The Real Life RD

helping you find peace with food and your natural body size

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the RD & NP

Hi and welcome to the Real Life RD, a blog dedicated to helping women find true & peace with food and their body….without diets or programs or protocols. I’m so glad you’re here!

I’m Robyn, a Registered Dietitian and Family Nurse Practitioner overly passionate about helping women with hormonal issues, period problems and fertility challenges find hope & healing through a non diet approach. I eat cupcakes and kale. I like moving my body and also laying around all day. I like both wine and water. I like sitting in the gray, not the black or white.

I started this blog in 2012 as a way to show that dietitians don’t always eat salads, drink seltzer water and go to bed at 10pm. Since then, it’s transitioned to a space focused on women’s health & putting and end to diet culture, disordered eating and false assumptions about what healthy actually means. The blog has become a community where women feel more hopeful and less alone in their body image, food, and health struggles. I post on Wednesdays most weeks about topics ranging from intuitive eating, body image, eating disorder recovery, hormonal & reproductive health, self care, motherhood, life updates, daily eats, meal inspiration and more.

Outside of writing the blog, I have a private practice, Real Life Women’s Health, that I started in 2012 to help women recover from varying degrees of disordered eating in addition to reproductive and hormonal issues. I also work part time in the outpatient setting as a nurse practitioner with a focus on women’s health.

In May 2014 I moved from Charlottesville, VA to New York City to begin a graduate nursing program at Columbia University. You can read more about my journey back to school here and my decision to attend Columbia here. I graduated in December 2016, and have since bridged my dietetics knowledge with my nursing education to provide comprehensive healthcare through an Intuitive Eating and Health At Every Size lens.

Everyone has a different definition of health. I firmly believe health goes far beyond our plates and exercise routines. As a culture we’ve neglected the emotional, social, and psychological aspects of health, and focused so much of our attention on eating and exercise, that we’ve now normalized disordered eating and exercise. Personally, I focus on living intuitively and listening to my body to tell me what it needs. And I help other women do the same. Because at the end of the day, stress is going to kill us before eating cheese whiz or vegging out on the couch will.

If you’d like to learn more about my approach to nutrition and health, here are a few of my favorite podcasts I’ve been interviewed on that you might enjoy.

Food Psych

Don’t Salt My Game

Positive Nutrition

The Love Body Podcast

Real Talk RD

That’s So Maven

A few things you should know…

I wasn’t always where I am today. I’ve walked through disordered eating, hypothalamic amenorrhea, thyroid issues, lots of crying and vulnerable moments, and many “ooof, I think I ate too much.” moments. And I still experience really tough days, streams of tears and overshoot my hunger. It’s okay, I’m not perfect. And it’s okay for you not be either.

I never intended to work in the field of eating disorders and women’s health. But now I’m certain and thankful this is my vocational assignment in this life. I love helping women find whole health and rediscover themselves apart from food and weight.

I’m really into doughy bread & frosting. And when I gave myself full permission to eat them whenever I wanted, I stopped feeling so crazy around these foods.

I’m also really into Jesus. But I wasn’t until the age of 24. My story isn’t straight and narrow.

I gave birth to a baby boy in December of 2018. After 10 years without a natural period, spontaneously conceiving + growing + birthing + breastfeeding him has been an incredibly powerful healing journey for me & restored a trust in my female body I didn’t know was possible. He is a gift I am so beyond thankful for.

I’m not superhuman and I don’t have it all together. Much of what I write about on this blog is rooted in my own personal experiences. I’m actually more of a hot mess, just learning as I go and writing about it along the way.

I love early mornings, exaggerations, eating out, asking questions and anything that gives me an endorphin high – which could be going on a run or eating a burger and fries.

If you hang around me long enough I’ll probably ask you if you’ve seen my ____? I’m functionally disorganized. And perpetually 10 minutes late.

I’m so glad you’ve stumbled upon this little corner of the internet. You can also find me on instagram, twitter, facebook, pinterest, and youtube. If you have questions, want to become a client, or just say hi…send me an email at [email protected]

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

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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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