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Eating Disorders, Hormones, Metabolism

Finding Your Healthy Set Point

May 25, 2017 By Robyn 68 Comments

Four years ago I was 2-3 pant sizes smaller and also way less content. Gaining weight and letting my body find it’s set point was the best thing that ever happened to me. Better than marrying Nick, because if that didn’t happen I wouldn’t be the wife I am today and I might not be married to him. Summer is near, and as we all resurface from hibernation and break out the breezy shorts + dresses (yay!) the chatter on body image and “toning up” (whatever the flip that means) gets louder.

One thing about set point theory that is overlooked or not spoken about clearly I think, is that your “set point” isn’t one certain number. Or even one number give or take a few pounds. No. Researchers estimate that the average person has a set point range of ten to twenty pounds. Ten to twenty pounds.

set point weight

That means, at any given time and in any given season (think your early twenties vs postpartum vs menopausal vs an emotionally difficult time etc etc) there is a ten to twenty pound range in which your body will comfortably sit and not resist attempts to change. I think that’s pretty awesome how the body can fluctuate and adapt to different periods in your life. Because our bodies are not static. That are really dynamic and a degree of weight fluctuation is normal….and suppose to happen.

Our lives aren’t always the exact same, so why do we expect our weight to be the exact same all the time either? Our bodies need to change as life changes sometimes and that is okay. When people talk about eating healthy and maintaining a healthy weight I have to ask…what does that even mean?

What I know it doesn’t mean is everyone eating all the organic green raw non toxic things and fitting into the same crop top. I talked about what I thought healthy meant here, so what does ‘healthy weight’ even mean?

When your weight dips below your body’s own natural set point your body is smart and it will attempt to adjust both your appetite and your metabolism in and effort to return your body to it’s set point. Metabolism slows to conserve energy (because you’re actually not meeting your daily energy demands) and in turn your body will sense it’s starving, therefore it will try to be as efficient as possible with the inadequate amount of calories it’s receiving. (Side note: this inadequate calorie intake is a big reason for amenorrhea, we don’t need periods to live so it’s an easy system the body can shut down to conserve energy.)

Are you sleepy? Are you cold all the time? Are you irritable? Is your sex drive in the toilet? Clients get a little caught off guard when I ask them about their sex drive. But when your body is underweight, it’s likely estrogen is low too (in addition to your ovaries, fat cells play a large role in estrogen production) and when estrogen is low that means your libido is low because estrogen effects your sex drive. Sleepy, cold, irritable, crappy libido…all not fun.

So how do you know if you’re at your body’s set point? I don’t believe there are blanket recommendations everyone should follow to get to your set point. The one way you will eventually find your set point is by turning inward, with intuitive eating, versus outward with comparison and objective measures to determine how much and what you should eat. Intuitive eating is not a quick fix and it’s not black and white…it’s really grey and murky and maybe uncomfortable in the beginning. But you will find your set point. And freedom and a life beyond your pant size. Here’s lots of other women who could say the same.

While there’s not a cut and dry answer to “what is my set point,” there are some things that will let you know you aren’t at your set point.

If you’re knowingly restricting your food intake, yet maintaining your weight and not losing weight, or even more frustrating actually gaining weight. See above about energy conservation when your body is starving. Also I think it’s important to note that you don’t have to be eating 1200 calories a day to put your body into starvation mode. It doesn’t have to be that drastic. I hear from clients all.the.time how amazed they are at the amount of food they need to eat to satisfy their hunger and maintain a their own healthy weight.
But the amazement isn’t because they eat more than “normal” – often it’s because when they lift their head out of a disordered world or stop following social media accounts that are more harmful then helpful, they realize what a normal amount and variety of food looks like. How freeing.

If you go on vacation and easily “gain weight” or you gain weight by “looking at a cupcake” you might be a) under eating on a regular basis so any deviation causes weight gain b) underweight and not at your set point c) perhaps you could be overriding hunger/satiation cues and it might be helpful to explore those behaviors

If you have to restrict your food intake, only eat particular foods (ex: high protein, low carb) or stick to a particular eating regime to maintain a number on the scale you’re not at your body’s natural set point. That can go both ways though- under eating could leave you above your natural set point just like under eating could leave you under your natural set point. Eating enough not only helps balance out hormonal chaos and decrease cortisol, but it gets your metabolism out of that sluggish state it could be in when it’s trying to conserve energy from under nourishment.

Can I say a harsh PSA: please throw away your scale. your weight does not take away value or give you value.

The body is pretty resilient if it isn’t starved, isn’t sleep deprived, and isn’t stressed to the max and spewing cortisol. You need cake to balance out the kale just as much as you need kale to balance out the cake. They both are nourishing in their own way.

We live in a world absolutely obsessed with eating clean and having toned thighs. But what about if we were obsessed with pursuing our passions and dreams and loving people and helping the needy and just enjoying this one life and this one body. And there is health at every single size. Don’t let the internet or social media tell you differently.

Also, here are some other posts similar to this topic if you want to read more <3

Eating Less is NOT More

Is Intuitive Eating Always a Good Thing?

Is Not Having Your Period Normal?


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

  • How Do I Know If I’m At My Healthy Set Point?How Do I Know If I’m At My Healthy Set Point?
  • Rebound Weight Gain After Calorie Restriction [Q&A]Rebound Weight Gain After Calorie Restriction [Q&A]
  • Calories In Versus Calories OutCalories In Versus Calories Out
  • Your Body is Dynamic, Not StaticYour Body is Dynamic, Not Static

Filed Under: Eating Disorders, Hormones, Metabolism

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Comments

  1. emily vardy says

    May 25, 2017 at 6:31 am

    “You need cake to balance out the kale just as much as you need kale to balance out the cake. They both are nourishing in their own way.”
    <3 <3 such a good post, thank you for all of this.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:49 pm

      🙂

      Reply
    • Kiki says

      October 13, 2018 at 8:52 am

      I liked that line too! 😁
      Its true!

      Reply
  2. Carrie this fit chick says

    May 25, 2017 at 8:29 am

    This was beautifully written. i’ve definitely been on both ends of my set point and could ‘t agree more with how your body will for sure LET YOU KNOW! The cravings, lethargy, emotions all add up to tell you that you arent at your happy spot!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:49 pm

      it SURE WILL

      Reply
  3. Katie says

    May 25, 2017 at 8:46 am

    Love everything about this post! Especially those last few paragraphs – such powerful words. Thank you Robyn!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:49 pm

      xoxo

      Reply
  4. Trista says

    May 25, 2017 at 9:06 am

    Thank you for saying that set point can range from ten-twenty pounds. I’ve never heard that before… I always thought once you find your set point you fluctuate only a few pounds, so this was refreshing to hear, especially because I am about 20 pounds “over” what I have always considered to be my happy, free weight. This year has brought on a lot of emotional challenges so I have been forced to see that as my life changes, my body will too. I can’t control it and I don’t need to try!!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:49 pm

      nope, you’re body is the master at managing it’s weight. that frees you up not to 🙂

      Reply
  5. Bethany @luluruns says

    May 25, 2017 at 11:02 am

    So, so true! I love your viewpoint and have learned so much through reading your blog! I was wayyy underweight (lost my period for about 2 years or so) for years and then through God’s grace. your blog and others like it, and my mama telling me some nice, hard truth I gained the weight back, got married and had my first son 8 months ago! And I agree about the 10-20 pounds thing. SO TRUE.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:48 pm

      what an awesome store bethany!!!

      Reply
  6. Ally says

    May 25, 2017 at 11:42 am

    Thank you for writing this, it’s really help me think through my approach to being at a natural healthy weight. Over my past years in college I’ve realized (because I hadn’t thrown out my scale) that my weight always tends to come back to the same plus/minus 10lb range, regardless of how “unclean” my diet was. I’m getting on the right mental track, shifting away from the diet & body image word is gonna take a while though.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:48 pm

      mine stays the same too no matter what…give yourself lots of grace in this journey. you never really arrive…its an ebb and flow <3

      Reply
  7. Annaliese says

    May 25, 2017 at 1:05 pm

    I started the book intuitive eating and I find your blog posts sooo helpful – especially this one!

    Also, you look beautiful in that photo!!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      that book is lie changing!! thanks annaliese 🙂

      Reply
  8. [email protected] says

    May 25, 2017 at 1:49 pm

    Love his post as much as I love your others! Thank you for being real and encouraging!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      <3

      Reply
  9. Edie says

    May 25, 2017 at 3:35 pm

    So spot on, as always, Robyn! I just posted earlier today about body image too, so I loved reading your perspective about gaining weight and being comfortable in your own body. XO

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      thank you for sharing a positive message too edie!

      Reply
  10. Emily at The We Files says

    May 25, 2017 at 3:37 pm

    So grateful for this post! I’m learning so much. Also, when you mentioned needing chocolate on IG I was so relieved. 😉 Me too, girl!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:46 pm

      you’re in good company 🙂

      Reply
  11. Julianne says

    May 25, 2017 at 5:43 pm

    I don’t have to say how much I love this post 🙂 I was wondering if you could write a post or answer a couple of my questions about your journey with movement? I know you’ve run marathons and were running/strength training a lot at the beginning of the this blog. While your relationship to movement could be exactly the same during those times of running long distance as it is now without marathon training, I was curious if it has evolved at all over the years? Thanks for your words, as always.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:46 pm

      I’d love to write about this! Look out for that soon 🙂

      Reply
  12. Laura McRae says

    May 25, 2017 at 6:15 pm

    Robyn,
    Once again, as I read your post, I am truly encouraged to make the changes I need to in my life to reach the place I know that I need to be in order to be a correctly functioning woman, in all the areas you discussed in this post. Thank you for your words and your heart behind these words is precious!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:45 pm

      Hi Laura – I am SO SO SO glad this messy words are resonating with you. thinking of you!

      Reply
  13. Kasey Kushion says

    May 25, 2017 at 8:41 pm

    I love everything about this post!! THANK YOU for it! I’ve totally been there – that extreme, irritable, cold, hungry, grump of a human being because I was trying to fit a certain number on the scale. It’s miserable. I’m definitely much more comfortable at a higher weight and my body thanks me for it!! Thee are so many of us struggling with this issue, and I love your post !

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:44 pm

      you are so not alone! thanks for sharing kasey!

      Reply
  14. alisha says

    May 26, 2017 at 5:38 am

    Thank you. I needed to hear this. Always hard to surrender fully and not have anything to hold on to. Your post is very encouraging. Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:44 pm

      so glad you were encouraged alisha!

      Reply
  15. Erin Brenneman says

    May 26, 2017 at 11:43 am

    As always, thank you for your rationality about food and bodies in this crazy world. I always appreciate your perspective!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:43 pm

      thank YOU for reading erin!

      Reply
  16. Jill @ RunEatSnap says

    May 26, 2017 at 1:51 pm

    I’ve been reading books lately such as Body Kindness and Health at Every Size. The set point theory is so interesting to me. I think I am at mine because back in college and the year after college I was about 15-20 pounds heavier than I am now but I didn’t exercise and I ate really poorly. Then I decided to start running and return to school to become an RD. I ended up losing almost 40 pounds but to maintain my lowest weight, I had to exercise a LOT and count every calorie, which wasn’t fun or sustainable. Now I still exercise regularly and eat better than I did before when I was heavier but I have landed at a mid-point in terms of weight between my highest and my lowest and I do not count calories or really watch what I eat at all.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:43 pm

      thanks for sharing your story jill! so glad you’ve found a sustainable, healthy and happy weight 🙂

      Reply
  17. mk says

    May 26, 2017 at 9:29 pm

    Hi Robyn…I have never commented before but this post hit a spot in my heart. I have been ill with AN for about 10 years and am now in my mid-20s. I so badly want to get better, but overtime I increase my calories, the scale goes up and I resort back to restricting. I feel my body will never heal, and I can’t convince myself to push through this and just gain the weight. You talk a lot about gaining weight and eating more helped your mood and life – and this post clearly shows that. Can you offer some advice on what pushed you to keep persevering through eating more and gaining weight, even when you had thought of fear because the scale went up, clothes got tighter, etc.? How does one deal with this scary time and push through recovery? I have tried reminding myself of things important to me in my life, but this only works for some time…

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:42 pm

      hey there MK – remember that when your body is underweight it will hold onto ANYTHING no matter what you eat so weight gain IS GOING to happen no matter what. that doesn’t mean you won’t heal. you WILL. in a sentence this is what has to happen first. you have to surrender controlling the size of your body. If you try to control your body’s size, you cannot simultaneously try to eat freely. I would really encourage you to reach out and work one on one with an RD/therapist team you trust. lots of love to you <3

      Reply
  18. meredith (The Cookie ChRUNicles) says

    May 28, 2017 at 4:49 am

    love this post. these are my words to live by! And agreed about social media. It’s absolutely horrible what I see and even scarier to think that there are people who follow those accounts and wish to be like them.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 29, 2017 at 1:39 pm

      I know it’s heartbreaking…now for us to change the scene 🙂

      Reply
  19. Haley Hansen says

    May 31, 2017 at 2:55 pm

    Robyn, I’m so thankful for all of your posts. FINALLY someone who isn’t encouraging me & other women/girls/whoever to eat low-carb or follow some other “diet”. Finally someone who says its okay – its healthy – to follow the craving of a sweet tooth, to eat that cake, etc. Finally, someone who truly helps me understand what “listen to your body” means.

    Love love love it! Keep it coming 🙂

    Reply
  20. Felicia Renee says

    June 12, 2017 at 9:16 am

    Hi Robyn,

    I found you from The Healthy Maven podcast and it was great! I love this post as well, my only question is that I’ve always been on the other side of the spectrum. Dealing with people that made sure I was uncomfortable with my weight because I’m short, but not stick skinny. I feel better when I exercise consistently, but don’t restrict certain foods and I’m a few sizes smaller, is that my set point? I’m trying to get to a healthy place again with loving and accepting my body no matter if I weigh 120lbs or 160lbs. I just feel like this post is more focused on being underweight versus over.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 16, 2017 at 2:57 pm

      Hi felicia – thanks for coming over, welcome! I have no idea if that is your set point at all since I don’t know you – I wrote a post a while back on intuitive eating when you’re trying to find your set point which I hope will be helpful!

      Reply
  21. Jessica Selmer says

    July 26, 2017 at 7:04 pm

    I know this post is from earlier this year, but I am just now reading it. I really enjoy your posts, but a lot of the information is geared toward those recovering from anorexia/ amenorrhea, etc. And that is great! My sister references you often as she is recovering from orthorexia (sp?). I, am on the other end of the spectrum, however. I have been obese all my life. Recently I lost a weight (194 down to 151 lbs) by “eating when hungry, stopping when full”, but the whole time I still obsessed over food. I am a binge eater by nature and binged often, and still do. I have managed to keep the weight off most of the time, but still struggle with obsessing over food. Where some people don’t want to eat, I want to eat constantly. Anyway, I was wondering if you had any posts or references on finding your set point as an overweight person, and also intuitive eating for those who frequently binge eat?

    Reply
    • Robyn @thereallife_RD says

      July 26, 2017 at 7:25 pm

      Hi Jessica! I totally hear you. And want to celebrate how far you’ve come – that’s awesome! This post might be helpful from April https://www.thereallife-rd.com/2017/04/happy-weight/

      I’ll also add this topic to my list to expand upon. Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Jessica Selmer says

        July 26, 2017 at 7:47 pm

        That was really helpful! Thank you!

        Reply
  22. Madelyne says

    February 11, 2018 at 8:49 pm

    Hey Robyn! Thanks for that awesome post. I have had anorexia for a good 2 years, and for a couple months I have been at a completely normal weight. I typically maintain my weight eating 2000 calories. This week I have been trying intuitive eating, thinking it would make me less crazy. Yesterday I decided to see how much I was eating while listening to my body and I was only eating around 1400 calories! Should I continue with this intuitive eating even though I’m “under” my calorie goal, or it it too soon? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      February 12, 2018 at 5:25 pm

      Often early on – especially in recovery, it could be too premature to introduce intuitive eating. I would encourage you to not do intuitve eating yet…perhaps a trusted RD could be helpful. Let me know where you live and if I know some, I’m happy to give recs if you’d like.

      Reply
  23. Bre says

    April 18, 2018 at 4:34 pm

    Hi!

    I know this post is old, but I’m hoping you can give me more info on set point. What are your thoughts on pregnancy and set point?

    I weighed the same amount for 4-5 years without restricting. I got pregnant, had my baby, and my weight has pretty much stayed about 5-7 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight. A couple of times it has been my pre-pregnancy weight, but it is never long term. It makes me feel like maybe my set point has changed??

    My main worry with this is that I breastfed my baby for 15 months with no period. Now 4 months of no breastfeeding I still have not regained a cycle. Is it possible it is from me trying to reach that pre-pregnancy weight even though it is less than a 10 lb difference?

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      April 18, 2018 at 5:17 pm

      Hi Bre – remember your set point is a RANGE of about 10-20 lbs so it makes sense that you could have a weight anywhere in that up to 20 lb range and that is your set point. So you could very well be AT your set point. It makes sense that after you bring human life out of your body your body would change. I think coming to a place of body neutrality and working towards intuitive eating would be helpful things to pursue 🙂

      Reply
      • Bre says

        April 18, 2018 at 9:40 pm

        Thank you. Yes that is what I am trying to do and I really appreciate your blog. Just wondering, is it possible for my previous weight to be below my set point range now and that’s why my body fights to stay above it?

        PS- im an RD as well. I really love learning about intuitive eating and want to practice it more.

        Reply
  24. Ruby James says

    May 16, 2018 at 10:15 am

    I find a lot of this to be true. Intuitive eating is how I diet. 😛
    I hadn’t really known about set points before, I just knew that I had always stuck within the same 10lb range no matter what I ate. I guess sticking there was good for my view of health since I knew that a cupcake wasn’t going to make or break any (nonexistent) weight goals.
    Even now that I do have goals regarding weight, I like to think of them as being muscle goals. I suppose I’ve always figured that my weight is going to do what it’s going to do. I only pursue these goals because working towards a physical goal makes me happy rather than actually thinking I need to get there. That, and I’m a curious little thing that insists on knowing if the magic of being at a perfect muscle/fat ratio actually does… anything. (Probably not, but SCIENCE!)
    Also, little note, I don’t think people necessarily have a “set” point weight. I think that bodies like to settle at a range and, with persuasion, just might deign to compromise to settle at another range.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      May 16, 2018 at 1:23 pm

      Hi Ruby – set point theory says just that – that we have a range where our bodies is healthiest, typically a 10-20 lb range
      Also if it’s helpful for you, there is no such thing as a perfect muscle/fat ratio as there is nothing of that sort in the literature and each body is genetically designed differently. What allows you to be your healthiest and function at your best is caring for yourself physically – but also mentally and emotionally. Thanks for your comment! 🙂

      Reply
  25. Kelly says

    October 12, 2018 at 6:27 pm

    I recently found your blog and I’m finding it very helpful as I try to ditch dieting for good. I’ve dieted on and off my whole life (36 years old) and every time I’ve lost weight I’ve gained the weight back plus more, now leaving me at 250 pounds. Even though I haven’t been on a long term diet or lost a lot of weight in a couple years, I am constantly fluctuating between over eating, thinking I’ll start the “healthy eating” soon, or attempting said “healthy eating.” I realized it has a big affect on my mental health and how I view food. I am trying to accept my body the way it is, but am really hoping my body still remembers it’s old “set point.” Do you think that as we lose/regain weight that our set point changes? Or that our weight can fall back to it’s original set point if we start treating it kindly? I still worry that my weight is causing my health problems but I know that dieting has never gotten me anywhere, so what choice do I have but to try & make peace?

    Reply
  26. JENNA says

    February 27, 2019 at 7:01 pm

    I FREAKING LOVE THIS POST AND LOVE YOU!!! CAN WE BE BEST FRIENDS? GREAT. UGH YOU ARE AMAZING, ROBYN! <3 <3

    Reply
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  28. zeta white says

    October 22, 2019 at 3:59 am

    This is some crazy and infomarmational stuff.. i love how you present finding healthy set point. and i love your website font TBH.!

    Reply
  29. Sue F says

    February 6, 2020 at 7:32 am

    Great post – another person who hadn’t come across it being clearly spelt out that the set point is likely to be a much bigger range than I previously thought but makes so much sense! I’m a little way down the path to intuitive eating and ditching the diets now, but there’s still so much I’m learning and adding to my knowledge toolkit day-to-day to help … tell you what, it feels so much better already than dieting and freaking out at scales every morning!

    Reply

Trackbacks

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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.

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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

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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

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🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻 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.
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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.
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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 🤗
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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.
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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.

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