At the young age of 16, I declared I was going to become a Registered Dietitian (Post coming soon on exactly why I chose to become a Registered Dietitian!). Fast forward 17 years.. here I am!

In honor of National Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) Day (mouthful isnt it?), I want to reflect on some of the reasons I have the coolest job in the world.

1. I get paid to think and talk about food. All. day. long. #winning.
2. I get to motivate others to make positive changes in their lives. Whether these clients are children referred by their doctors, athletes who are needing help reaching goals, someone wanting to lower their blood sugars or avoid meds, the list goes on. I love helping people of all shapes and sizes reach their health and fitness goals.
3. Better yet, I often get to see the results of these positive changes! People either email or report to me how their energy levels have increased, blood sugars, pressures, lipid levels have improved, that they have lost weight, they ran their first 5K, that they were able to get pregnant, that they are fitting in a new size jeans, the list goes on. Perfect example is two comments I received last night after my 8 week weight loss class ended at St. Xavier University Shannon Center.
Comment 1:. ” I fully didn’t expect to lose any weight in this class but I am down 5 pounds. But I cannot believe how much I learned though. Thank you so much.”
Comment 2: This was was life changing, it really was. I just want you to know. (From a man who took the class with his wife and lost a combined 41 pounds!)
It just doesn’t get better than that when it comes to job satisfaction.
4. As continuing education is necessary for me to keep my license up to date, I have to attend so many food and nutrition conferences a year. Not only do I get to learn what’s new in the food, nutrition and health industries, I also get fed amazing food at these conferences AND get to taste test new products. It’s a tough job but someone has to do it.
5. I get to torture my husband and kids weekly with new recipes and foods I find. Can’t say all my new recipes are a success… but that’s the fun in trying new things!
(You don’t want to know how many times my 13 year old has stomped out of the kitchen muttering, why couldn’t you have been a nurse or something?). But on the up side, I get to teach my children how to cook, how to enjoy foods in moderation.. and also get to put them to work as my aides at health fairs!

6. I get to sport cool t-shirts like these. Don’t be jealous.

7. I get to host webinars/lunch n learns, lead walking groups and Run to the Pubs,  write Wellness Wednesday emails and the Devine Nutrition monthly newsletter (to subscribe click here!,) write healthy eating blog posts, look up healthy new recipes and handouts… as part of my job. Can’t complain about that!

Love what I do every day. To quote Marc Anthony, “If you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”

Amen!
Thanks to all those that make my job so fun!

Happy RDN Day to all my fellow Dietitian colleagues and friends!