Food Myth: Dietitians Eat Perfectly

You’re a dietitian so you must eat perfectly, right? That is one of the questions I get asked most frequently. I don’t think that’s the case. Neither is my goal to eat “perfectly.” I’m still not sure what that means, but it sounds like an unrealistic expectation. In my experience, unrealistic dietary expectations lead to impossible goals, lack of healthy behavior change, and in some cases disordered patterns of eating. Instead of eating “perfectly,” my goals are to make better (i.e. healthy) choices everyday and to find balance between eating, exercise, and living life!

Make healthy choices daily

Balance eating, exercise, and living a healthy life

For those that know me, they can attest to my love of sweets. My mom joked with me, when I was little that I didn’t have a “sweet tooth.” No, I had “sweet teeth!”

To help me make better “sweet” choices, I try to keep healthy, sweet things convenient. For me, this means packing a couple servings of fruit for lunch and snacks at work. I also keep a fruit bowl at home. This means that it is just as quick and convenient to grab a piece of fruit, as it is to grab a pre-packaged, saturated fat-filled sweet snack. Don’t get me wrong, I still usually eat about a “sweet” a day, but I am incorporating more fruit and vegetables into my diet. Convenient, healthy snacks have helped me find a better dietary balance. 

This week RDtipoftheday will focus on tips and recipes to help you get more vegetables in your diet. What steps have you taken to find a healthy balance in your life?

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