National Nutrition Month! Each year in March, a new slogan is created for the month of celebration, but they all focus on the same few topics. The slogan for the 2017 year is “Put Your Best Fork Forward” and concentrates on a few key messages.

• Create an eating lifestyle that includes a variety of your favorite, healthful foods.
• Practice cooking more at home and experiment with healthier ingredients.
• How much we eat is as important as what we eat. Eat and drink the right amount for you, as MyPlate encourages us to do.
• Find activities that you enjoy and be physically active most days of the week.
• Manage your weight or lower your health risks by consulting a registered dietitian nutritionist. RDNs can provide sound, easy-to-follow personalized nutrition advice to meet your lifestyle, preferences and health-related needs

This year’s them of “putting your best fork forward” is referring to how each bite counts. You can’t change your eating habits overnight, it is a slow and progressive process. Making small, positive changes will add up overtime and improve your overall lifestyle! The theme for this year “inspires us to start with small changes in our eating habits – one forkful at a time”.

Throughout this month, I plan to post more frequently and focus a majority of my posts around the celebration of this month! Stay tuned for more. xoxo

“I need to start working on my spring break bod.”

“I really need to lose 10 pounds before spring break!”

“I’m only eating salad from now, until spring break.”

I bet that you have heard one, or even all three, of these phrases multiple times in the past few weeks. Everyone is striving to look their best on the beach, but when has it been taken too far?

Okay, I understand that most of us will be on the beach for spring break in bikinis…exposing most of our body to all college students out there, but I don’t think that is an excuse to starve yourself to have the “perfect” body.

Newsflash: your body is already perfect just the way it is! We weren’t created created to all look the same, our bodies are crafted to fit our unique selves.

This thought didn’t fully cross my mind until I revisited a documentary I last watched my senior year of high school, “America The Beautiful”. This Netflix documentary takes its viewers on a journey around the country to see how others feel about beauty, physical appearance, and social media. During this film, the director interviewed both a 7 year old girl and 12 year old girl, who both insisted they were ugly. No girl at that age should ever feel ugly, ever. The girls couldn’t say specifically why they were ugly, they could only reference pictures of celebrities and ads of models to how they are supposed to look. How sad is it that at the prime of their youth, they feel so awful about their appearance?

This Netflix binge then sent me into a spiral looking at video after video of people’s perception of beauty. I came across a “slam poem” of sorts by a 17 year old girl, Savannah Brown. In this poem she states, “I would go home and put on a sweatshirt with my eyes closed, denying myself the right to be shown myself because I didn’t dare want to insinuate beauty in regards to something so insulting as my body.” As the poem continues, her tone intensifies stating the way she felt due to what social media and society told her how to feel. In the end, she tells her viewers how she is focusing on loving herself and not begging for the love of others. “When I first learned that no one could ever love me more than me, a world of happiness previously unseen was discovered.”

Lastly, what urged me to write this post instead of study for my midterms, was National Eating Disorders Awareness Week. This week is recognized during the last week of February every year (February 26th-March 4th for the 2017 year). I find this fitting as spring break is coming up soon for University of Alabama students and I think it is important to spread awareness about this problem.

• It is a complex, and very serious mental illness
• It is not easy to spot someone with an eating disorder
• It is not “a diet gone out of control”

I know that we all find ourselves aimlessly scrolling through Instagram or Facebook wishing we looked like someone we aren’t; I personally find myself doing this constantly. We feel as if there is a never ending search for the perfect body…and we are right. Because there isn’t one perfect body, every body is perfect.

Starving yourself will do nothing but harm your body, but you know what will immensely help your body?! Fueling it with nutrition and positivity!

I want each of you reading this to know that you are so beautiful and so loved. Don’t let social media, society, or cruel people tell you otherwise. Your body is your temple, fuel it properly and don’t deprive your body of what it needs. So screw the “spring break bod” and bring on body positivity! xoxo