What RDs Do: Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN, CD

CARRIE DENNETT

NUTRITION BY CARRIE
FREELANCE NUTRITION WRITING

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In this world of information overload, Carrie has a unique path that led her from copywriting to dietetics and we're fortunate to have her expertise shared in numerous publications. Like other entrepreneurs in this series, you'll see the interesting variety of tasks that keep Carrie busy and passionate about her career. She has great advice for all of us and is working in an area of great importance - our relationship with food, not just our knowledge (since knowing doesn't necessarily translate to doing).

Why did you become a RD? 

I was working as a health and wellness copywriter, and became very interested in the role of nutrition and lifestyle in disease prevention. I realized that many people needed more than just information in order to change their eating and activity habits, so I decided to become a dietitian so that I could counsel people one-on-one to help them overcome barriers to change.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I wear several hats (the life of a nutrition entrepreneur!), but I have two main jobs. One is providing outpatient nutrition counseling to weight management patients. The other is as a freelance nutrition writer, writing regularly for The Seattle Times, The Washington Post, Today’s Dietitian and Environmental Nutrition. I also do some phone-based nutrition coaching, run online programs, do public speaking and take on editing projects for other dietitians.

How would you explain what you do? 

I help my weight management patients heal their relationships with food, get off the diet roller coaster, cultivate intuitive and mindful eating skills and improve their self-care. I also do a lot of debunking of nutrition myths, both with my patients and with my readers.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

In my clinical job, it’s nutrition counseling sessions, planning grocery tours and other group events, and keeping up with research related to my specialty. For my freelance writing, it’s research, writing, editing, interviewing, recipe testing, food photography, pitching editors, keeping up with social media, and brainstorming ideas for new articles.

What has been your career path? 

My undergraduate degree is in journalism, and I worked as a newspaper reporter for about 10 years before transitioning to health and wellness copywriting, and then to graduate school at the University of Washington to become a dietitian. I became the nutrition columnist for The Seattle Times while I was still in grad school, and my first job after graduating was working in oncology nutrition.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I have my Masters of Public Health in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Washington. I’ve taken workshops in motivational interviewing and in FODMAPs and IBS. I’m also working on becoming a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor.

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

Dietitians would have the respect they deserve as the true nutrition experts, given the education and training they receive. The public would know that all dietitians are nutritionists, but not all nutritionists are dietitians—and they would know why that matters!

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? 

That we all work in hospitals. I like to tell people that if they are ever in the hospital and needing enteral or total parenteral nutrition, they will be damn glad that there are highly skilled dietitians working in hospitals, but that dietetics is a very diverse profession, and we are everywhere, including on the cutting edge of nutrition.

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

I love working with patients and helping them form a healthier relationship with food. I also love writing about nutrition for both the general public and for other dietitians. I feel that my clinical practice informs my writing, and my writing informs my clinical practice. I learn so much every day, from my patients and from researching my articles, that some days I feel like I’ve never left grad school—in the best possible way.

What is your favourite meal? 

The pasta Bolognese I make once a year during the holidays. But I also love a really good salad with dark leafy greens, some sort of protein, whole grains or pulses, some avocado or nuts, and my homemade vinaigrette. Yum!

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

There is no single perfect way of eating for everyone. What works for your co-worker or best friend may not be right for you. If you want to eat better, you can’t go wrong with increasing whole and minimally processed foods, reducing highly processed foods, limiting distractions while you eat and practicing tuning in to your body’s hunger and fullness signals.

More about Carrie:

Website/Blog: Nutrition By Carrie
Twitter: @CarrieDennett
Facebook: Nutrition By Carrie
Instagram: @carriedennett
Pinterest: Carrie Dennett, MPH, RDN, CD

Thanks Carrie! 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: Julie Wallace, RDN, LD

JULIE WALLACE

PEDIATRIC NUTRITION:

HEART & LIVER FAILURE/TRANSPLANT
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I can tell and I know (because she told me) that Julie loves what she does, and we need people like Julie as I think her job would be extremely challenging, although rewarding. We also have excellent timing as it's Julie's birthday tomorrow, so be sure to wish her well! 

Why did you become a RD? 

Nutrition has always been of interest to me. When I was a small child, I enjoyed learning how to grow food with my father and was already cooking advanced recipes in my teens. In high school, I took a class called “Science of Nutrition” taught by our Biology teacher and fell in love with the concepts that allowed me to teach my friends how to read nutrition labels when we would go to the local grocery store (in a small town there can be little to do).

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I work in Pediatric Nutrition: Heart and Liver Failure/Transplant.

How would you explain what you do? 

When my patients, age 0 months – 21 years, are in heart failure, I provide nutrition assessment and interventions to help them maintain a healthy weight and get adequate nutrients, sometimes this is in preparation for a future heart transplant. In some situations, especially with children who have NALFD (Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease), I actually help them to safely lose weight, particularly excess fat, in hopes of avoiding the need for a liver transplant or to ensure they are a better candidate if they do need a transplant. I also perform nutrition assessments in those who are being evaluated for a transplant and provide nutrition-related education for post-transplant needs. After transplant, I work with the patients and their caregivers to ensure adequate food safety due to immunosuppression, monitor labs, assist in avoiding nutrient-medication interactions, and help prepare the children for independence as they grow into adults.

I also have a private practice providing nutritional counseling to those seeking general well-being, weight management, vegetarian/vegan/plant-based diets, as well as a number of medical nutrition therapies such as diabetes, heart conditions, or kidney failure. I provide counseling in person, over the phone, over skype, or online. I will hopefully be accepting new clients again in January. Over time, I plan to implement more blog posts, newsletters, webinars, Facebook groups, and other resources for my clients who will have lifetime membership access to such resources. I am a Strong4Life Certified Nutritionist/Dietitian in the state of Georgia with a background of working with all age groups from infants to seniors. 

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

In a typical week, I participate in 3 outpatient clinics as part of a multidisciplinary team. Time not spent in those clinics is spent in team conferences or rounds to keep up to date on our patients for continuity of care, charting, participating in CEU (Continuing Education Unit) activities or conferences, and meeting with patients who are in cath lab for routine or annual biopsies (which check for rejection).

What has been your career path? 

After high school, I spent time working in a corporate finance office before returning to college for my BS in Dietetics. My first years as a RDN were spent working full-time hours, although I was PRN, in a 600 bed adult inpatient hospital. This opportunity allowed me to see patients on every unit, including heart failure and ICU, preparing me to work with such a special population.

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

Currently I have my BS in Dietetics. I am also preparing to sit for the CSP (Board Certification as a Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition) exam in the near future. Each year, I attend transplant nutrition focused CEUs and conferences (such as NATCO).

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

I believe telemedicine will become more established allowing dietitians to sit in front of a computer screen, using programs like Skype, to follow up with patients with nutrition counseling between their physical clinic visits. Food diaries will be easier to obtain using apps. More dietitians will reach out using social media such as Facebook Groups to motivate their clients. Everything will be more technology focused and dietitians will be more accessible.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up? 

We are not ‘owned’ by big food industries. RDs, in general, care about people first, want people to get in good, wholesome nutrition in ways that work best for the individual they are talking to which may or may not include brand name foods, but we recognize the place that certain types of foods or formulas have. We do our best to keep up to date with trends, the most recent science, and behavioral practices to help others make the most nutritious decisions. We are not walking text books but if we care about our patients and are passionate about our field, we’ll research your questions if we don’t already know the answer and base it on evidence-based science.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD? 

Dispelling common misinformation driven by the media, food companies, people calling themselves ‘nutritionists’, and sometimes even other health professionals. Many times when I first meet a new patient, they are not aware of my background that includes a pre-med degree and assume we will only talk about topics such as recipes or calories.

What do people think that you do for a living? 

In general, people probably think I’m like the food police telling people what they can or cannot eat. Others believe I probably write out meal plans telling people what exactly they can or cannot eat every single day which I do not.

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

Helping others. It’s really simple but that’s all it comes down to; helping others to help themselves by educating them and providing them with tools, helping others stay healthy when very sick, and helping others live the healthiest life they can. I am very lucky that I get to work with children. Children are the best patients! The little ones are usually smiling through their hard times and give you hugs and kisses. It’s pretty amazing to be part of something in which we take children who are critically ill and give them a second chance at life. I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.

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

We are held up to a set of standards including a minimum of a Bachelor’s of Science in nutrition (which includes many of the same undergraduate courses doctors end up taking) as well as Dietetic Internship (which includes various rotations in various settings) followed by an exam. We have to complete all of these as well as stay up to date on current research, policies, and trends whereas many people who have simply taken up an interest in nutrition by reading a lot of articles can call themselves a “Nutritionist”.

More about Julie:

Facebook Page: Planted in Nutrition: Counseling & Services
Website: Planted in Nutrition
LinkedIn: Julie Wallace, RD, LD
Instagram: @jwallacerd

*Currently, my business is on hold due to health issues. I am hoping to be up and running
again in January. I am active on social media, however, so please feel free to follow me.

Thanks Julie! 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: Jean Caton MS, MBA, RDN

JEAN CATON
THE BUSINESSWOMAN'S COACH
HOST OF COLOR MY WORLD CONFIDENT PODCAST

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I love hearing about the non-traditional roles that dietitians have, I think it says a lot about our skills. Jean has created a unique business based on her career experiences, and I love that she's focused on helping women build confidence and succeed in the corporate world. She has interesting thoughts on the future of dietetics and I agree that we need more specialists, not generalists. 

Why did you become a RD? 

I did not have a clear career vision for sure. My reason for becoming an RD was that chemistry was my favorite subject in high school. Becoming an RD was not a common or well known career path when I entered the field.

What area of dietetics do you work in? 

I no longer work in dietetics. In my early career, I worked in dietetics for nine years - briefly as a Clinical Dietitian at a community hospital and then was promoted to Chief Dietitian. I then took a position as Education Coordinator at a Harvard Affiliated teaching hospital where I was Assistant Director of the Nutrition Department and co-developed an Internship Program that I coordinated. Next, I then moved into the business world, leveraging my RD credential and my MBA, and took a position as Product Manager for an enteral feeding line of devices and nutritional supplements.

How would you explain what you do? 

Currently I am a Business Woman’s Coach, Professional Speaker, and Podcaster. I leverage my nearly 25 years as a senior business leader in corporate America to support women, primarily in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields including many RDNs. I coach professional women to help them achieve their goals of greater career, business, and communication confidence using telephone or Skype. I also speak to professional women associations and organizations on career advancement and have a podcast, Color My World Confident, that is on the topic of confidence.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks? 

I have a very flexible and abbreviated work week working 15-20 hours. My time is spent primarily coaching clients who find me via my speaking engagements, through referral or by word of mouth. By batching my weekly podcast recording, I record interviews approximately two times a month and outsource the post production. I spend a modest amount of time on social media promoting my podcast.

What has been your career path? 

(See above).

What advanced education or special training do you have? 

I have a MS in Food & Nutrition and an MBA. I am a graduate of the Advanced Coach Training Program of Coach U. I went from being a dietitian to corporate America where I spent the majority of my career as a business leader for four Fortune 500 Companies. I started my own business after I graduated corporate America and had stashed away a lot of money. I had early interest in my own wellness business but went into the corporate world instead because I was a bit risk averse. That is why I consider myself a ‘chicken entrepreneur.’

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

I see a nutrition profession/industry divided down the middle into two major segments. In one segment is the Advanced Clinical Practitioner (no generalists) who is highly specialized in one of many areas (somewhat similar to the MD model of Cardiologist, Oncologists, Pediatrician, and the evolving Neuroscience, Gut, and Genetic Personalized Medicine fields etc.)

The second segment will be consumers facing health and wellness focused practitioners who are highly skilled in Communication strategies, Psychology and Human Behavior (including skills in coaching, motivational interviewing and psychology), Marketing and Self-Promotion.

Corporate wellness programs will become more in demand with a more comprehensive approach including mindfulness and other modalities that link the emotional and stress related aspects of health and nutrition. Only the more confident and assertive partitioners will thrive among the increasing competition from the evangelistic, self-proclaimed experts as well as MDs, RNs, Personal Trainers, and the countless other professionals and non-professionals whose opinion is heard and respected.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

That RDs are not well paid. Although true for some RDs there are countless RDs making six-figure salaries that reflect the value they are contributing to their organizations or their entrepreneurial endeavors. It is up to each individual RDN to take the necessary steps to assure they are paid what they are worth.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD? 

The RD still has an image problem. And personally I don’t think advocating for eating a hot fudge sundae or other decadent foods is the way to make them more human.

What are you passionate about in dietetics? 

There are two areas that I have strong beliefs about: My professional passion is my campaign to boost the confidence of dietitians and help them think a lot bigger and play a much bigger game. Playing big will translate into true leadership at a very high level on the world stage.

What is your favourite meal? 

I’m sorry to report I eat to live and do not live to eat. That said, breakfast is my favorite meal. Bob’s Red Mill multigrain cereal with local blueberries and real maple syrup proceeded by a cup of strong, black coffee. Also, I love plain cheese pizza, African Peanut Stew, and fish I buy at the market in the afternoon when it was caught and cleaned that morning.

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

Believe in yourself. Anything else you’d like to add that you feel would be valuable:

More about Jean:

Website: Coach Jean Caton
Podcast:  Color My World Confident

Linkedin: Jean Caton

Twitter: @JEANCATON

Facebook: Color My World Confident

Email: JeanCaton@CoachJeanCaton.com 

 

Thanks Jean! 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: Kelly Jones MS, RD, CSSD, LDN

KELLY JONES

EAT REAL LIVE WELL

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Kelly is another dietitian that I connected with at the 2016 SCAN Symposium in Portland (conferences are great for networking!); she also volunteers for both groups that I am a member of as an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics member (join up). She has a unique faculty teaching position, but has also created a business around her passion for sports. I love her responses and agree that it's tough, but necessary to learn to say no (I'm still practicing!).

Why did you become a RD?

When I was 13 years old my mom had symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome and doctors prescribed her medications and recommended a hysterectomy. An elimination diet identified trigger foods and by improving her diet she got her health back on track. Seeing that, I wanted other people to understand the power of food! I began to notice how diet impacted my athletic performance as a swimmer and have been driven to maximize athlete’s potential ever since.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

Higher education, sports nutrition, and wellness.

How would you explain what you do?

I am a professor and teach primarily students in the nursing and exercise science programs. I co-created the latter with a colleague and still advise many students for nutrition and exercise science too.

My private practice is focused on sports nutrition and over the last year I began working in corporate wellness. In sports nutrition, I present to teams and athletic groups on a variety of topics from pre-and-post workout fueling, to hydration and nutrition for travel. When working one-on-one, I evaluate their schedules (training/school/work) and diet so we can individually optimize their energy and recovery. I present in corporate settings in person or via webinar on a wide variety of topics, some not quite as nutrition focused, such as ergonomics. I also oversee nutrition programs at a nationally known athletic club, and am working on their café offerings.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

No week is ever the same! This fall at the college I am teaching on Tuesday and Thursday. I also run a 13 week wellness program at the athletic club for two hours one evening each week and spend a few hours there a couple of other days. Speaking engagements, one-on-one coaching, menu development, recipe testing and blogging fill in the rest of my schedule. I am also the social media coordinator for the SCAN DPG (Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group) so, I approve and schedule posts that volunteers send me and interact on their twitter account. I have a couple of hours dedicated to my tasks for the Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG (Dietetic Practice Group) nominating committee too.

What has been your career path?

After my dietetic internship, where I was able to create the sports nutrition internship rotation at the University at Buffalo, I stayed to complete my Master’s Degree. As a teaching assistant I realized how much I loved speaking and educating. I had always assumed I would work for a college athletic department or sports team but, realized I could reach many more people by teaching, speaking, and being in the community versus in a closed system. I then turned down a handful of clinical jobs after I completed my degree hoping the right opportunity would arise. I had to then choose between a job as a supermarket RD or as a professor. I clearly chose the latter. Two years later, I decided it was time to get back to my sports nutrition roots and share my passion to fuel the body with real food. I started my blog eatreallivewell.com, began networking with local teams, and my business has continued to expand since.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I have a Master’s Degree in Exercise Nutrition and also am a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD).

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

The public would stop falling for diet and supplement scams and realize how valuable a dietitian is in weight loss and health. Physicians would always refer to RD’s for prevention and treatment. Our food system would be more sustainable, making healthy food more available to our clients. Finally, RD’s would be less competitive with one another!

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

RDs don’t eat lettuce all day long and we aren’t judging everything on your plate! I may have become an RD to spread knowledge of health and improve other’s performance and well-being but, I love food. That includes oats, Brussel sprouts, broccoli raab and apples but also pizza, pasta, chocolate, and frosting every once in a while! RDs want everyone to be flexible in their eating without feeling guilty about it.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

RDs are invested in not just your physical health but also your mental and emotional health. We aren’t here to prescribe you a diet or meal plan but help you to build an understanding of and better relationship with food so that you can confidently choose what to eat. This often means discussing a lot of details of your life that you don’t think relate to your diet but actually do.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

People not understanding the value of our services. The Nutrition Entrepreneurs DPG has really helped me to stand firm on my worth and not settle for poor pay because someone doesn’t understand what I went through to obtain the knowledge I have. It is intimidating in the beginning but, we need to be confident in our background to convey the value of our services and walk away when someone isn’t willing to pay what we are worth. While I do provide a set number of pro-bono talks each year, they are for non-profits, community-based programs, and media only.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

Optimally fueling people’s body and mind! I love when someone changes their diet and quickly understands how much it plays a role in not only their physical energy levels but also in their productivity, mood, and relationships.

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

Our educational backgrounds and passion for what we do.

What is your favourite meal?

I am so indecisive and love so many foods so this is a terribly hard question. I would say oatmeal with banana, blueberries, chocolate chips and hemp seeds. Or a broccoli and garlic omelet with Ezekiel avocado toast. Really, I could eat breakfast for every meal.

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

Three tips!

There is no perfect time to do what you want in your life or your career so, just take the plunge now.

Being a yes person is okay to get your career started but, I was a yes person a little too long. Saying no to certain projects is what can build your confidence, decrease your stress, and give you time to do what you want to do in your career. Be a yes person when it comes to the things that will take you down the career path you want.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help – reach out to other RDs (including me!). I still have to remind myself that it is okay to ask other RD’s or entrepreneurs for help and I am always so happy when I do!

More about Kelly:

Blog: Eat Real Live Well
Instagram: @eatreallivewell
Twitter: @EatRealLiveWell
Pinterest: EatRealRD
Facebook: Kelly Jones Performance Nutrition
Linked In: Kelly Jones MS, RD, CSSD

Thanks Kelly! 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: Abiade Ogunsola MS, RD, LDN

ABIADE OGUNSOLA

RESTORING HEALTH NUTRITION 

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Abiade is passionate about helping and empowering people; personality traits that I think draw many people to this profession (along with our love of cooking and food). She supports people in managing chronic medical conditions through self management. I agree with her that ideally we won't see such nutritional extremes in the future. 

Why did you become a RD?

I have a passion for helping people live a healthy life. I became a dietitian, because the field of Nutrition will help me to achieve my goals and passion.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I own and operate a private practice. I also teach group Diabetes Self Management class.

How would you explain what you do?

I teach a diabetes self management class and I encourage participants to take charge of their diabetes. There is a sense of fulfillment when I see participants being more knowledgeable and empowered in taking charge of their diabetes. I also provide them with useful resources in the community.

What are your 'typical' daily/weekly tasks?

My typical day involves taking care of my family, gardening, reading up on nutrition journals, and teaching diabetes class in the evening.

What has been your career path?

I have worked in community nutrition with a focus on children, pregnant women, postpartum women (both breastfeeding women and non-breastfeeding women).

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I have a Masters degree in Food Science with a focus on food safety.

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

In an ideal world, there will a reduction in childhood obesity and malnutrition.

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

RDs are not food police.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

RDs are the nutrition experts qualified to help you navigate through all the nutrition misinformation out there and are qualified to provide you with sound, reliable, and science-based nutrition advice.

What do people think that you do for a living?

People think I cook and write meal plans.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I am passionate about people living a healthy life through real foods. I enjoying cooking, baking and trying new recipes.

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

RDs are knowledgeable in the field and do not follow the waves of fad diet.

What is your favourite meal?

My favorite meal is beans and plantain.

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

When you need nutrition information, seek help from Registered Dietitians. Don’t follow the waves of fad diet, eat healthy foods, lot of fruits and vegetables and everything in moderation.

More about Abiade:

Website: Restoring Health Nutrition
Email: info@restoringhealthnutrition.com
Phone: 302-632-5260
Facebook: Restoring Health Nutrition
Twitter: @abiadeadekunle

Thanks Abiade! Find out more about What RDsDo.

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

8 Dietitian Small Steps Towards Success

I often encourage people to take small steps. We want the large end goal, and we want it now. We think we can undo years or decades of habits overnight and we get upset with ourselves when we fail. As I continue to remind myself and learn, failure is a good thing. We can however slowly chip away and get to that goal (learning from those failures, or failing forward along the way), since each step is still progress.

I know change can be overwhelming, and these small, almost insignificant steps seem to be the ones we can stick with. Successful people tend to take small, smart steps and for a lot of us, the challenge is just to start. You may not even know where you're headed, but as Confucius (or Lao Tzu, depending on where you look) said:

Since dietitians support lifestyle/sustainable changes, I asked my colleagues for their "little things/steps/changes that make a big difference". See their responses below and let us know yours in the comments:

1 hour of food prep on the weekend for the week ahead!
Lindsay Livingston, the lean green bean

Start your day with protein!
Kelli Shallal, hungry hobby rd

Try eating with a smaller fork - it will force you to slow down while you're eating, which not only helps your body to realize when it's full but also helps with digestion!
Kara Golis, byte sized nutrition

Pause for a moment before you start eating. Rushed and mindless eating is a bad habit and a hard one to break, this is a small step in the right direction.
Lauren Fleming, savoured RD

Carry a water bottle around with you to stay hydrated--which may also help you eat less at meals. Amy Gorin, Amy Gorin Nutrition 

Keep washed fruit on the counter at eye level so you're more likely to grab it for a snack. 

Nazima Qureshi, Nutrition by Nazima

I keep nuts, water, granola bars in my car to eat when me or one of the kids are hungry. We do so much running around for sports and activities that it keeps us from eating unhealthy foods.

Kim Melton, Nutrition Pro Consulting

Including fruits and veggies as a part of an everyday thing.
Dixya Bhattarai, Food Pleasure and Health

A few of the ones I do that I could think of include:

• keeping healthy options in the house for the times that hunger strikes
• purchasing small containers of ice cream (the real, good stuff), for automatic portion control
• including vegetables with every dinner (working for half plate more often)
• serving meals in the kitchen most times, to make it an effort to get a second helping
• being active daily, even if it's just playing with my toddler or walking the dog, I need to at least do something
• keeping clutter to a minimum and minimizing our possessions, something we continually work on, but a step I'm glad I made
• having breakfast everyday
• choosing water or club soda when out at restaurants

I'm sure there are more, but hopefully they've become a part of me or my day that I don't even remember when they weren't. Choose something small and simple; something you have a chance at succeeding at, but that is still a challenge, because every step adds up. You don't learn to run a marathon in a day, so go easy on yourself.

Cheers,

Steph Langdon, RD

www.nutrishus.com

What RDs Do: Bronwyn Coyne, RD

BRONWYN COYNE

PRIMARY HEALTH CARE - CHRONIC DISEASE

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(me outside Kingcome school, beside the health center, one of the communities I worked with)

One thing I find very interesting about our profession is that it seems to be more than a job. Many dietitians like Bronwyn have careers or are advancing their education and then try to find 'spare-time' to start private practices and share more of their knowledge, expertise, and passion. We seem to always be dietitians, whether we're punching the clock or not, but being a dietitian may mean being a 'counsellor' or myth-buster, not just a food and nutrition expert. We also see the value in preventative health care which will be very important as we look to the future and the burden on our health care system when it becomes time for treatment, especially when many of the chronic conditions people like Bronwyn work with have lifestyle and nutrition components involved in risk reduction.

Why did you become a RD?

I became a dietitian after starting university in creative writing and feeling very unsatisfied. I’d been interested personally in food and nutrition since starting long distance running in high school and discovering how powerful food can be in our health. I started taking science and nutrition courses and there was no going back.

What area of dietetics do you work in?

I work in primary health care. The main focus of my practice is working with adults who have chronic diseases – everything from chronic pain or COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) to diabetes, heart disease and even eating disorders.

I am also trying/attempting – in my limited free time between work, school and social activities – to start some private practice work, but it’s slow going!

How would you explain what you do?

Simply put I usually say I talk to people about food and nutrition.

What are your ‘typical’ daily/weekly tasks?

Typically my week is a mix of seeing clients one-on-one, creating presentations and presenting on nutrition issues such as label reading, or diabetes. In between is finding time for paperwork, getting a hold of follow up clients and things like that. I only work three days a week currently, and am working on a distance graduate program on my days off.

What has been your career path?

My first job was in a rural part of Vancouver Island, called the Mt. Waddington Region. I worked as the primary health and community dietitian; basically I covered everything nutrition related not in the hospital. On top of duties similar to my current job I also worked with a Canadian Prenatal Nutrition Program creating healthy and yummy recipes for pregnant women and new moms while also trying to create fun activities that educated them on healthy eating for them and their baby. I also worked a lot with many Aboriginal communities; even flying into isolated communities on islands and the coast of BC. It was an extremely all around adventurous job! I tell everyone to take a rural position if they can because you can really make the job anything you want.

What advanced education or special training do you have?

I’m currently doing a Master of Adult Education through St. Francis Xavier University. I love it! I never thought I’d go back to school, but this program is so fantastic.

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

Hmmm. I’d love to see more dietitian jobs being created in our health authorities, especially full time jobs. I’d love these to also be in the preventative areas such as primary health, or public health for example. I’d love for RD services to be covered by more extended health care programs so that RDs can have private practices and nutrition services can still be accessible to everyone. We know nutrition is so key to our lives and health, let’s show it through supporting the work of RDs!

What misinformation about RDs would you like to clear up?

I’ve seen so many folks write this but WE ARE NOT THE FOOD POLICE. I’ve had friends say they didn’t want to sit in front of me when we’re out to eat; where I’ve laughed and told them I am totally eating french fries so NO JUDGEMENT.

What would you like people to know about RDs?

We are all unique; yes we all work from a science and evidence based background but each of us has a different approach and works from a different food philosophy. Find one of us to work with that you get along with; want vegetarian or vegan nutrition? There’s an RD for that. Interested in improving your sports performance? There’s an RD for that. Not interested in being scolded for your weight? There’s an RD for that! We are a diverse group of people, with our own unique way of providing sound evidenced based nutrition information.

What are challenges you encounter as a RD?

It can be really challenging to fight the misinformation that exists out there. If I had a dollar for every nutrition consultation that began with, “Well I’ve been cutting back on bread…” no matter what their health issue I’d be pretty darn rich! It feels like a daily battle to try and fight the food fads, the fear mongering around food and health and the unscientific mumbo-jumbo that permeates our media these days.

What are you passionate about in dietetics?

I love helping people feel empowered and happy around food. I work with so many women (and men) who are chronic dieters, and are so sure one more diet will help them lose weight/cure their diabetes/end all their health woes. Sadly a lot of societal messaging reinforces this idea for them. Helping them break away from the eternal guilt and stress that surrounds their every food choices is what brings me joy in my work.

What is your favourite meal?

How do you choose one? I love all meals, I’ve never been able to understand people who miss a meal!

More about Bronwyn:

Twitter: @BronwynCoyneRD
Website: Bronwyn Coyne, RD
Blog: Baking on the Side
Instagram: @mzbronwyn
Linkedin: Bronwyn Coyne

Thanks Bronwyn! Find out more about What RDsDo.

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