Today marks the day that all internship applicants find out whether they were matched

with a dietetic internship program or not. I can remember so clearly this day last year, all day my stomach was in knots. I was trying to study for an exam and couldn’t concentrate, I tried to workout to take my mind off things but felt so weak when I hit the gym. Anything I did it was like I was a shell of myself, my mind was definitely elsewhere. The day seemed to take f.o.r.e.v.e.r!

For those not familiar with the match day for dietetic internships, it’s a process in which all applicants log on to a website called D & D Digital, we put in our username and password and then wait for the screen to load. Currently the match rate is only about 50%, meaning only 50% of all applicants nationwide will get accepted into an internship program. Without being accepted and completing an internship you are not eligible to become a Registered Dietitian.

I was

so nervous to check my results last year that I actually closed and covered my eyes and made Kevin look. He either had to be the bearer of bad news or tell me the good news – that I got in. Thankfully for me (and Kevin!) he only had to deliver the latter news.

Seeing how excited other RD2be’s are today brought a lot of memories back from match day last year. As I sit here thinking about this day one year ago I realize how quickly the internship went. We spend 4 hard years of undergrad studies preparing ourselves to be the best possible candidates for an internship and then it is all over almost as quickly as it started. In 12 months I have graduated with a B.S in Dietetics, started and completed my internship requirements and accepted a new position that couldn’t be any closer to my ‘dream job.’  I won’t say that these 12 months were easy; the internship was busy, challenging and sometimes frustrating but the rewards you get for putting in all the work definitely outweigh the hard times ten fold.

So to all the Rd2be’s that were matched today: Congratulations!! It is so exciting to see hard work pay off, to see other aspiring dietitians join a truly rewarding profession, and most importantly see these people share such a strong passion to that of your own.

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Today is National Registered Dietitian’s Day

so I thought it would be quite fitting to do a post I have been thinking about writing for some time.

I often here the words “Dietitian” and “Food Police” muttered in the same sentence when in my opinion, the two associations couldn’t be further from the truth! Dietitian’s are passionate about our field of work. We went through extensive schooling and training to get our credentials and are genuinely enthusiastic about our career field. For me, food is an exciting topic. I love learning about how nutrients nourish the body and that we need these nutrients for survival. Food can either strengthen the body, or weaken it just as quickly. Every function our body carries out requires energy to do so – from breathing to blinking – it all requires energy that comes from food sources. As dietitian’s, we advocate for food policies we believe in. We are the experts in the field that all have one common goal: to improve the health of all individuals through proper diet and education.

My take on food is that there are no good or bad foods, just good and bad food habits. Moderation and mindful eating really are the key when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

I want to help people discover the same things about food that excites me. I will never tell someone they cannot eat something; sometimes I may suggest a healthier alternative but you better believe that if I am in the mood for a red velvet cupcake or cup of frozen yogurt that I’m going to have it. I won’t be the one knocking the cupcake out of someone’s hand because chances are I’ll be enjoying the cupcake along with everyone else

That’s what I love most about food – once you discover it’s beauty you will learn just how powerful it really is.

If your are a dietitian or RD-to-be – Happy National Dietitian’s Day!!

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With the last week of my internship here (looking back, I can’t believe how quickly it went!) I see some nice, relaxing retail therapy in my future My Birthday is also only a few weeks away and friends and family have been asking what I want. While doing some online browsing recently I added some items to my  wardrobe wish list. Looking back through everything I selected, I realized almost everything had a blue hue.

Normally I opt for pink/red/coral tones when it comes to bright wardrobe pieces but I guess this spring I’m looking to switch it up!

DV by Dolce Vita ‘Archer’ Sandals

These were love at first sight.  A fellow intern noted that the gold metal might get hot in the Arizona heat…I am willing to pay the price to wear these lil beauties

Collection XIIX Oversized Ombre Gauze Scarf

It’s very possible that my scarf collection if bigger than my shoe collection. This one in particular comes in 5 different colors, and I could quite possibly see all five color combinations fitting into my wardrobe.

Express Swirl Resin Bangle

I love chunky brangles and this pretty lil thing just happens to perfectly match the above scarf. How convenient

Express Feather Waves Shirt Dress

I have been looking for a dress for the boy’s graduation in May…think I may have just found it!

Annnd for my dream list…

Rebecca Minkoff Mac Clutch

At least my purse would look pretty holding my empty wallet

What colors/trends are you looking forward to this spring?

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This past week has been a whirlwind to say the least. Last Thursday I took the day off from my internship to move,the next day I worked a 19 hour day (between my regular internship and my part time job) then continued to move, work and get settled over the weekend while trying to fight off a cold that inevitably caught up with me. Monday morning I returned to my internship only to come down with a migraine that afternoon.

All of this combined along with the very busy and stressful times that comes with being only 2 weeks away from the end of my internship rotations led me to make the decision to ‘unplug’ for a week. The only social media I engaged in was the ‘March Food Photos” on Instagram that simply entails taking a picture each day and posting it on your feed for everyone else to see. This is something I haven’t participated in before and I like the inspiration that comes with each daily topic. I think that having my sole source of internet on my iPhone also helped me unwind and take a brief step away.

I love social media and all the interactions that come with it but having some time away has made me feel so much more refreshed and refocused. I am excited to round out my time as a dietetic intern and have more time to invest in hobbies again, such as blogging more regularly and experimenting in the kitchen while continuing to develop my cooking skills.

Even though I wasn’t tweeting daily with something I was thankful for as part of Project 365 Thanks,

each day presented itself with numerous things to be thankful for and I continue to remind myself of these in times of stress and exhaustion.

I am thankful for the friendships and networking that has come with being involved in different platforms of social media, but at the same time I am also thankful that I can recognize when a  break is needed, knowing these relationships will still be standing when I return – after all, isn’t that the beauty of the internet?

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Recently while I was scanning the articles in February’s Today’s Diet and Nutrition magazine one article header in particular quickly caught my eye, making me do a double take and see if, in fact, what I had just read was correct. The article’s title was “Say Yes to Chocolate” Woohooo are my eyes playing tricks?! Not so! The article pointed out that chocolate (more specifically dark chocolate) contains flavanoids (antioxidants) that can have positive effects on our health and wellbeing.

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You see, there is a pretty hefty difference between eating dark chocolate mindfully and in moderation compared to sitting in bed while the new release redbox lights up the room, a family-sized bag of M & M’s laying next to you with your thoughts distracted by the movie until your hand suddenly reaches the bottom of the bag… The difference

being that one can improve your health while the later can just as quickly destroy all your health conscious habits.

So chocolate really does love us? Let’s count the ways <3

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1. Lowers blood pressure
2. Reduces bad cholesterol (known as LDL)
3. Increases blood flow to the heart
4. Reduces platelet stickiness and the chance of blood clotting, reducing the risk of a heart attack
5. Increases blood flow to the brain, which in turn may improve cognitive function
6. Protect and hydrate the skin
7. Help fight fatigue in people with chronic fatigue syndrome
8. Improve mood
9. Protect against certain cancers
10. Decrease insulin resistance

So this Valentine’s Day I am not saying steer clear of chocolate altogether (for those who know me well – who am I kidding?!), instead treat your honey and yourself to some dark chocolate. Your health will thank you for it!

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It was so simple but the words rang so true for me.

Recently I went through a stage where I lost a lot of my drive and motivation for nutrition and dietetics. I was so overwhelmed with everything going on that I felt like my rotations were becoming more of a chore and burden than experiences I had previously loved. I had moved to a new state, was trying to get acquainted with a city MUCH bigger than I am used to and I felt like I was at a standstill. I was just so ready to get out into the workforce and start sharing my passion for health and nutrition that I felt suffocated by the internship and all it involved. I even stopped blogging for about a 6 weeks. Thankfully, this period passed pretty quickly. I now can see the end in sight and am so

excited to get through these last couple of months and enter the working world.

During this slump I started reflecting on what had made me choose dietetics as my career path. I started thinking back to what made me love the field I immersed myself in, events I had attended and people I have met along the way to becoming an RD and their outlook on our mutual interest in health and nutrition. Then it struck me: they were all passionate about what they did for a living. They are aware of the need and have the driving passion to help people every day. Connecting with these individuals reinforced my own passion for dietetics and reassured me that I am where I want to be.

I know there is a need in health care for dietitians, I see

this need and have the passion to accompany it. I am so thankful that I have found a career I am, infact, passionate about.

What are you passionate about?

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These days, it seems like a lot more people are wishing we had more than 24 hours in a day. And up until recently I too would often make these same statements, commenting on how much more we could achieve, how we would possibly spend the extra time, how much easier it would make life.

Since starting Project 365 Thanks I have tried to make a conscious effort to slow down and wherever I am, be present. I have focused on things like trying to keep my mind from wandering during spin class (the instructor told me this week I am a ‘dreamer’, obviously he could tell my mind was anywhere but in the cycle studio – oops! I thought to myself “It’s 5.30am – I should still be dreaming”, but that’s a whole different blog post). When talking on the phone or skyping with family I’ve tried to have all my attention on them, not checking emails or having one ear to the TV. These may seem like simple changes, but they are proving harder for me than anticipated. My attention span fleets about like a flea. I am constantly thinking of what needs to be done, what I should move onto next.

Last week I caught myself dreaming of how it would help

to have more than 24 hours in one day. And then a thought hit me: maybe it’s a good thing there is only 24. If we had more hours it would only be filled with more activities, more work, more stress… more, more, more. I’m sure it wouldn’t be spent relaxing or unwinding, instead we would find things to fill that time; we would take on the extra work hours, take on more tasks and become even busier than before. We live in such a faced-paced society that the idea of slowing down seems almost impossible to some.

The more I thought about this, I realized I don’t want more hours in a day. I want to focus on being present in each moment and be thankful I only have 24 hours.

With only 24 hours, my time is more valuable. I think about what it is I really want to spend my time on instead of wasting it procrastinating, wishing I had more time to begin with. And yes, the picture above is my own planner. I may live by to-do lists and sticky notes, but I feel that even in the short amount of time that I have changed the way I think I have become better at valuing my time order viagra and focusing on the task at hand.

So this week, I am thankful that each and every day has only 24 hours. I hope to carry this throughout 2012 and make it the most productive and satisfying year to date.

I want to know: Would you prefer more hours in a day? What would you do with the extra time?

h day they are thankful for, to live a life of filled with more gratitude, to slow down and, wherever you are, be present.

Along with sending out a tweet everyday with the hashtag #365thanks, every Thursday I will viagra 50mg publish a post on something I am thankful for.

………

In 2007 I was recruited to play on the UNC Women’s Basketball team. The opportunities available to me were endless… I was able to study abroad, travel, continue playing the sport I loved all while obtaining a degree for a career I am passionate about. I was 19, the world was waiting and I couldn’t wait to embark on my adventure.

Due to an injury and series of unfortunate events that were out of my control, my athletic career at UNC ended sooner than expected. Much sooner. I was living in another country, my dreams seemed shattered. I wanted to run back to Australia – to my comfort zone – yet something was telling me to stay. I had established strong relationships with my teammates and we were now more like family. I had also become invested in the dietetics program and loved every minute of every nutrition class I was taking. My professors and advisor (probably without knowing it at the time) continually provided me with reasons to stay – with opportunities that were not guaranteed if I continued my education in Australia.

So through four

years of laughter, tears, joy, times of uncertainty, stress, and many, many opportunities later… I graduated with my B.S in Dietetics.

Now, I am two-thirds of the way through a 9 month long dietetic internship, the final stage (along with sitting the registration exam) to becoming a registered dietitian. Although at times the internship can seem long and drawn-out with no end in sight, each and every day I am continually provided with opportunities to learn, to build on my knowledge and experiences and become a better, more well-rounded professional entering the workforce.

And this is all thanks to opportunities I took advantage of on my adventure – sometimes full of certain and other times a little wary – but always knowing it was an opportunity.

“When one door closes, another door opens”

Where has the year gone?? I’m not complaining, Christmas is my favorite time of the year, I just love how festive everything is… I may or may not have listened to Christmas Carols the first 3 days of November

R

ecently I made the big move to Arizona to continue my Dietetic Internship (DI). With the company of my Mum, we roadtripped through southern Colorado, across New Mexico and onto Phoenix!

Highlights of the trip included wandering around the Santa Fe Farmer’s Markets in NM. Oh how I heart Farmer’s Markets.

We saw red peppers roasting…

…and stumbled upon super cute decorations

We took a break under this dog sculpture…

And of course we just had to taste some of the locally baked goods

Pumpkin Brownie

On our arrival in Phoenix we ate at True Food Kitchen, a restaurant that offers globally inspired cuisine using local, sustainable and seasonal ingredients. Although we managed to eat relatively healthy while traveling, it was so nice to eat an abundance of fresh produce bursting with flavor after being trapped in the car all morning.

For lunch we both ordered salads. I decided on the Harvest Chopped salad and Mum went for the Mediterranean Chopped salad. I don’t think I have ever eaten a salad so quickly in my life. It was that good!

I opted for the Red Moon drink; grapefruit, yuzu, agave & soda. Mum chose the Apple Carrot & Ginger tonic. Both were equally delicious and refreshing for thirsty travelers such as ourselves

Its so fun exploring a new city and finding new places to eat. What’s even more fun is cooking in a nice, big full-sized kitchen! I have been developing some recipes this week while getting acquainted with my new cooking space so be sure to check back for more ahhhmaazing eats

& treats

I can’t believe it’s been over a week since my last post – sorry for the lack of blogging lately. I guess you could just say I’ve been super busy and Missing In Action

This last week I have been knee deep with internship rota

tions and assignments, all while packing and organizing things for the big move to Phoenix happening later this week.

Highlights of internship rotations last week included observing an adjustable gastric band procedure in the operating room and then spending the day with the pre-op class and support group.

Don’t worry, I’ll spare you graphic pics of what the surgery looked like, although Kevin (jokingly) suggested I live stream the procedure through facetime for everyone to see.

Due to my dietetics assignments, I have found myself spending some good ol’ quality time with my nutrition textbooks

The large textbook on the right was the main nutrition book used in my senior classes during undergrad. My friends and I nicknamed it the ‘frenemy’. We loved how helpful it was but hated the hours and hours we spent reading it – it was both our friend and what felt like the enemy at the same time Last week my relationship with frenemy grew stronger again while completing a complex renal case study.

In between all the craziness, I still managed to fit in a few quick workouts. I tried the new Bob Harper Beginner’s Weight Loss Transformation DVD I was luckily enough to score while at the Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo (FNCE) in September.

Although this was the beginner’s version, it still provided a pretty good full body workout. Before trying out the DVD for the first time I completed a 3 mile run around the neighborhood and then came home and popped the disk

in not realizing the workout required hand weights. Not having any available, I had to improvise. My roommate suggested canned goods…

And it just so happened to be that the only same-size cans I could find was pumpkin. So that’s what I had to use!!

Of course I wont be getting Jillian Michaels style arms using canned pumpkin, but it was better than not doing the workout at all.

I liked the variety of movements throughout the whole workout and didn’t get bored at all in the 45 mins it took to complete. I feel its a good back-up option if I cant make it to the gym or just want to mix up my workouts. Another neat feature is the 10 mins ab workout that is separate from the 45 min session – great if you’re only wanting a lil’ core workout after some cardio.

Personally, the most challenging part of the workout was staying away from the bowl of candy corn my roommate put out while I was out on my run.

Proper dumbbells would definitely make it more challenging, perhaps that will be on the Christmas list this year