Them: what do you do?
Me: I am a registered dietitian
Them: oh so what should I eat?
Me: ……..
Over the years, it never fails people will ask me to tell them what to eat. They know they want to eat “better” and I am here for it. Then I ask them what they like to eat and CRICKETS. Either they are scared to tell the registered dietitian what they actually like or they get shy and don’t say anything. Let me say this: I DO NOT CARE WHAT YOU EAT, AS LONG AS YOU EAT. Don’t be scared to say you eat fast food or fried food, me too when I feel like it. I am not here to judge you, I am here to help you.
Another one I get is, “I just want a meal plan to tell me what to eat.” So you’re only going to get what I put on this meal plan? Repeatedly? Meal plans take HOURS to make and are only a snap shot in time, they also limit the variety of foods you can eat. My version of meal planning is making a grocery list for a couple of days, week, or month, creating an eating schedule around your daily tasks, and adapting to the unknowns that pop up, like going to dinner with friends. Even this version of meal planning requires the person to know what they like to eat!
So, what do you like?
Have you been putting food rules into play for so long that you have forgotten what you actually enjoy to eat? Has social media told you what to eat or not to eat that your taste buds don’t even really know what excites them any more? Are you trying new diets that makes your favorite foods off limits?
Whether you’re an elite athlete or tired of dieting, you can be free of the food rules. Enjoy your favorite meals, adventure to new tastes, and plan your meals to optimize your life. The less stress you expand on the “meal plan” the more FOCUS you can put on your family, your athletic training, your creativeness, or yourself.
