Trust Me I'm a (mom)(yogi) RD

A letter to my body... Once a week, myself and an EDT (Eating Disorder Tech) lead a Body Image group for our residents.  We've covered a broad range of topics, including Health At Every Size (HAES), positive body resources, documentaries, yoga, and so much more.  This past week, my co-facilitator led a lesson on writing a letter to our body, and processing that experience.  I myself have done this exercise numerous times throughout my life, and each time it has allowed me to learn something new.  This week was no different, so I participated in the activity right alongside my clients.  Since this blog allows me to be creative and express myself fully, I figured what better place to present my own vulnerability than right here: Dear Body, Thank you for being the vessel to my soul.  I know I haven't always treated you fairly, or even with kindness...but your amazing-ness does not go unnoticed.  I am able to breathe without thinki...

This post seemed extremely fitting, as I'm currently cooped up with what I like to call 'the-change-of-weather-viral- yuck."  You know, the typical   sneezing, stuffy, coughing, sore throat...and in typical Abbie fashion, no-voice sickness.  From what I'm hearing this strain of cold going around right now is downright awful, lasting up to weeks to run its course.  So yay me! :( I figured I'd put some of my current downtime to good use, providing my two-cents on self-care during sickness.  Wash your hands This should be a no-brainer.  It's the #1 way to take personal accountability to prevent getting sick, or spreading whatever you're infected with.  I get super OCD when I'm ill, probably over-washing/disinfecting.  I figure I'd rather be safe than sorry...so until someone tells me I'm killing whatever good bacteria is left on my skin, I'll keep this habit up. Sleep/Rest I need to take some of my own advice and  relax  more ...

In yoga, meditation, and Ayurvedic health, the 7 Chakras (or energy centers) in our body run from the base of the spine to the crown, or top, of the head.  It's been over a year since I first set a goal to write individual blogs posts introducing each one - so far I've covered: 1.  Muladara   "The Root" located at the base of the spine/tailbone;  2. Swadisthana "Sacral" near the pelvis/lower belly; 3. Manipura "Solar Plexus" near naval/ribs, and 4. Anahata "Heart" ...no location explanation needed. I encourage you to click the respective links above & read each previous post in order.  This will not only help you understand how they work together but also set a foundation before diving into the final three.  Next up is the 5th chakra, Vishuddha, also identified as the " Throat Chakra." This energy center is located near the neck, throat, ears, & mouth; and is represented by the color blue.  It serves a...

Even though this post may get a few cackles from my Minnesota friends (I apparently bring up Iowa A LOT)....I decided to commemorate with a blog post reminiscing on the things I love AND miss about my home state.  Now While most people think Iowa looks like this.... ...I promise you there is much more to Iowa than initially meets the eye. 1. Sweet corn  I figured I couldn't go far into this list without mentioning Iowa's largest export, so why not start out strong!  Sure, you can purchase sweet corn in Minnesota, but in my personal opinion NOTHING compares to Iowa grown. When I was younger, summers meant we could purchase fresh ears of corn at farmer's markets or on the side of the road out of a someone's pick up truck.  My mom and grandparents would buy by the dozens and a few nights of the week we'd feast solely on corn on the cob...nothing else.   If I haven't convinced you yet that Iowa corn is 'best of the best' then you need visit Iowa...

Ever since I made the decision to become a Dietitian, I always knew my goal would be to impact the lives of those with eating disorders.  I, myself, struggled with atypical anorexia in middle school, and am lucky to say I've been recovered for 15+ years.  However, since working at an eating disorder clinic since March of 2017 - and now in the residential setting - one thing has become quite clear:  there is MUCH to be done for the education (especially for RD's) working in the mental health field.  I was recently consulting with a colleague, and we both agreed that neither of us obtained what we'd consider sufficient mental health background prior to making our mark as ED dietitians. I mean, the terms "coping skills," "trauma" & "de-escalation techniques" are like second nature to me now, but these were for sure never covered in my Medical Nutrition Therapy courses! Whether you are a Dietitian working with eating disorders or not, I thi...

Back in January, I set a goal to write at least one thing I am grateful for each and every day in a journal a client gave me for Christmas.  Six months later, I definitely have a few takeaways from this exercise:      1. It is EXTREMELY hard to set a goal that requires you to do something Every. Single. Day for an entire year!  This just goes to show that smart, measurable, attainable, time sensitive and REALISTIC goals - specifically short term ones - are a better option.  (Notice the SMART goal-setting acronym, anyone?) ;)       2.  While the past few months I've slacked on putting pen to paper daily, it has been therapeutic to reflect back on what I appreciate in my day-to-day life.  Of course friends, family & my basic needs made cameos on my list, but other unexpected ones were written down as well:  From free time during a busy day, to warm weather, to uplifting coworkers....even chocolate made it by Feb...

To say this week was eventful would be an understatement.  First off, I officially have one full 40-hour work-week under my belt as a residential eating disorder dietitian - and I love it!  As I've mentioned in previous social media posts, this job transition is not only exciting, but challenging, nerve-wracking, and definitely going to push me out of my comfort zone.  I can now say at my company I've worked in all levels of care (outpatient, IDP/IOP & residential) and I have experience working with a variety of eating disorder diagnoses.  So YAY for job growth and opportunities! This weekend I also got to check something off my bucket list that I've been wanting to do for a long time.  Back in 2014 I first learned about aerial fitness and was so interested in trying, but couldn't find classes near me.  Then 2015 rolled around; I did a little research and found a few studios in Des Moines that started offering this class style.  Not long after...