Time Savers

In an attempt to be efficient with my time, I just came up with a quick list for you. I want to share the things I do, have, etc. that save me time. I always hear that people want more time, or that they're 'busy'. As a dietitian that means healthy eating may fall lower on their priority list as time becomes a barrier.

I have a unique situation because my time is often flexible, although dictated by a toddler. Some days I have time to spend in the kitchen, other days I do not. I do try to slow down and savour/enjoy, I'm just trying to spend time on what I want to (and I do enjoy cooking, don't get me wrong!).

These are just a few of my ideas. There are all kinds of lists online, such as The Domestic Dietitian's Life Hack Time Saving Tips and Serena and Deanna have a long list of Healthy Kitchen Hacks over on teaspoon of spice. Please comment below as I'd love to hear how you save time (or make up time) in all areas of your life!

Eating

• use a rice cooker (occasionally a slow cooker)
• make-ahead breakfasts 
• cook in big batches for leftovers
• keep canned items on hand (tuna, tomatoes, beans, chickpeas)
• have frozen veggies and fruit in the freezer if run out of fresh
• almost always have eggs, cheese, milk, and some type of grain in the house (bread, tortillas, pitas, pasta, quinoa)
• save time & money at the grocery store (eatright.org)
• use the internet to search ingredients that I have and find new recipes to try (so I can use things up and skip a trip to the store if I don't have time)
• plan our supper meals
• make a grocery list
• chop lots of veggies/fruit when I get the chance - then it's ready for snacks too
• we enjoy our vitamix for quick smoothies
• I often follow and adapt recipes vs making things up completely
• 10 time saving kitchen hacks (Katie Cavuto, RD)

Activity

• circuit train (hard & quick)
• meet friends for a visit and workout

House

• this is where my attempts at a minimalist lifestyle come in - less stuff, less time spent cleaning and maintaining it
• it may bug my husband, but I set things at the top or bottom of the stairs so they go that way when I do
• we have a roomba that we often use for our carpeted rooms
• I do let the dishwasher clean most of our dishes

Reading/Learning

• *I need to keep working on finding time for this...
• I started listening to podcasts in the car

Life

• most notifications turned off on my phone so I don't get distracted
• most if not all of my bills are automatically paid

That's all the time I have for this today (I may come back and add to it)!

Cheers,

Steph Langdon, RD

www.nutrishus.com

What RDs Do: Amy Gorin, MS, RDN

AMY GORIN, MS, RDN

AMY GORIN NUTRITION, WEIGHT WATCHERS

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I am pleased to share another very passionate dietitian with you. I don't know how Amy finds hours in her days as she is a busy writer, communication consultant, media expert, recipe developer, and one-on-one counsellor. Amy has a unique media, journalism, and magazine background that definitely shapes her current work. She went back to school to get her credentials and I'm happy she joined our profession! The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has information for Career Changers and Today's Dietitian has a feature on Second-Career Dietitians like Amy. 

Why did you become a RD? 

My first job was as an assistant in the nutrition department of Prevention magazine. One day, I spent over an hour on the phone with an expert who explained to me, in a very scientific way, the differences between the omega-3s DHA and EPA and how they help the body. I loved the conversation, and I wanted to understand this type of science in a matter of minutes—so I started thinking about going back to school to become a dietitian. Also, I was an overweight child and struggled with my weight into adulthood. Helping others manage their weight is something I feel very passionate about, and that was a huge driver, too.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I do a little bit of everything. My private practice focuses in weight management, vegetarian and vegan eating, and general wellness. A lot of my time goes toward writing nutrition- and health-focused articles for magazines and web sites. I develop recipes for some of these publications, as well as for corporations. Additionally, I consult with food companies and corporations to create effective media messaging.

How would you explain what you do? 

In my nutrition communications work, I help get researched, accurate nutrition information out into the world. In my private practice work, I help clients meet their nutrition and health goals, helping them to feel like the best possible version of themselves.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

It really varies! I spend a few days a week reading studies, interviewing experts for stories, and writing articles. I write a weekly post for my WeightWatchers.com blog, “The Eat List,” as well as articles for publications such as ReadersDigest.com, FitnessMagazine.com, Dr. Oz the Good Life, Sonima.com, Yoga Journal, and Runner’s World. I also write social media posts to get the word out about these articles and other nutrition-focused news. If I’m working on recipe projects, I’ll spend hours in the kitchen and try to time my recipe testing around meals. I have a mini photo studio that I use to take photos of these recipes, and then I determine the nutrient breakdown of the recipes with nutrition software. 

I counsel a couple of clients a week, and this is done either in-person or through virtual sessions. So I’ll spend time preparing information and meal ideas for those clients. As well, I attend one or two media events each week, which provide story ideas and allow me to network. And I might have a couple of meetings a week with editors or potential clients, in addition to a few media interviews.

What has been your career path? 

I started off as a nutrition and health magazine editor. My first job was at Prevention magazine, as an editorial assistant. I then moved to American Baby (now Fit Pregnancy and Baby) as the assistant health and nutrition editor, then to Parents as the associate health and nutrition editor. My last two publishing jobs were as senior diet editor at Health and senior editor at Weight Watchers and WeightWatchers.com. When I was at American Baby, I began a part-time program at New York University to take the classes required to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN - equivalent to the Canadian RD credential). I continued doing so for six years, then left my Weight Watchers job to complete my dietetic internship full-time. Now, I’m an RDN and freelance writer.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I have a master’s of science in journalism from Northwestern University, with a focus in magazine publishing.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now? 

There’s a lot of great information in the world of nutrition communications—but also a lot of miscommunication from non-experts. I love that more and more publishing outlets are looking to work with RDNs, and I wish for that trend to continue.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? 

RDNs can be nutritionists, but nutritionists cannot be RDNs. The education and training to become a RDN is large. To become a RDN, you must take a significant amount of coursework from an accredited program, with classes focusing in nutritional science, human physiology, chemistry, and more. Then you must be accepted to a very competitive supervised internship program, then complete a minimum of 1,200 hours in that internship. Next comes passing a comprehensive test and then completing continuing education credits for the entirety of your career. On the other hand, the term “nutritionist” is not regulated.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

Like doctors, many dietitians have specialties. Some dietitians, like me, specialize in weight management. Others focus in prenatal nutrition, kids’ health, renal nutrition, oncology nutrition, or other areas. There are many options!

What do people think that you do for a living? 

They probably think I tell people what to eat. In reality, this is a small part of what I do, and I never mandate that someone must eat something. I like to navigate toward an ideal but also work in line with a client’s food preferences and habits.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I love learning about weight management and vegetarian eating, as these are my big areas of interest. I also love to read all the new studies and see where the research is headed. I really, really love nerding out with my research, such as in the in-depth articles I write for Sonima.com.

What is your favourite meal? 

I like to think that I single-handedly support the Greek yogurt market! I eat it almost every day. So my favorite meal is breakfast: 2 percent fat plain Greek yogurt with fruit (I switch it up between blueberries, raspberries, bananas, and more), nuts or nut butter (like almond butter, peanut butter, almonds, or pistachios), whole-grain cereal, and a dash of cinnamon.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers? 

Your perfect job does exist. You just might have to create it yourself!

More about Amy:

Website: Amy Gorin Nutrition

Blog: WeightWatchers.com The Eat List

Twitter: @AmyGorin

Facebook: Amy Gorin, MS, RDN

Instagram: @amydgorin

Linkedin: Amy Gorin MS, RDN

Pinterest: Amy Gorin

Thanks Amy! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details! 

What RDs Do: Emily Kean, MBA, RDN, LDN

EMILY KEAN
NUTRITION MARKETING COORDINATOR, 
SPORTS NUTRITION
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Emily was excited to share her story since she was able to create a job from an internship opportunity. I think it's great that she did a joint MBA/internship; I don't think we have that in Canada. Similarly (but definitely differently), we also both work/consult in dairy and sports nutrition. She is an avid runner and obviously passionate about health and nutrition. I was lucky to get to meet Emily recently in person at the SCAN symposium in Portland.

Why did you become a RD?

I’ve always been interested in food, health, science, math, and chemistry. In high school, I attended a Medical Summit at Johns Hopkins University, where I learned that I could major in nutrition/dietetics and make nutrition a career. I knew immediately it was the correct career path for me, combining all my favorite fields. I love being able to apply my knowledge and expertise to promote health through sound dietary habits.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

• Business/marketing: I work for a dairy foods company as their Nutrition Marketing Coordinator.
• Sports Nutrition: I also enjoy talking with runners and other athletes about their specific nutrition requirements.

How would you explain what you do?

• Nutrition communications and research i.e. front of the label messaging, nutrition facts panel, new product research, comparative analyses, attend nutrition conferences, customer service, blog, etc.
• Conduct research and advise company executives on nutrition issues concerning company products
• Consultant to customer service reps and social media manager regarding consumer inquiries and social media messages regarding company products and nutrition
• Provide oversight for product labeling and laboratory testing
• Member of Research and Development team for new product development
• Represent company at conferences and sampling events
• I also do some corporate wellness related work including discussing with coworkers about how to improve diets, and planning interoffice nutrition events.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Every week is different. I’m often working on nutrition communications and fact checking for our collateral such as our blog, commercials, recipes, posters, etc. I also often communicate with Health professionals including RDs, and doctors on the benefits of our product.

What has been your career path?

After earning BS in nutrition and food science, I enrolled in a dual MBA/dietetic internship program. While attending a promotional event at the company, the CEO offered me an internship. At the conclusion of the internship, the company offered me the position of nutrition marketing coordinator.

In grad school, I joined an amazing running group. This is when I discovered I had a passion for running and sports nutrition. My thesis was on female athlete’s diets.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I earned a B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science with an emphasis in Dietetics from Georgia Southern University. I completed my internship in the Chicagoland area with rotations in community, public relations, sports dietetics, clinical, and food science. I earned my masters in business administration (MBA) at Dominican University.

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

I’d love to see RDs in all food aspects- industry, clinical, research, and general health. RDs should also play more of a role in preventative care. We can also be the first line of defence for many health conditions. Dietitians doing preventative care in doctor’s primary care offices would be ideal.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

RDs are THE Nutrition Experts! We have knowledge and training in food science, anatomy, food production, biology, chemistry, and much more!

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

Sometimes strangers or acquaintances want quick advice on how to lose weight, look better, etc. I usually try to give people some quick tidbit like “try eating more fruits or vegetables.” However, there’s no quick fixes. In order to effectively evaluate someone’s current eating patterns for improvement, it can be a long discussion. Personal nutrition and eating is always a WIP (work in progress), always room for improvement! :)

What do people think that you do for a living?

People think I run and eat for a living and I tell people how to do these things. While it's true that I love running and eating, I don’t tell people how to eat. When counseling, I merely make suggestions and encourage dietary improvements.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I’m passionate about industry transparency. Food companies need to build relationships with their consumers built on honesty. Many companies have their customers’ health on their minds and in their hearts. Behind all companies are real people.

I’m passionate about educating people on nutrition especially on individualizing their food choices for optimal health and performance.

What makes RDs unique/different from other nutrition/wellness professionals?

RDs have a unique combination of knowledge, training and experience in the science of nutrition, human anatomy and physiology and the effects of food consumption on the body that enables them to customize eating plans to the individual to maximize a healthy lifestyle.

What is your favourite meal?

Whew! It's so hard to chose. I love all kinds of food. But if I had to chose, I’d say any meal with quinoa. Quinoa rhymes with my last name, and is a great source of complete protein! Quinoa makes its presence in my diet at least 3-4 times a week.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers?

Find what you are passionate about and make it your career! I love living everyday waking up excited to go running and go into the office! As Confucius said: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”

More about Emily:

Linkedin: Emily A Kean, MBA, RDN
Twitter: @keannutrition
Blog: Kean on Nutrition

Thanks Emily! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

Time for what?

Time has been on my mind a lot the last month. I am still trying to sort out my role as a working/stay-at-home mom (17 months in, as of today). The past 17 months have gone by as fast as everyone said they would. I am fortunate that I have been around for many/most of our little one's cherished moments. I am fortunate, because I am self-employed and my husband and I have prioritized spending as much time with our daughter as we can. Everyone has different goals, priorities, challenges, etc. in how they live and of course in how they act in the roles of parenthood.

Recently, in my attempts to minimize clutter in our house I came across an old goal setting exercise that we had done (or that I had made us do!). The recurring theme for me was time. A few of my goals for things I 'wanted' were:

• time for me
• time with my husband
• time with my kids
• time to read, watch movies, and workout
• freedom with my time
• to set my own hours (which obviously relates to time)
• to retire early (also relates to time)

*One of the goals for things I 'didn't want' was: to be overwhelmed with my time.

Our time is limited and we don't know when it will end. This of course brings me to mindfulness and I constantly try to live in and enjoy my present situation. I get ahead of myself too often or I think of others things I 'should' be doing. I have also tried to minimize things so that I can free up my time for other things.

Perhaps time is also on my mind because I'm approaching a birthday. I have no problem getting older, it's part of life after all, and I think I improve with age (or I at least try to be better every day). I just found (or made) time to jot down this post. I've mainly been sharing my #WhatRDsDo series which I'm really excited about, and life has been keeping me busy. I am however not going to apologize for my absence from personal posts. Life does and should happen. I am a rare millennial that is trying to unplug, to be present offline. I enjoy social media and I also work in that space, but I don't want to miss out on my life.

 

I have plans to get you to reflect on how you're spending (or if you're wasting) your time, how you maximize your time, how you'd like to spend your time, what you've learned that has improved you with time, etc.

My blogging time for today is over, so I hope you had a good time reading and I hope you come back to share.

Cheers,
Have a good time! ("we're here for a good time, not a long time!" - Trooper)

Steph Langdon, RD
www.nutrishus.com

What RDs Do: Abby Langer, RD

ABBY LANGER

ABBY LANGER NUTRITION, 
URBAN FAMILY HEALTH TEAM

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Abby is a fellow Canadian private practice dietitian and another food-loving RD. I came across a few of her posts last year and love her philosophy of sustainability, balance, and uncomplicated enjoyment of food. She is a well known media dietitian (on Huffington Post, etc.) and shares her strong opinions with a scientific backing and often a bit of humour!


Why did you become a RD? 

I was actually going to be a lawyer, but I decided I wanted to talk about food all day instead of laws.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I’m in private practice, media, culinary, and I’m part-time in a primary care clinic.

How would you explain what you do? 

As I tell my kids, ‘I teach people how to eat properly’, which isn’t even right. Actually, what I do is teach people how to make healthy food choices, and I also uncomplicate food for people.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

I’m sort of a content machine. Typically, on any given day, I’m writing content, developing a recipe, taking photographs of my food, and seeing clients. I also do non-nutrition related stuff like pick-up my kids from school and go running. It’s all about balance, yo!

What has been your career path? 

Inpatient for years and years – I’m basically an ICU dietitian who lost her way lol – then outpatient, combined with homecare, then private practice/media/culinary stuff.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I can’t think of anything, is that bad?

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now? 

Dietitians will be highly regarded as the first choice for nutrition information. We’ll be able to sell ourselves better, speak up for what we believe in, and not be afraid to look - and practice - outside of the box.

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

You know, I think the media, including social media, along with other non-RD sources, really complicate food and the whole concept of eating so much. It’s really not complicated at all. I love the look of relief on peoples’ faces when I break it all down to them and make nutrition easy for them. When I show people that it’s okay – and actually really fun - to enjoy food – cooking it, eating it – it makes what I do worthwhile.

What is your favourite meal? 

I love vegetables, I love fish, I love black beans. But I know your readers expect me to say something like that, so I’ll tell you what I really love, which is cake. Okay, maybe a cheeseburger and fries, and then cake. God I love food.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers? 

Enjoy food. Stop punishing your body for not looking the way society thinks it should look. Choose to eat beautiful, fresh food that’s not ultra-processed. Teach yourself to revel in what whole food should taste, feel, and look like. Life is too short to worry about 1% vs 2% yogurt – just eat real, whole foods, have a piece of cake every now and then, and get over it.

More about Abby:

Twitter: @langernutrition
Facebook: Abby Langer Nutrition
Pinterest: abby langer
Instagram: @langernutrition
LinkedIn: Abby Langer Nutrition
Blog: Abby Langer Nutrition

Thanks Abby! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!

What RDs Do: Rachel Deal, RD

RACHEL DEAL

METABOLIC & BARIATRIC SURGERY PROGRAM COORDINATOR

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Rachel offers a unique perspective (as do many others in this series) with her focus on program coordination, a role dietitians are well suited for. She is passionate about changing our food environment which I am totally in-line with and sees the potential for dietitians to continue to work in different areas. As an entrepreneur, I couldn't have imagined where I would end up, so I agree with the idea of trying new things!

Why did you become a RD?

I kind of stumbled into the dietetics major in college; I always had a personal interest in health & nutrition articles in the media, but I wasn’t initially familiar with the clinical side of dietetics until I was in the middle of completing my degree. My interest continued to grow during my studies.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

My current position as a Bariatric Program Coordinator is not directly related to dietetics, but RDs are a great fit for the role!

How would you explain what you do?

As a Bariatric Program Coordinator, I oversee my hospital’s compliance to the guidelines set by our accrediting body. Accreditation tells the public, our prospective patients, and insurance companies that we follow standards to ensure safe, comprehensive care for our bariatric patients.

I also am responsible for collecting data about our patients, surgeries, and follow up care so that I can assist our facility and accrediting body with quality improvement efforts and best practice guidelines.

Finally, I set up support activities to assist our bariatric patients with long-term success. These activities include support group meetings, exercise classes and other social outings with fellow patients.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Typical tasks include entering patients’ surgical case details into our data registry, calling or mailing letters to patients who have not followed up recently, rounding on patients in the hospital who just had their surgeries, and coordinating speakers or other activities for our monthly support group meetings.

What has been your career path?

After finishing my internship, I worked as an inpatient clinical RD for 4 years. I’m so glad I started clinically, because I really feel that gave me a solid foundation in medical nutrition therapy. I also have done nutrition counseling at a health & wellness resort, done a stint as a renal RD at the Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System, and still do independent consulting for a couple of local businesses. I tend to have a “Sure, I’ll try that!” attitude because I love exploring all of the different areas of dietetics, but I think I’ll always come back to bariatrics, because it’s such a fascinating and rewarding field, personally & professionally.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I have completed both the Level 1 and Level 2 Adult Weight Management trainings through CDR (Commission on Dietetic Registration), and I’m eager for CDR to finalize the advanced practitioner credential in weight management in the next couple of years!

In an ideal world, what does the industry look like 5 years from now?

I think it’s exciting to see how valued the RD is becoming as a member of the interdisciplinary healthcare team, and I hope that we will continue to look at other positions that haven’t been previously filled by RDs as potential opportunities. I think it will really solidify our presence and versatility.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

That we’re trying to be the only authority on nutrition. A lot of great professionals know about nutrition! But we’ve been trained specifically in Medical Nutrition Therapy, and we are an evidence-based profession that strives to keep our clients’ best interests in mind.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

That most of us love food and we don’t want to take anything away from you, we just want to get you to a healthy meal pattern that’s unique to you and that you can feel great following.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

Working in a position that’s been historically held by a RN (Registered Nurse), it’s been a small fight to get my facility to recognize that I am an appropriate candidate for my job, especially since my accrediting body lists RDs as a great fit for the role.

What do people think that you do for a living?

Most people know that I work with bariatrics and I think they assume I only do nutritional counseling for them as well as lead the support groups. They really don’t understand the data collection or accreditation aspects of my job.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

After ten years in bariatrics, I get frustrated hearing so many stories about lifelong weight struggles, and so much of it has to do with our food environment. I am passionate about changing the excessive availability of calorically-dense, nutrient-poor foods, especially to lower-income families.

What makes RDs unique/different from other nutrition/wellness professionals?

Most of the best RDs I know work to fit healthy guidelines into each individual’s lifestyle and income bracket, rather than make blanket recommendations without any regard to each person’s situation. We really want health to be sustainable!

What is your favourite meal?

That might be the hardest question I’ve ever been asked! Living in the Southwest U.S., I’m a sucker for good Mexican food. Give me enchiladas and refried beans any day and I’m blissfully happy.

What tip(s) would you give to our readers?

Don’t be afraid to try a new area! Every experience is so valuable, either at helping you find a new passion, or at least showing you where you definitely don’t want to be.

Thanks Rachel! Find out more about What RDsDo.

If you're a dietitian that would like to be featured, email me for the details!