After thinking of a million excuses as to why the “timing isn’t right” for this blog and delaying its launch for the last year and a half, the day has finally come. I kept telling myself that it needed to be just right—as perfect as possible. However, in the last couple of weeks, it dawned on me that it will never be flawless. And you know what? I’m okay with that. In fact, I don’t even want it to be flawless. Sometimes you just have to go for it. Let the chips fall as they may, as they say.
After finishing my dietetic internship at Illinois State University in May of 2016, I knew that I wanted to pursue a social media presence of some kind. All throughout college, I loved writing for my personal blog and I soon discovered that dietitians have an incredible community online. While I may have been putting off this website, I’m also thankful that it has taken me this long. Over that time period, my philosophies regarding food and nourishment have transformed in the most rewarding way possible. And I’m ready to spill the beans!
In determining my focus for this blog, there were a number of factors in my life pointing me in the direction of body positivity and self-acceptance. In my work as a dietitian, I recently came to a conclusion about a trend in my outpatient population: they all share too much doubt in their self-worth. Why? Because they are not the size they want to be or a desired number on the dreaded scale. It all boils down to never feeling good enough. Yet, after countless diets and secluding themselves to avoid “bad” food, they still aren’t happy. Even if they do reach their goals, the mind instantly discourages— “but you could always do better.” All of this quickly turns into an endless cycle of weight and diet obsession. No wonder we’re all exhausted! I don’t know about you, but I can think of at least a hundred other things that I would rather be doing than thinking about my weight.
Here enters Intuitive Eating (IE) and Health at Every Size (HAES)—my nutrition knights in shining armor. After discovering these two movements, the way I approach nutrition counseling and my personal eating patterns has forever been changed. Wait! You mean my body can actually let me know when I’m hungry/full and I can reject the diet mentality? Sign me up! For those of you who are suspicious or have never heard of these concepts, bear with me! I will be sharing more perspective on these topics in upcoming posts. (For now, browse through the websites or take a look at the associated books.)
As for me personally, it has taken a long time to arrive at a place of confidence and acceptance of myself. In fact, if you’ve known me for years, you might be asking yourself what the heck happened to the old Amanda. I’m sorry the old Amanda can’t come to the phone right now… (Sorry! Couldn’t help myself with the T. Swift reference opportunity–probably won’t be the last.) As someone who used to weigh herself every single morning and allow that number to dictate her day, I can tell you how liberating my new outlook is. I will be sharing more about my personal journey to body positivity throughout this blog. For now, read here.
I can’t wait to re-enter the blogosphere and share insights, videos, recipes, and eventually podcasts with you all. Feel free to email me any time at (hello@spillingthebeansnutrition.com) and connect with me on Instagram & Twitter.
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