The Real Life RD

helping you find peace with food and your natural body size

  • the RD & NP
  • Online Courses
  • Women’s Wellness
  • Speaking
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
Daily Eats, Eating Disorders, Food Freedom, Intuitive Eating

Food Is Just Food

September 23, 2015 By Robyn 20 Comments

I love food.

Like a lot.

WIAW breakfast // blueberry buckwheat pancakes with almond butter, a peach and lots of coffee

I love to browse recipes. I love to try new recipes. I love to host people for dinner. I love going to restaurants. I love exploring a new city through its food. And when I’m not in NYC, I love to grocery shop. I freaking love food.

But at the end of the day, food is just that. Food.

It’s meant to nourish us, give us energy + life, and there for us to enjoy. Simply put, it’s just food. But more often then not, we make it into something it’s totally not. As a society, we perpetually glorify food.

post run green smoothie // 1/2 scoop Vega One, 1 cup almond milk, 1 cup frozen blueberries, 1 cup frozen organic spinach 

By either restricting and manipulating food to carve our body into a certain shape and size. Or by indulging and gluttonizing as a means to escape our emotions or reward ourselves. Or by attaching positive or negative judgments to food to foster both self righteousness or guilt depending on our food choices. We give food way too much glory and power.

The longer I talk with women through Nutshell, in my church community, in friendships and even acquaintanceships, the more it becomes abundantly clear of how enslaved we can become to food. But what if we simplified food, and thought of it as just….food. Something with zero morality.

lunch // salad with mixed greens, bell pepper, tomato, nutritional yeast and balsamic vinaigrette + super seedy bread  + celery and hummus + strawberries 

A gift for us to nourish our bodies, satisfy hunger, and make our tastes buds happy.

That kale and broccoli would be something that can taste good, but also feel good. And cupcakes would be something that of course taste good, but they are also just that…cupcakes. Enjoy the cupcake, soak up the experience and move on. No calculating calories, no wondering if the carbs will balance out given what you’ve already eaten and what you might eat later on, and simply enjoying it because it makes you feel good, because it tastes good, and because it does both.

This can at times seem almost impossible with all the false messages we are told by society about food and exercise and beauty. Nutrition advice changes more often than the sun rises. But what if we started tuning INTO our bodies instead of abiding by external, arbitrary rules.

snacks // kombucha and half this chocolate bar + vegan banana bread with coconut oil and strawberry jam 

Listen to your body. And to your cravings.

Use some gentle nutrition so you include carbs, proteins, fats and veggies in most meals.

Practice compassion with yourself.

View food from a neutral place. Detach morality from food.

Enjoy foods that feel good and foods that taste good.

When you’re hungry…eat.

And just let food be food.

dinner // hummus + pita and fattoush salad with more pita + a glass of red wine at Gazala’s Place

late night snack // three OSG dream cups

There are enough things that can cause us stress and anxiety and emotional turmoil. Although society and diet culture makes it very easy, food shouldn’t reign over our lives, enslave us to self hatred or starvation or lead us to mindless binging. It’s hard, because our society give it so much power. But can we look at it has just food.

Neutral food.

And while I love kale and lentils, I also love ice cream and wine. And those foods should be seen through the same lens. Just food.


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

  • 5 Minute On The Go Breakfast [Daily Eats]5 Minute On The Go Breakfast [Daily Eats]
  • Letting Go Of Food GuiltLetting Go Of Food Guilt
  • daily eatsdaily eats
  • How Stress Affects WeightHow Stress Affects Weight

Filed Under: Daily Eats, Eating Disorders, Food Freedom, Intuitive Eating

« Metabolism Myths [Q&A]
Confession Of An RD: Part 2 »

Comments

  1. She Rocks Fitness says

    September 23, 2015 at 6:13 am

    I always look forward to not only your food pictures, but your wise words. You are such an inspiration. You have a wise old soul and it is beautiful. Have a great Hump Day! XOXO

    Reply
  2. Melissa says

    September 23, 2015 at 7:01 am

    LOVE your posts and always look forward to them, Robyn! Thank you for speaking truth and life here on the internet. So grateful.

    Reply
  3. Dee says

    September 23, 2015 at 8:00 am

    This message is becoming easier with your voice. Thank you! I always enjoy reading your posts. It gets my mind right for the day. 🙂

    Reply
  4. J says

    September 23, 2015 at 9:18 am

    Gosh, this is something I always need to remind myself of. I love eating food, shopping for food, cooking food… but when it BECOMES my life is when I have problems with overthinking my meals and restriction or binging. Lovely post.

    Reply
  5. Samantha @ThePlantedVegan says

    September 23, 2015 at 10:26 am

    Love your perspective on food! I definitely agree with you! Also, those dream cups look so yummy! 🙂

    Reply
  6. Karla says

    September 23, 2015 at 11:14 am

    Such a relief to read your posts as I’m sat here feeling guilty for over eating this afternoon on food that I hadn’t planned and now thinking I should skip dinner.I find your post and think hold on its food…

    My body needs food, stop punishing it, food was eaten, it wasn’t planned but it’s fine now and been eaten and can’t be changed… Eat your dinner woman!! And that I shall after reading your post

    Thank you so so much for helping me to remember I am special and need to care for my special self.

    Reply
  7. Kate says

    September 23, 2015 at 11:22 am

    I started my post off today with a similar sentiment. I’m so disheartened by the way people look at calories as evil and food as a deal breaker for their weight goals.
    I’m so glad to know you will be working with women in your nursing endeavors. I hope that they can glean from your perspective.

    Reply
  8. Stef says

    September 23, 2015 at 12:23 pm

    I love your posts!! I couldn’t agree more with your perception on this topic, and I wish more people realized these things. BTW your eats always look so delicious 🙂

    Reply
  9. amy says

    September 23, 2015 at 2:57 pm

    Thank you…I love this. I’m wondering if you’d write about how to learn to accept your body. I’ve been working on my recovery from anorexia for almost 6 years. While I consider myself almost recovered, I continue to be held back by my body image and size. It’s not necessarily weight that concerns me, but how my clothes fit and how my body appears since gaining some weight recently. Thanks!

    Reply
  10. katie says

    September 23, 2015 at 3:12 pm

    Beautiful food post. once again I don’t have much to say besides THANK YOU <3

    Reply
  11. Carley @ Optimistic Health says

    September 23, 2015 at 5:56 pm

    You are correct that food is not God. I will say that food is a huge part of my relationship with God. I lean on him when I’m struggling, I glorify him through his amazing creation of the food we eat and I love on others through food. I used to try and look at food as sheer numbers.. weight, calories in and out and had a very legal view. All this to say it robbed me of joy and freedom. As you said have balance and treat your body with respect. Food is a huge blessing and it irks me when people torture themselves through it. It’s not the food we should hate, it’s God we should pray to for self control and that we will learn to treat our body as temple.

    Reply
  12. Rachel says

    September 23, 2015 at 6:36 pm

    This is a really great message. I read quite a few blogs but rarely comment, because most of it is just the same things over and over. “Healthy food to eat in an airport” or “new tabata workout” or whatever. Your blog really stands out as something different. Your topics are thoughtful, relevant, and refreshing to read. Something as simple as food should just be food is a great thing to keep in mind, yet so easily overlooked. I love seeing how you incorporate all these ideas in your own life – in a balanced and not obsessive way. I agree with an above poster who says reading your posts is often a relief, and a welcome reminder that we’re all human. A critique I have of many HLB’s or other bloggers is the constant humble-brag about their regimented workout routines accompanied by pictures of small portioned, restrictive meals; rendering many of their positive messages hollow and uninspiring. All this rambling to say – thanks for your thoughtful posts, they’re wonderful to read and a real resource for me when I need some perspective.

    Reply
  13. Kate @mindfoodly says

    September 23, 2015 at 8:04 pm

    I love this, I have been guilty of putting food (and exercise) before so many more important things of family, friends and God. It is so important to remember that food is just that food, its not good or bad it just is what it is. Thank you for reminding me of this 🙂

    Reply
  14. sarah says

    September 24, 2015 at 4:25 pm

    Thank you so much for this! I love your posts, I especially needed this one.

    Reply
  15. Faith VanderMolen says

    September 26, 2015 at 6:48 am

    Loved this message Robyn! Also, Fattoush salad is one of my favorite meals. The first time I had it was in Nigeria actually…crazy!

    Reply
  16. Emily says

    September 26, 2015 at 11:52 am

    This is good, and that reminder is something that really hits so much of what I struggled with for a long time. I didn’t treat food as ‘just food.’ Food isn’t something to glorify, because we glorify God. Food is a means, but not the end. We eat to live, but when I ‘live to eat’ I’m absolutely miserable.

    Reply
  17. Fiona Tranquillo says

    September 27, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    Hi Robyn! I’ve been admiring the “seedy bread” in all of your pictures and decided to make it this weekend… but it totally fell apart! I had to make a few substitutions… I used coconut flour instead of chickpea flour, and ground flax instead of psyllium husk powder (because I couldn’t find either of the correct things at any of the stores that I checked!). Do you have any thoughts on which of these substitutions (or if both of them) wasn’t a good option? Or maybe I should have just added more water? I definitely want to try it again if I can get some good tips on how to do it with a bit more success. 🙂

    Reply
  18. Amy @ UpearlywithAmy says

    October 6, 2015 at 8:16 am

    I agree. It is so simple, but we make it so hard. Food choices don’t make us good or bad people, they don’t dictate success or failure, they don’t make us strong or weak. They simply fuel our bodies and have an opportunity every day multiple times a day to make healthy choices 🙂

    Reply
  19. moncler on sale says

    November 3, 2015 at 11:11 am

    30/share ($2.
    moncler on sale http://www.moncler-saleoutlet.net/

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. No Christmas Blues & Link Love - Beauty In Christ - The Book says:
    December 27, 2015 at 12:59 am

    […]   Food is Just Food – Robyn is on point.  Food is not my life.  I do not live to eat.  I eat […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

A non-diet dietitian and nurse practitioner helping women find peace with food, accept their natural body size and heal from hormonal issues and period problems.

More On Lady Hormones

How Birth Control Methods Affect Your Hormones, Period and Fertility

What Your Cervical Fluid Can Tell You About Your Reproductive Health

women's reproductive health

Women’s Reproductive Health 101

I have yet to experience postpartum myself, but I've had many clients and readers that have been through that season of life. Or perhaps you are currently living through the postpartum period. Every woman's body is different, therefore every woman's experience after giving birth will be different. What works for one woman, might not work for the next. While one woman might go through postpartum and adjust to newborn life quiet seamlessly, another woman might find it much more difficult. She might need the support of medication, therapy, extra help and many other things. One way is not better than the other - they are simply two different ways of navigating the postpartum period. I hope this post helps you better care for yourself, whatever that means for you. There's no right or wrong way to care for yourself as a mom or your new baby.

Postpartum Hormones: what’s happening in your body and how to care for yourself

* indicates required

Categories

Get in Touch!

Follow Me!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

I talk a lot about moving, eating, and living intuitively so you can be well hormonally and live a fulfilling life in line with your values

The Real Life RD on Pinterest

Follow Me on Pinterest
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 two babies are asleep at the same time in their beds (and not on me) for the FIRST TIME IN 7657 DAYS and dear lord I could cry tears of relief straight into this latte and bowl of chocolate chips bc I woke up this morning exhausted and weary and told Nick I didn’t want to parent today 🤣 Not even calling this self care. It’s sanity right now. And even if it lasts 5 minutes it will be 5 minutes of freaking glory. p.s. yes that brick is crooked bc v uneven floors are part of the charmed package of this old house
Learning over and over again in this season that f Learning over and over again in this season that feels unsettled and chaotic and longgggggg that sometimes, you just need the viewpoint of a toddler to remind you that the seemingly insignificant things & moments really are....straight up magical. And that yes, these mundane days are packed full of goodness & beauty if I keep my eyes fixed on what actually matters.
Spent two hours at Lowe’s this morning and wow, Spent two hours at Lowe’s this morning and wow, wowww 🤯 Asked at least six people where to find something and their opinion on all the options bc holy decision fatigue. Nursed my newborn on the floor of the paint aisle. And BLESS my new contractor friend Matt I found in the lumber section that pushed my cart around and helped me avoid the mistake of buying exterior wood for some DIY bathroom shelves.
.
I’m giving all our bathrooms a DIY makeover and I couldn’t be more of a rookie. So shoutout to all my Lowe’s buddies and YouTube 😜 You’re making this happen.
We are now officially homeowners. WUT? We didn’t We are now officially homeowners. WUT? We didn’t plan to close on a house 10 weeks after having a baby, but here we are. And we are so, so grateful.  And I’m also terrified. We’ve moved three times and lived in three different states since we got married three years ago. After six years spent living in New York City and Boston, moving back to Charlottesville was really, really hard for me. I cried a lot those first six months because my heart ached for the northeast and for city life. I wanted to pack up and go back to Boston ASAP. It felt so different and so quiet here and at times, very lonely. Even though it felt like the next right step, I second guessed our decision A LOT.
.
But here we are 10 months later ready to continue investing in this neighborhood we’ve come to love. And this community of people that have become so dear. Ten months later and it feels so, so right. And although committing to settling down here for a good bit feels really scary to me, it also brings so much peace to know we aren’t moving again anytime soon. We are here to plant and grow. And raise our babies in this house as we make it a home. It’s also really fun to have one of your best friends be your realtor. We love you @kelli.teter.nesting 🤗
.
Now, to see if we make it out of this kitchen renovation all in one piece 🤪
my go-to breakfast these days is two fried eggs in my go-to breakfast these days is two fried eggs in ghee with sautéed spinach (also in ghee) and an english muffin with more ghee + some sort of jam on half for that sweet & savory combo. we discovered these local english muffins (from The Bread Basket) and they are doughy and delicious and we are obsessed.
.
I’ve found that I need a solid source of protein and lots of fat for breakfast to keep me full while breastfeeding this time around vs with Cal, I was so into big bowls of pb & chocolate chip banana oatmeal. just goes to show our bodies know what they need and change cravings accordingly. also, just a psa: go pick up the maple butter from @traderjoes bc it is bonkers 🤤 and lastly, shout out to my husband bc a lot of mornings he is making this bfast for me while I nurse & try to pull myself out of bed - don’t for a moment think I’ve got it together 🤪
I’ve had many thoughts rolling around in my brai I’ve had many thoughts rolling around in my brain of if/how to use this platform in a way that aligns with how I want to live my life. I’m finding it tricky to discern that when 90% of my use on this app is for professional purposes. But I’m not sure if even professionally, it makes sense for me. Because I feel more aligned with what matters to me when I’m not regularly present here.  I’m not really sure what things will look like moving forward, but for right now I’m here to share with you that I somehow found some spare minutes between newborn & toddler life to write a post with some semi-coherent thoughts on life lately. 🤪 You can head there by clicking the link in my profile.
I’ve been completely disconnected from social me I’ve been completely disconnected from social media and that’s been vital for me during this tender postpartum period of transitioning from a mama of 1 to 2. But today, I’m bopping on briefly to share how Teddy entered this wild world with you - if you’re into a lengthy, detailed birth story, the link in my profile will lead you to the blog post 💙
Theodore “Teddy” Lars Nohling joined our famil Theodore “Teddy” Lars Nohling joined our family at 12:48am on Wednesday after a quick and swift labor & birth at home 💙 Thank you Father for another healthy baby boy & your abundant, tender love for us. What an undeserved gift.
Very grateful to be carrying another baby past his Very grateful to be carrying another baby past his due date, but also....LET’S GO DUDE. Still over here eating dates (check out the @ebbirth article on the research showing dates can help ripen (aka soften) your cervix, reduce the need for medical intervention in labor and can overall, improve birth outcomes) drinking red raspberry leaf tea and sleeping as much as possible with a 19 month old running around. And also trying to survive July in VA without public pools or splash pads bc it is BLAZIN HERE (and I’m a wuss with the heat 🤪)
#AlignPartner A huge plus of transitioning from ti #AlignPartner A huge plus of transitioning from tiny-apartment-city-living to house living is this screened in porch. This little oasis sold me on renting this house when we moved from Boston to Virginia back in November. I dreamed about this becoming our outdoor living room for at least half the year (because also, summer comes earlier and stays later down here - which has a its pros and cons 😆)  During Cal’s afternoon nap, I set up shop out here with my computer + something refreshing to drink and get a little bit of work done before my brain turns to mush and/or a find myself napping instead of working. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I can only drink so much water during the hot months before I’m over it so I’ve been mixing it up with either seltzer + juice, iced tea or @alignprobiotic’s new Kombucha On-the-Go powder sticks - all you do is mix one of the packets into ice cold water and stir. Then sip!  With quarantine life, we aren’t on-the-go much these days, but it’s still nice to have a nonperishable drink option always around. Flavor wise, it’s like a fizzy iced tea with a zingy, refreshing lemon ginger flavor.  I think it’s important to know that not all probiotic supplements are created equal. They all aren’t backed by evidence, but the Align brand is and could be something helpful for you if you feel like you need some digestive support - but talk to your healthcare provider first. I try to incorporate probiotics into what I eat - and that mostly comes in drink vs food form. Tell me how you’re staying hydrated in the comments ...because these days, it’s the little things 🤪 #AlignProbiotic **Use as Directed
Lunches for the past month or so have been some re Lunches for the past month or so have been some rendition of a sandwich + chips + fruit. SUMMERTIME 😎I’ve switched to open faced only bc there just ain’t much room left in there for food at 38.5 weeks 🤰🏻90% of the time at the end of a meal, no matter how “small” the portion, I’m feeling stuffed and like the food is in my throat (just what you wanted to read on this lovely Tuesday afternoon 🤪) but my point here is...intuitive eating doesn’t mean find-the-perfect-fullness and eat-only-when-hungry. Sometimes it means eating when you’re not hungry and feeling overly full often and trying to eat foods lower in fiber and higher in calories.
Found this photo on my camera roll today from a wa Found this photo on my camera roll today from a walk I took a month or so ago. Between quarantine and spending my days with a toddler, life is much less hurried and a lot more mundane these days. But those two things are helping me to stop & notice and to chill out on checking things off my to do list and instead just being present with whatever is in front of me. I want to have the curiosity & wonder my 18 month old has as I go about my day - with my surroundings and people I encounter and really, everything. Life is way more meaningful that way. Ending my evening with that reminder and a white chocolate chip cinnamon blondie covered in vanilla ice cream before I go take an Epsom salt bath and read.

Copyright © 2021 · The Real RD· Blog Design by Little Blue Deer


Terms and Conditions | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy