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
Intuitive Eating, Life, Travel, Weekend

Weekend Trip To Columbus

December 18, 2017 By Robyn 39 Comments

We traveled this weekend to visit my brother (one of the four) in Columbus! He’s lived there for 2 years and I’ve never been to visit. I KNOW. A few weeks ago I told Nick we should visit over Christmas, he agreed, and so we planned for this past weekend.

It was so much fun.

We left Friday evening and drove the 2 1/2 hours into Ohio, arriving just in time for dinner. My brother went to Indiana University (being in college at the same time together was the best) and studied to be an English teacher, but then fell into food & wine and never looked back. He now works in the wine business and then on the weekends is a manager at an upscale, yet all occasion steakhouse called The Avenue in Columbus. So he took us there Friday night for the most epic dinner.

We were lucky to get extra friendly service since Scott knows everyone and they were incredibly kind, generous and entertaining! We started with cocktails at the bar while we waited for our table. I went with the Manhattan since I was told it was a little different than a normal Manhattan. It was delicious.

My brother treats dining out as an all night, hours long, multiple course and “order only the best” experience. I feel the same. Eating out and making it a long, drawn out event is my favorite thing. So that’s what we did. He led the way with the ordering.

We started with raw oysters, shrimp in a creamy butter sauce and charcuterie that included this homemade pastrami bacon that was INSANE. The only food I don’t like in this world is oysters, muscles and clams. It’s a texture thing. I ate one to give it another try and was very not into them. I want to be into oysters, but I’m just not. We paired the apps with a Chablis which is essentially an unoaked Chardonnay. It was dry, light, citrusy and delicious.

For dinner I went with one of the specials for the night – a grassfed New York strip with chimichurri. And we all shared brussel sprouts, mushrooms, sautéed corn and that huge hashbrown in the back right of the below photo. This dinner was all about pacing so I didn’t end up overly full. The steak was HUGE so I ate about 1/4 of it, some sides and then saved a little room for dessert. Scott ordered a Barolo to pair with the steak which tasted full, rich, tannin-y (is that a word?) and delicious.

And then they brought out not just a plate of dessert but a platter. There was a 40th birthday party going on in the back room of the restaurant so for kicks, they stuck a couple candles into the cheesecake and sang. lol.

I had a bite of each dessert with the little room I had left in my stomach, the creme brûlée was my favorite. Then the boys finished off the wine I didn’t drink (it was delicious, but 100% not worth a hangover) and we chatted with Scott’s co-workers for a bit and then left the restaurant a little after midnight. Nick and I both looked at Scott as we left and were like…”that was incredible.” Thank you Scottie and all the wonderful people at The Avenue for treating us SO WELL.

Saturday night I slept a full 8 1/2 hours and we woke up around 9:30am. Drank some coffee and then went on a little run. Usually I’m hungry within 30ish minutes of waking, but we were eating dinner at 11pm the night before and my appetite was weak the next morning, so I threw some extra half n half in my coffee as energy for our run.

The boys jogged slow with me and we did 4 miles around Columbus.

And then Scott used the leftover steak we brought home and made steak + eggs with roasted potatoes for brunch/lunch.

Plus another cup of coffee and a banana that went unpictured.

We laid around for a bit and then showered and got ready to head out for the rest of the afternoon.

We bopped into a record store since my brother just bought a record player. And now I want a record player.

And then headed to North Market.

It reminded me of Chelsea Market in NYC but way less crowded….which means it was way more enjoyable.

We ate a late breakfast at noon, so we kind of munched our way around the market and called that lunch. First, these doughy, delicious perogies in a butter sauce.

Then I went and ordered a chai tea latte to drink with this donut we shard from Destination Donuts. I NEED these donuts in Boston. We went with the classic and it was so fluffy, not overly sweet at all and had the perfect amount of glaze.

Also, my new favorite afternoon drink is a chai latte – but I order it as plain brewed chai tea topped with foamed whole milk. So I guess that’s like a cafe au lait but with chai tea instead of coffee? I find chai lattes overly sweet and they don’t make me feel great. But a chai “cafe au lait” with added honey to my preferred sweetness is fab. And it’s like $2.50 instead of $5.

Okay back to the day!

Alexis and I had plans to meet for a happy hour drink Saturday evening, but then we realized I hadn’t seen her new home all made over so instead my brother, Nick and I headed over there for a drink with her and her boyfriend, Jeff.

I so wish we lived closer. The internet sucks a lot of the time, but when I realize I’ve met some of the best people, and a few who have become close friends on the internet, I’m like…that’s so cool. What I love most about Alexis is that she’s honest and vulnerable and unafraid to change. And so our conversations can go from surface level to face diving into the depths really fast which is why I think we clicked four years ago when we met. I’m someone who can only talk surface level for a few minutes and then I want to be like….”so tell me your life story..”

The boys did their boy thing and we caught up and it was great. And now I want to renovate a house.

We said goodbye and then headed to a Christmas party Scott’s coworker was hosting at her home. Which basically meant a lot of cool people in the wine industry bringing a lot of really good wine to a party to taste + enjoy.

There was an amazing spread of cheese + crackers and salmon and sandwiches and spanakopita and all kinds of baked goods.

I snacked on a plate of cheese + crackers and a few spanakopita wedges and a cookie. Then once several people left a group of 15 of us played Cards of Humanity. It was the largest game ever and fun and hilarious.

On our way home I realized I probably didn’t eat enough at the party because my stomach felt empty. The boys were a little hungry too so we ordered a stromboli on our way home.

I ate a few slices, felt satisfied and then we crashed into bed to get a full 8 hours because we had to be up by 8 to drive back to Indy. This late night eating felt so. much. different than in college where it felt chaotic and guilt ridden because 1) I would drink too much and 2) I was restricting my food during the day. Learning to eat intuitively not only helped me drink intuitively but it helped me feel mindful around food situations like this. I’m not perfect at all and it’s taken years to learn these skills (think of intuitive eating as a skill…it takes time to develop) but it feels really freeing to be in this place. If you can relate, check out this post on intuitive eating + alcohol. 

The three of us made the drive home early because we had to be at my grandma’s house by 11:30am for family Christmas with my mom’s entire side of the family.

Breakfast was coffee + a banana + an Rxbar. Important to note –> I don’t think of a banana + rxbar as an adequate breakfast because that would keep me full for maybe a couple hours (and for the majority of people that’s not enough energy…so if that doesn’t hold you either, that’s okay and expected) but we were eating in a couple hours and I wanted an appetite for that.

We made it to Indianapolis without hiccups and spent the afternoon with my family. I snapped this one photo of lunch plate #1 – ham sandwich (ham is Christmas tradition in my family) with Fritos and hummus + veggies.

Unpictured was a spinach + pecan + apple salad and a few handfuls of white chocolate covered popcorn –> so good.

We left there late afternoon, swung by TJs for some groceries and then took the dog on a walk for some fresh air and movement when we got home.

Sunday evening Nick and I addressed our Christmas cards that are going out late because I forgot about making Christmas cards until like last week. So Merry Christmas from us to you 🙂

I drank a green smoothie and ate goat cheese + crackers to hold me until dinner. Momma Coale made white chicken chili and my brother, Steven, made homemade focaccia which is insanely good. He’s the master of bread baking (really though) and his focaccia is so good.

We watched This Is Us by the fire, ate vanilla ice cream with a chocolate chip cookie and were in bed before 10.

My body was like…I’m TIRED.

How as your weekend? Share some delicious Christmas recipes you’re making or have eaten in the comments!


YOU MAY ALSO LIKE...

  • Buttery Deliciousness in Boston {weekend recap}Buttery Deliciousness in Boston {weekend recap}
  • 5 Thoughts5 Thoughts
  • Day Trip to New Haven and Car Shopping (weekend recap)Day Trip to New Haven and Car Shopping (weekend recap)
  • Things Worth Reading & DoingThings Worth Reading & Doing

Filed Under: Intuitive Eating, Life, Travel, Weekend

« Meet The Real Life RD Interns! [PT 1]
Meet The Real Life RD Interns! [PT 2] »

Comments

  1. Eva says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:03 am

    sounds like a fantastic wkd of GREAT eats– which is just how i love my weekends!!

    my boyfriend & i were in the city this wkd for all the christmasy things <3 and actually i thought i should let you know that you inspired me a few weeks ago when you mentioned the jazz club mezzrow on your blog. i've been wanting to get more into jazz bc i love the way it sounds so i really wanted to check out some jazz clubs in the city! well saturday night we checked out cornelia street cafe instead, which has an underground jazz club and it was actually a drum/piano/bass trio performing but they were really good– we're gonna check out mezzrow or smalls next time for sure!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:34 pm

      Oh so fun that you guys got to enjoy New York during the holidays! I haven’t been to either of those but heard great things about Smalls! Hope you can go back to Mezzrow soon and enjoy – I loved the vibes 🙂

      Reply
  2. Juliette | Namastay Traveling says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:11 am

    Wow this looks like a wonderfully delicious trip! I always love seeing my favorite bloggers get together, it’s like my worlds collide! I have big plans to make lemon bars and oreo truffles this week 🙂 Have an awesome week!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:33 pm

      🙂

      lemon bars ARE SO GOOD.

      Reply
  3. Sarah @ Bucket List Tummy says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:38 am

    I’d be tired after that weekend too! But how lovely having a brother in the wine/food industry, and another who bakes amazing bread. Jealous! Hope you enjoy the rest of your week.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:33 pm

      there is no shortage of good food 🙂

      Reply
  4. Charlsie N says

    December 18, 2017 at 11:45 am

    So I live in Columbus and have never heard of the Avenue!! I guess that might be our next date night!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      highly recommend :))

      Reply
  5. Jaclyn Kirsch says

    December 18, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    So glad you enjoyed my home town of Columbus!! The North Market is the best! I so enjoy following you on you’re blog, you are adding valuable things to the inter webs when so many others are not!!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      it was lovely! I’m so glad you are finding life in the blog and Insta – thank you for following!

      Reply
  6. Sheema @ Outdoor Karma says

    December 18, 2017 at 12:15 pm

    Wow, perogies! They will always remind me of the show, Gossip Girl. I’ve never had one but I’ve always wanted to try it!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      they are so fab! highly recommend 🙂

      Reply
  7. Shannon K says

    December 18, 2017 at 12:39 pm

    Union Square Donuts in Somerville! You’ll have to take a little trip over to this side of the river, but it’s very worth it, I assure you 🙂 And there’s an adorable flower mart nearby in Union Square that’s worth perusing. I’d say take this adventure on a Sunday, because parking in Somerville on any other day is a form of torture…

    Not a distinctly *holiday* recipe, but the cookies I made as holiday gifts for friends this year I adapted from an Ambitious Kitchen recipe and a Yotam Ottolenghi recipe — resulting in Oatmeal Brown Butter Tahini cookies dipped in melted dark chocolate. The result = Oh. My. Goodness. Gracious. AK’s original cookies were brown butter tahini cookies rolled in sesame seeds and dipped in dark chocolate, but I just love the taste and texture of oatmeal cookies so much that I did some research dry ingredient ratios based on the other ingredients in AK’s recipe, and voila.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      So people have said that so we will have to! We aren’t too far from Somerville 🙂

      those cookies sounds delicious!!

      Reply
  8. jessie lee says

    December 18, 2017 at 1:33 pm

    Check out Union Square Donuts in Boston! The brown butter hazelnut is the best!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:30 pm

      we will have to now!

      Reply
  9. Emily Swanson says

    December 18, 2017 at 1:58 pm

    Absolutely love your Christmas cards. And I think it’s wonderful that you got to go hang out with your brother; it’s fun to go to restaurants where you’re a regular, because the people who are there become like your friends. And the food looks amazing; I’d have to agree that oysters are something I can’t quite get over the texture of, but I do love shrimp or any other kind of fish that I’ve tried.

    I love how intuitive you are Robyn; you constantly remind many of us that that intuitive eating is possible again even after years of restriction.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:30 pm

      I like shrimp too but not the slimier stuff 🙂
      IE is possible!

      Reply
  10. Megan @ A Continual Feast says

    December 18, 2017 at 3:10 pm

    Looks like a great trip! That donut looks insane (in a good way). Love how you put intuitive eating tips throughout your posts- always so insightful!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      Glad you enjoy them 🙂

      Reply
  11. Amber @ Bloom Nutrition Therapy says

    December 18, 2017 at 3:11 pm

    This post is just SO FULL of love! This looks like it was an amazing weekend spent cherishing family and friends and food. Also, those Christmas cards are beautiful! Safe travels!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      It was a good weekend 🙂 Hope yours was too and happy holidays Amber! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Allie says

    December 18, 2017 at 5:12 pm

    You should definitely visit Boston Public Market!! Similar set-up to Chelsea Market, but more like a farmer’s-market and definitely less crazy. There is a vendor there selling incredible donuts too!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:29 pm

      Oh we will totally have to do that when we get back!

      Reply
  13. Ashley says

    December 18, 2017 at 9:04 pm

    Hi Robyn! So glad you had such a wonderful trip!

    You inspire me every day!

    I was wondering though, if maybe you could write a post about the beginning of the recovery journey? Especially in terms of extreme hunger and honoring cravings…

    Is the key really to honor them all no matter what?

    It’s terrifying that all I crave are cookies and ice cream…

    But i’m tring my best every day.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:28 pm

      Hi Ashley!

      That is part of moving through normalizing food, giving yourself full permission to eat and giving your body whatever amount of food it is asking for. It’s totally normal to feel extreme hunger! Eat eat eat.

      It won’t last forever. Know we are here if you’d like to work together.

      Happy Holidays to you Ashley 🙂

      Reply
  14. Jen says

    December 19, 2017 at 3:34 am

    We love The Avenue and the North Market! Merry Christmas!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:27 pm

      It was so fun to visit! Merry Christmas to you too 🙂

      Reply
  15. Julianne says

    December 19, 2017 at 6:35 am

    I absolutely love your Christmas cards!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:26 pm

      oh thank you 🙂

      Reply
  16. Kristin says

    December 19, 2017 at 7:36 am

    I saw a couple of comments for Union Square, but especially since you’re moving to the South End, you’ll LOVE Blackbird Doughnuts on Tremont. Their yeast donuts are delicious and fluffy (any of the seasonal fruit ones are amazing!), but their chocolate old fashioned is the real game-changer!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:26 pm

      I’ve heard others mention Blackbird so I will have to try!!

      Reply
      • Kristin says

        December 19, 2017 at 12:53 pm

        And if you’re looking for good Mexican food –which I’ve found hard to find in Boston– you must try El Centro on Shawmut Ave!

        Reply
  17. Inês Calisto says

    December 19, 2017 at 7:53 am

    Hi Robyn,

    What a wonderful weekend. I really enjoy reading your posts and relate so much to you.
    Here in the Azores we eat codfish with potatoes, kale, carrots, boiled eggs and black-eyed peas or roasted turkey with stuffing on Christmas Eve.

    Merry Christmas!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      December 19, 2017 at 12:26 pm

      Merry Christmas to you too Ines and thank you for reading!!

      Reply
  18. May says

    December 19, 2017 at 4:49 pm

    happy holidays! this might be a TMI kind of question but I’m wondering if you could do a post on intuitive eating with IBS. I read your previous posts on digestive issues after eating disorders and it was really helpful. But I struggle with IBS-C and although I really love to eat regular food with everyone (including lots of bread and dairy and flour-based foods and rice and pasta and other non-fibrous things) I experience a lot of discomfort unless I eat large amounts of fiber. Do you have any tips? I’m just curious and was reminded of this question after seeing all of the delicious food (and doughnuts and crackers etc.) posted here!

    Reply
  19. Nicole @ Laughing My Abs Off says

    December 20, 2017 at 9:34 am

    What a wonderful weekend! And it’s so nice that blogging brought you and Alexis together; you both are wonderful. Some Christmas recipes that shall be made in the upcoming days involve vegan snickerdoodles and vegan gingersnaps from Ambitious Kitchen as well as Alexis’s own pumpkin gingerbread 🙂

    Reply
  20. quotesandsayings says

    December 21, 2017 at 5:49 pm

    I believe that is one of the so much significant info for me.
    And i’m glad studying your article. But wanna statement on some basic issues, The website style is wonderful,
    the articles is truly excellent : D. Good task, cheers

    Reply
  21. Iris says

    February 28, 2018 at 2:30 pm

    Hii,

    Does anyone knows where to find the ‘ohio Sign ‘ that she put on her blog. It’s the first picture! Would like to see that🤗 thanks👍

    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
A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years o A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years of getting to spend so much time with my kids: aka another way I’m discovering some pockets of peace so my heart & mind & soul don’t crumble under the reality of dependent & emotionally dysregulated tiny humans.  About once a week we go somewhere for baked goods. We drive or walk, buy something buttery & then find a beautiful, relatively quiet outdoor spot where the boys can romp and I can sit and think my thoughts while I watch them play. This past week we were found ourselves at the Wool Factory where the boys threw rocks & whatever else off the bridge while I ate 90% of this almond 🥐 from @coucourachou that will blow your mind. Boys ate the other 10% bc they were busy playing and didn’t ask for more quickly enough 😜  I’m finding *for me* playgrounds have a time & place but they aren’t where I enjoy motherhood & my two toddlers the most. Baked goods & a pretty outdoor spot without high drops my 15 month old could launch himself off of…I’m here for it.
I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the boys to hike out at one of our favorite spots last week and when I ripped it open I was regretting my choice to share them with my kids. @baresnacks randomly sent me a box of snacks and I usually eat free food we receive or give it to a friend/neighbor and move on. But I felt it my duty to tell you about these bc they are THAT GOOD. I’m not getting paid and this isn’t sponsored - I was just shocked at how tasty these were and felt you needed to know. We ate them with some buttery roasted nuts and the combo was 👌🏻 but they are good just on their own.  The boys climbed rocks and swam in the reservoir - leave it to my almost 3 year old to want to strip down naked and fully submerge himself in chilly water on a sixty degree morning. “Mama can I get super nakey?” Sure baby. Sure. This is your childhood.
It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of extended alone time away from the babies to just be. And that isn’t something that’s best for me, it’s an area I gotta grow in. So this afternoon when Nick pushed me out the door and was like - get out of here plzzzz - I walked to my favorite cafe and ordered a thick pastrami sandwich and sat there for a good LONG while before taking a long, peaceful walk in the rain to wrap up the afternoon. Note to self: stop being such a control freak and go be by yourself sometimes.
a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face from @mariebettecafe this morning when she came to get her toddler who played with us all morning and it is v good. even better when paired with an iced latte 😍
#AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing a #AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing about how taking @alignprobiotic regularly has improved my digestive regularity.  And I’m still taking them! I’ve permanently added Align 24/7 Digestive Support* into the roundup of supplements I take before bed (prenatal, vitamin D, choline & DHA - all which help keep me healthy while breastfeeding) so I can keep seeing the benefits.  Just because you see benefits, doesn’t mean you should stop taking your probiotic. Keep taking Align daily (under the supervision and recommendation of your health care provider of course) to keep seeing the benefits!  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - one of my favorite parts of Align probiotics is that they don’t need refrigeration AND they come in a convenient little blister pack that has the days labeled. It’s the little things people! #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoo I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoon (91 and muggy in MAY 🤯) when a toddler nap was refused and a baby nap was cut wildly short ....so my tired mom brain pulled out two plastic storage bins, filled them up with soap & hose water and striped ‘em down naked in the yard. Two hours later, it was almost time for an early dinner and I had magically been able to sit for most of that time and we already had baths checked off the list. 👍🏻 I’m archiving this idea for my future self, hope it helps another tired mama out.
#AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about #AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about getting better at doing the basics to care for myself which included taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic regularly.  Probiotics take time to work so I wanted to give it a full month to see the full effects of @alignprobiotic. So here are my honest thoughts: it took a few weeks to notice any differences, but near the end of the month I did notice some changes in my digestive balance - even while traveling! I’m not someone who experiences occasional gas, bloating or abdominal discomfort frequently enough to notice a difference, so I don’t feel like I can comment on how well Align works for those benefits.  All in all though, taking @alignprobiotic was a positive experience and I really appreciated how the capsules don’t need to be stored in the fridge, making it convenient to take them with me anywhere #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Because the swampy VA summer has already begun (it’s in the low 90s today 🥵 lord help) and creeks are our retreat - not only from the heat but also from the noisy world. I need this just (if not more) than they do! We’ll be at the splash pads and pools too, but the quietness of the creek...my mental health is so about it. And it’s hours of play for them! Win win.  A couple things to note: this scene also included a few toddler reminders on finding another direction to throw rocks instead of at his brother - so not all is serene 🤪 and also, yes I am now that mom who buys the same clothing for both kids bc it keeps things simple & i think i kinda like it too 🤷🏻‍♀️
Things I love about midwifery among many: the appo Things I love about midwifery among many: the appointments, no matter how long, feel so unhurried. 
Just walked in from an appointment with my midwife because I was due for a Pap test + an overall wellness visit. My last pap was during my first trimester with Cal which feels like a jillion years ago, but it’s only actually been three years. Life changes so fast! Pre-baby life feels like a whole other life.  I’m wayyyy overdue for a visit to my PCP bc I’ve been under OBGYN or midwifery care for the majority of the past three years while having babies, but I am pretty good with keeping up with my paps. It seems women often think they need pap and/or HPV testing way more frequently than they do (and providers sometimes perform these tests more frequently than necessary - remember more testing doesn’t always mean better outcomes!)  So if you need it, here’s a quick little reminder on this chilly spring Friday afternoon on how often you need this testing (these are the recommendations from ACOG)  Women aged 21–29 years should have a Pap test alone every 3 years. HPV testing is not recommended.  Women aged 30–65 years should have a Pap test and an HPV test (aka co-testing) every 5 years (preferred). It also is acceptable to have a Pap test alone every 3 years.  If you get abnormal results, this testing frequency could change - but for healthy women with normal results, you actually don’t need testing as frequently as you might think. Which is great news for those of you who hate the speculum.  Ok, off to finish up some things on the to-do list (including cleaning this kitchen) during nap time and then come 5 o’clock, crack an IPA with our neighbors 🍻
#AlignPartner Over the past seven months since bec #AlignPartner Over the past seven months since becoming a mom of two, caring for myself has gotten shoved to the back burner. And it's been a challenge to make it a priority. My routine-resistant personality has upsides and downsides when it comes to motherhood. So I'm starting small this year with a consistent bedtime routine that includes taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic and hoping as that becomes consistent, my mornings will naturally shift too.  In short my bedtime currently goes like this….jammies & face care when putting the babies to bed. Before I go to bed (anytime between 9pm and 12am...) I’ll pump, take my supplements and fill my water. Then I go upstairs and brush my teeth. And then get in bed. The kicker: 70% of the time I find myself finishing up tasks on my phone IN BED. I hate this habit.  Back to supplements. This is something I have been able to stick with. On top of fish oil, my prenatal, choline and vitamin D, I recently added @AlignProbiotic 24/7 Digestive Support*§ to see if it helps with abdominal discomfort and regularity because when I don’t drink coffee or am traveling that can get thrown off.  I’ll be taking it every day for the next 28 days since it takes TIME for our bodies to adjust to probiotics - and I'll be taking you guys along with me as I share my honest thoughts. Many people think if they don’t see changes within the first 7-10 days then the probiotic isn’t working, but that’s not the case. I’m giving myself more than just a week or two and instead a full month to see the full benefits. I’ll keep you posted over the next month. Check out my stories to learn more! #MyAlignGutJourney #guthealth
 
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care f We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care for a nap. Putting baby down was harder than I wanted it to be. Miraculously, I had a moment of clarity as I was covered in tiny humans and decided I wasn’t doing the nap battle thing a on 60 degree, gorgeous, sunny spring day 🙅🏻‍♀️ so I piled both babies into the car half naked, opened the sun roof, put on white noise for them and an audio book for me and drank a kombucha as I drove a meal to a postpartum mama. Thirty five minutes later we had a sleeping baby and a toddler who at least had a rest. Baby transferred without waking HALLELUJAH and although my toddler didn’t nap today (lord help) at least we got soaked in breezy sunshine 😎🤘🏻💆🏻‍♀️
We veered from our usual Friday night homemade piz We veered from our usual Friday night homemade pizza (minus the dough, we leave that to @albemarlebakingco) because we are eating pizza tomorrow with some friends - instead I called my mom and asked her how she makes her chicken fingers and we fried up a big ole batch of chicken nugs 🙌🏻🤤 along with a sheet pan full of sweet potato fries and a simple arugula salad dressed with parmesean, olive oil and s&p. Oh and my moms honey mustard recipe for dipping. It’s SO DANG GOOD.  Over the past 6ish months we’ve been practicing (and practicing and practicing bc it doesn’t come naturally) unplugging from technology and slowing down and resting and just being for one day a week. Some call it Shabbat. Some call it Sabbath. Maybe you call it something different. All I know is IT IS SO GOOD FOR MY WEARY SOUL and the day I look forward to ALL WEEK. Sundown on Friday to sundown Saturday. Nothing but rest. For us that means hiking (or something outside) and napping and reading and being with friends and eating really good food. And drinking some really good wine or craft beer. Sometimes whiskey. 😛  And because I know I’ll get asked about the chicken finger recipe and also because it’s too good not to share and Momma Coale said I could, here ya go:  Cut chicken breast into thin strips or small pieces (I prefer nug size bc the breading to chicken ratio is perfection). Salt and pepper those babies really well. Then dredge them in all purpose flour, then egg, then panko - just like you would bread anything else. Then fry them up in a light oil - I use avocado oil because that’s our everyday oil. You could also use canola or peanut oil. Just fill a pan with an inch or so of oil on medium high heat. They only take 2-3 minutes per side. You can always temp them to make sure they are at least 165 degrees F to really make sure they are done. Dunk in all the sauces and enjoy!  Happy weekend!

Copyright © 2025 · The Real RD· Blog Design by Little Blue Deer


Terms and Conditions | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy