Category Archives: about me

by Heather | May 13, 2013

Running: The Ultimate Individual – Group Sport

It’s been a while since we visited the run life. Lace up & join for me a jog…

It’s natural to put one foot in front of the other, to use our muscles to move forward and our minds to release the adrenaline that convinces them to keep going. Some shoes make the act more sustainable, gadgets more entertaining and tech-clothing more comfortable – but we don’t need any of those things to just go for a run. You could go barefoot in the grass, on the beach or – if you’re tougher than most of us – on the pavement. Your body has the resources it needs to start, keep up and cool down – anytime, anywhere!

Had you met me six years ago, you would have found the lines of my comfort zone very neatly etched in a small square. You would find me standing very contently inside of it; you would struggle (though not impossibly) to pull me out.

One half-marathon training cycle and finish line later, you will see the lines begin to fade and shift.

What made you “more” adventurous?
Running.

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I consider running the ultimate individual sport.

You can run with a team (professional, elite, every-day, etc), a group, and/or led by a coach, but at the end of the workout only YOU are responsible for how it went.

Only your mind-muscle connection will get you from point A to point B.

Only your inner monologue can convince you to do it again, and again, and again.

Only your thought process** can open you up to tackling new challenges.

More often than not, all of these things carry to your world outside of running. You learn you can tolerate fear, (temporary) pain and discomfort because more often than not, the reward of accomplishment is 100% worth it.

Exhibit A:

During a friend-group vacation last week I went snorkeling in Cozumel… and I didn’t freak (the eff) out. No panic, no fright, no holy-sh*t-get-me-out-of-this-water feeling. Monumental.

Adios, comfort zone.

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On the other hand, this ultimate individual sport comes with a community. It’s the best kind of community (in my humble opinion).

**We share thoughts, theories (science?), splits, goals, successes, failures, hobbies, interests, stat obsessions, race wish-lists, tips and tricks, friends, coworkers, significant others and support. We share an affinity for good food, drinks and accessible bathrooms.

We encourage and push each other, we create the almost-always-effective buddy-system, we plan adventures and say “C’MON – DO IT!” for better or worse.

Sometimes, we just hand each other a beer and/or a banana and call it a day.

(Last Saturday marked our Long-Run group’s first Bar-Run/Crawl. Yes we had water, too. Yes we’ll do it again.)

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Whatever activity/hobby it is that makes you feel like your best self – the one who’s willing to to step out of that comfort zone, willing to test a limit, and willing to really see what you’re capable of? Grab it. Find people who love it just as much as you do. Let it work some magic, whatever that trick might be!

If there’s anything in these words that strike a note with you, think about why, and let that change you.

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“YOUR LIFE DOESN’T GET BETTER BY CHANCE,

IT GETS BETTER BY CHANGE.” – Jim Rohn

5 Comments

Filed under about me, Goals, Lululemon, running, running buddy

Tagged as goals, running

by Heather | March 13, 2013

Registered Dietitian Day: The Non-traditional Career Path

I became a registered dietitian (RD) in November of 2009 – much like any stressful, my-career-depends-on-this exam, I will probably never forget that day, date or pure sweet relief when the screen flashed my passing score.

Three years later I look at my Resume with a tilted-head – while I can’t imagine having done things any other way, it only makes sense to me.

I lived here, I did one thing, I jumped to that and lived there and then came back and now I do this!

And I love it.

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I’ve recently had the opportunity to present to the Dietetic Internships in this area (DC/MD/VA) about my “career journey” and how I got from point A to point D. I always come back to this online space, the opportunities it has provided me and the people I’ve met. Strategically putting yourself out here on the web goes a long way!

My goal is always to shed light on the other careers out here and available for nutrition and wellness enthusiasts!

Two years ago I wrote The Road to RD, recapping the path from college-grad to dietitian and what that map looked like for me. It’s still one of the most viewed pages on this site, and answers some of the most common questions I get from students and prospective career-changers.

The career posts have evolved from there. If you’re interested in what a non-traditional dietitian world looks like, I hope this helps:

A Dietitian in Marketing (Small Planet Foods)
A Day in the Life: Corporate Wellness Event-Planning (WCS)
Healthy Office Culture: Let’s Chat! #fitatwork
A Day in the Life: Biometric Screenings / Health Education (WCS)

Any requests for future spotlights on what my days look like?

Interested in what wellness would look like for your company? We’d be happy to help! ( info@wellnesscorporatesolutions.com )

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If you have other questions about becoming an RD, or getting your foot in the health/fitness/wellness door, ask away!

It’s an evolving field that has come a long way even in the three short years that I’ve been a part of it. We have a long way to go with a lot of issues, and believe me we’re working hard to get there! The great thing is that there is always more to learn, know and understand about food. The research is going in every direction you can think of; new career fields are being created by the year. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Happy Dietitian Day, to all my fellow RDs!

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Filed under about me, Dietitians, food, Nutrition

Tagged as Career, dietitian, National Nutrition Month, Nutrition

by Heather | March 1, 2013

Friday Five: Thinks & Links

Every week seems to end with a long list of bookmarked pages, articles and blog posts that I really want to remember, to go back to, to absorb. Some weeks I think if I went back to school there would still be enough information to fill another four years, and I will enroll in a heartbeat!

Some weeks I just decide to share them with you, too.

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This week…

I think there is more to know about Saturated Fat, where the recommendations came from and why we’re so terrified of it. I think – strongly believe – there is a difference in saturated plant fats vs. animal. I wonder about the “Saturated fat is always bad” mantra.

Friday read: 8 Reasons Not to Fear Saturated Fat
(Not saying I agree with this 100%, but I appreciate the sources listed.)

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I think DC has decided to stick with this windy semi-winter, not giving us snow but instead plenty of gusts, rain and cloudy days. I think my skin has noticed, too.

Friday read: 4 Essential Oils for Natural Winter Skin Care
(Does anyone actually know where things like “Sandalwood” are sold?!)

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I think junk food might finally be on the way out the door. Sure, it could take decades before we can slam that door behind it, but we don’t mind screaming until that happens.

Friday read: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
Insanely long; cancel your plans, grab a comfy couch and soak this in.

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I think I’d rather make progress.

No matter how much time that takes.

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I think these posts are invaluable – entertaining blogs, amazing videos and hilarious tweets, all in one….

Friday Read: Stuff {Dooce} F0und While Looking Around
Let’s end on a mindless note – it is Friday, after all.

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What are you thinking?

5 Comments

Filed under about me, food, new things!, random, things that make you go Hmmmm

by Heather | February 12, 2013

Ending the “I Know I Should…” Conversation

So, now you know how to be SMART! Let’s keep that conversation going…

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Between my work with Wellness Corporate Solutions and my own clients, I wish I had a dime for every time I hear the words “I know I should…”. And if I had a quarter for every time I’ve said them? Well, I’d send us all on a retreat to shut us up and enjoy some “Do it Now!” moments instead.

Rock-climbing in Thailand? Yoga in Costa Rica? Hiking in Peru?
We have some options!

There is more information “out there” circling the web than any of us need – we can self-diagnose on WebMD, for better or worse, and we can look up nutrition facts and track our intake, exercise, sleep habits and stress levels on a lot of different platforms. There are pages that tell us how much money we should be saving, or where we should be in a career by now, or all the ways that someone else has failed and succeeded in ways that we may never be able, or want, to imagine.

We end up with a lot of “I Know I SHOULD…” thoughts,
and not a lot of action.

Goals usually come from a place of that “should” attitude, and part of the achievement process is getting to that “will”…

Truth be told, you can’t replace that “should” with “will” until you’re ready and prepared and already past the mental point where that change is exciting, not just daunting. Then, you just have to start.

We often tell clients to think ahead –
How do you want to feel one year from now?

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What works for me? Well, I get a great slap of reality every time I coach someone to make a change, and consequently go through the process with them. I’m reminded of the things I’m thinking I should be doing. I’m lucky that my work, life and passions have intertwined themselves like that.

But outside of coaching, the things that go from should –> will are the ones we put out there. TELL SOMEBODY WHAT YOU SHOULD/WANT TO DO.

Clearly I feel pretty strongly about that, but it makes all the difference in the world. Welcome to the Law of Attraction – put your ideas out there, telling as many people as is appropriate as often as you think about it. (Warning: friends and family, repeat conversations to follow.) The ways and means will follow.

“The truth will follow us and poke at us
until we acknowledge it.” -Baron Baptiste

I want to/should/will get a fitness coaching certification, so a friend started sending me updates on workshops available and my coworkers have offered help with the ACSM courses.

I want to/should/will travel abroad this year, so experienced people have offered up tips on places to go, where to stay, and helpful travel sites to bookmark.

I want to/should/will do yoga teacher training – I got called out (ahem, tagged) on Facebook recently as a friend kindly posted that there’s an upcoming info session at our favorite studio.

NOTED, world. I hear you & I’m listening.

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End the internal monologue. Know the difference between the shoulds you want and those you don’t – put the good-for-you ones out there, be ready, and watch the world work its magic.

10 Comments

Filed under about me, Goals, learning, motivation, Yoga

Tagged as goals

by Heather | January 9, 2013

From this Year, I want…

Before this “New Year!” concept is totally stale and January has sprinted right past all of us without warning, I’m looking at the remaining 354 days ahead and wondering what they’ll translate to.

When it’s 1/1/2014 and I think back, what will this year have meant?
What will it have taught me?
What one word will I want to associate with it?
How many times will I have thought, holy crap this year is flying by! ?

Starting with Day 1 – four hours spent driving on the open road (pictured above) – I knew only a few things to be true: I want to listen, travel & say that I’ve had something other than oatmeal for breakfast every day.

I want actions to come from discomfort (not safety) and experiences to be prioritized over everything else.

I want to meet people that teach me things; I want to teach what I know.

I want to do things that scream at me, not things that are mentally associated with should, safe or quiet.

Thanks to Maddy for this reminder.

I want to be just a little bit selfish, when it will lead me to experiences, lessons or days where I learn or challenge or do something totally new (to me).

I want to use the clip-in shoes on my bike without the 5-year-old in my head wondering how in the world I’ll stay up (keep.moving!) vs. land on the pavement. If I do land on the pavement, I hope I at least get a scar to show for it.

I want to run in places my feet have never been, not caring how fast or how far.

I want to carry a heavy backpack in a foreign country for at least a day. (I’m pretty sure the rules of adventurous travel read “no rolling suitcases”.)

I want to finish books; I want to meet characters (fictional or non-fictional) that represent the bad-asses of the world.

I want to cook with foods that shock the hell out of my taste-buds (for better or worse). At least they’ve been warned…

I want to do/indulge anything that elicits this reaction: that scares the hell outta me. Maybe not all of them at once, in this year, but at least start making a dent in the long list.

I want to remember this:

Photo source.