Hello friends! 

Are you ready for the interview with the Real Life RD – Part 2? I sure hope so, because there’s so much we can learn from this amazing blogger. Robyn is back to share her go-to healthy meals, hopes for the future, and her best advice for healthy living. If you haven’t checked out her blog yet, then do yourself a favor and give The Real Life RD a visit. I know you’ll love her blog.

6. I know that you emphasize the importance of having a balanced diet. When you’re not eating “clean,” what is your favorite indulgent meal?

I like to view foods in terms of a “focus.” So I focus on all those nutrient dense plant foods- fruits and veggies [especially dark leafy greens], whole grains that are the least processed like rice, quinoa, buckwheat, etc, beans and legumes and healthy whole food fats like avocado, nuts and seeds. Then if I want other foods, that’s totally okay, but I focus on wholesome foods that nourish my body so I know I’m getting all the nutrients I need. It’s all about balance, and if I want something- I’m going to eat it. But overall I find that when I’m eating the “focus” foods, my body just craves the good stuff most often- but when a craving does strike… I LOVE a wood fire, veggie pizza with a really good goat cheese, a glass [or two!] of red wine and then follow that with some really good ice cream- mint chocolate chip or cookies and cream are my fav.

7. Is there any  piece of advice/knowledge that has helped you most in your life?

To be okay with not being okay. We don’t always have to be okay and do all the things and have it all together. When I finally realized it was okay to not be okay all the time, I not only fully embraced who God created me to be, but my relationships with others grew stronger. I was able to love others better, and I found so much more joy in life. I stopped trying to perfect at everything and instead started seeing everything through a grace-filled lens. It’s something I have to remind myself of everyday.

8. Reading your “About the RD” page is truly inspiring. You have accomplished so many incredible things, and you continue to amaze me. If you had to choose one thing that has been your greatest achievement, what would it be?

Well, I’d say anything and everything in my life is the Lord’s doing- He has blessed me more than I ever imagined, and I just feel really grateful. Of course I have my struggles too, I’m human, but I feel very blessed. Being accepted and starting a graduate nursing program at Columbia University is definitely up there, but overall I’d say seeing Nutshell Nutrition grow into the private practice it’s become is at the top. When I started Nutshell, it was really just to make a little extra money so I could pay off my student loans from undergrad. I didn’t grow up with a lot of money, my mom was a single mom of 5 working as a teacher, so I wanted to be able to get myself out of student loan debt as fast as possible and then start saving. And at first, I had a few clients and I was blogging, but I hadn’t really found my niche yet. I was practicing the same way I am today, but I hadn’t realized that the way I practiced nutrition as an RD was something that was different than most RDs, and that’s what I should start blogging about- my passion for helping people find food freedom, eat more, and nourish their bodies well. Today, it’s my sole source of income and the business has grown into something I never thought it would be. Everyday I’m thankful for what it’s become, and I hope to continue to grow the business while I’m in nursing school.

9. Is there anything “big” that your are working towards? What is one major goal that you hope to achieve?

I actually just started an accelerated nursing program at Columbia University to become a Nurse Practitioner. After working as an RD for a year and a half, I realized that my passion for helping others extended far beyond food. Especially as Nutshell Nutrition grew and I was seeing more and more clients, I wanted to know more and help them, but I felt like I was at a dead end in my practice- I couldn’t comprehensively care for people like I wanted to. The program is 2 1/2 years and after the first 12 months I will have a BSN and be an RN, then over the next 18 months I will do the master’s portion and graduate in December of 2016 as a Family Nurse Practitioner with a speciality in women’s health. Then if I decide to go on, I can do another 18 months of school and graduate with a Doctorate in Nursing Practice. So that’s where I’m at now. I’m still an RD and although the program is very intense, I will continue to do Nutshell Nutrition as long as I am able while in school!

10. On busy days, or when you just don’t know what you want to eat, what is your go-to healthy meal?

Hands down, roasted potatoes [yukon gold and sweet potatoes] that I slice into discs, toss in coconut oil and bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Along with that I love a homemade veggie burger I’ve had in the freezer or a good quality one from the store- like Sunshine brand or Hillary’s burgers- and a kale salad [massage kale with EVOO + lime juice and sea salt] with sliced avocado on top!

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I hope you enjoyed this interview with The Real Life RD. Once again, a HUGE thanks to Robyn for allowing me to feature her on Nutrisimo. We absolutely love her and maybe we can do some more guest posts with Robyn in the future. Also, if you enjoyed this interview and would like to see more posts like this. Comment below with the names of your favorite bloggers that you want us to interview. Thanks and have a blessed day!

I’ve got a surprise for you! Today I’m sharing my interview with The Real Life RD.

There are so many amazing bloggers that I really respect and admire. One of those bloggers is Robyn from the Real Life RD. I’ve been following her blog for years now, and her passion for healthy living and love for God are so refreshing. Since I’ve enjoyed her blog for quite a while, I thought it would be so fun to do an interview with The Real Life RD. I can’t wait for you to get to know her better. I hope you enjoy this interview, and don’t forget to check out her awesome blog: The Real Life RD

1. If you had to choose one individual who has greatly inspired or influenced you, who would it be?

The biggest influences in my life are the women in my church, especially those in my Bible study. You’re probably thinking..why didn’t she say her mom?! My mom is a HUGE part of my life, and we are best friends. My momma is my hero. She raised five kids as a single parent on a teacher’s salary and has taught me so much about life. Even though she’s 600 miles away, I look to her for wisdom, and she is my biggest encourager. But when I think about the women in my life who are influencing me, its the women I live my day to day life with. I’m so grateful to be surrounded by such loving, understanding, wise, witty, and big-hearted ladies who not only hold me accountable, encourage and support me, but also influence the way I live my life- they’ve taught me to be more gentle, self-less, bold, and forgiving.

2. Have you felt that maintaining a healthy lifestyle has been difficult? What do you find most challenging in living a healthy lifestyle?

Overall, I would say maintaining a healthy lifestyle is much easier now than it was in college- but really, I wouldn’t say it has been that difficult, simply because nothing is an absolute. I think we can tend to look at food legalistically, when really we should be seeing it as something that’s very flexible. We won’t always be in a situation where there is a plethora of fruits and veggies or vegetarian options or whole grains and that’s the 10%. The other 90% of the time I try to eat well and nourish my body with foods that will give me energy, and the other 10% of the time I go with the flow, enjoy foods I wouldn’t make for myself and see it as just that- as food, not calories or 5 pounds or whatever. I think initially, a healthy lifestyle can be more difficult as you wean off the addictive, high-sugar, processed, unhealthy, fatty foods, but as your palate adjusts and you realize you have more energy, feel better, sleep better etc when you are eating better then you WANT to choose foods that make you feel good. For me, the most challenging thing is finding time to exercise. I LOVE to sweat, but my lifestyle is pretty busy so setting aside time to get in a workout can be challenging- lately I’ve been doing a lot of walking or running and hiking with friends, that way I can socialize and get some exercise too!

3. Do you believe that there is any one factor that is absolutely essential to beginning and maintaing a healthy lifestyle. If so, what do you consider to be the most important factor in living a healthy, balanced life?

Absolutely, you have to do it for YOU and for internal reasons- something more than just vanity. When we want to lead healthier lifestyles simply to lose x amount of pounds or “tone up” then it’s very easy to start to equate food with calories or with weight or numbers in general rather than seeing food as nourishment. And when we only see food as numbers, that is when an unhealthy relationship with food develops. Your intentions have to align with your values. You are much more likely to maintain a healthy lifestyle because you want to have more energy so you can invest in relationships better or play with your kids after school or sleep better than if you want to look better in a bathing suit or fit into a certain pant size.

4. How do you feel your blog has helped (or hindered) you in living a healthy life?

That’s a good question I had to think about for a bit. Since my blog isn’t necessarily set up like a food log where I share my daily eats, the way I eat hasn’t really changed. I would definitely say the blog has really helped me to be more in tune with my feelings and body and reflecting on those things in order to put them into words. A lot of times when I blog about touchy or “heavier” topics, it’s because I’ve been through something similar, learned from that and then decided to share that with my readers- so the blog has really taught me to be vulnerable and take time to sit down and reflect. In general though, seeing a lot of blogs that can be damaging and aren’t necessarily “healthy” has really made me aware of what is out there and how to spread a different message about true health.

5. The Bible is an endless source of inspiration and encouragement. Do you have a favorite Bible verse, or one that particularly inspires you?

A big thanks to Robyn for taking the time to answer all these questions. Is she amazing or what? Please be sure to check out her blog. She has so many powerful posts that are truly life-changing. She’s definitely been such a blessing in my life. Since I had a lot of questions for her, I broke up this interview into two parts. You can read the rest of her interview here.