Before we get to the greatness that is Scotland, I’d like to thank all of you for your insightful comments in my last post about eating “real” food. I enjoyed reading about your food philosophies – a selection of comments (bold by me):

While I am a huge fan of many processed foods (ahem, peanut butter, canned beans, canned soups, etc) I thank my mom for getting me started young at taking whole and fresh ingredients and cooking with them and using them any recipe. I honestly think it’s lack of cooking skills that prevents so many people from buying fresh foods, and resorting to packaged pre-made foods. It’s tough when you’ve never learned how to even use a stove! (The Candid RD)

I heard [Michael Pollan] speak about two years ago, and I really liked that he was “real” and admitted to not being “perfect.” He also made a real big point about cooking real, healthy, and cheap foods like beans, etc. I think too often people say eating healthy foods is too expensive and too difficult. But it really doesn’t have to be. (Andrea’s Wellness Notes)

I have something more to add in the food philosophy question: eating while relaxed and calm is hugely important to me. I never have lunch in a hurry or standing or at my desk while working if I can avoid it (and I am planning my day in a way that I can), because the time pressure and stress make me not eat well at all. (Christa)

Keep the great comments coming!

On to today’s post: Many moons ago (and by “many”, I mean “three”), my family and I traveled to the west coat of Scotland, including the Outer Hebrides. Why did I wait three months to share my pictures with you, dear reader? I’d like to write that in the midst of various projects of dubious importance and uncertain relevance, I lacked time; but, the truth is … I forgot. Oops.

Let’s look at those pictures!

I didn’t realize that the knee-high leather boots I brought to hike in were so unusual until we were hiking down Ben Nevis (the tallest mountain in the British Isles) and a man who had passed us earlier in the day came up behind us and commented, “There’s the lady with the great boots!“  I thought I looked pretty snazzy myself – or, as my sister D said: “You look like a 1890s mountaineer.”

[source]

[source]

Yeah, okay, I guess I can see her point.

A few more highlights of western Scotland and the Outer Hebrides:

Gallan Head, Isle of Lewis:

Luskentyre Beach on the Isle of Harris (yes, Scotland has wonderful beaches!):

“Cave” on Uig Beach, Isle of Lewis:

Near the Old Man of Storr, Isle of Skye:

On the Isle of Lewis:

Yes, I went inside the abandoned stone house – in retrospect, perhaps that was a poor idea (note the collapsing stone roof – I won’t post pictures from inside the house, because I want to preserve the illusion that I have some common sense (hint: see gallery below for evidence that I do lack sense)):

Callanish Stones on the Isle of Lewis – unlike Stonehenge, you can actually walk up to these (as evidenced below):

A gallery of more Scotland images (Note: The pictures should have captions, but apparently they don’t show up unless you click the “i” icon in the upper right corner of the gallery):

And, a gallery of what I’m sure you’re most interested in: FOOD! I’ve noticed that whenever I travel to a new place, many of my travel plans revolve around trying local foods – what better way to learn about a new locale than to sample its delicacies? For more examples of eating my way through new locales, check out THIH’s Travel Page.

As seen in the album above, I sampled several Scotch whiskies at the Talisker and Edradour distilleries and found that after a dram or two, all whiskies taste pretty much the same. I also had the opportunity to try both black pudding and haggis (black pudding = delicious! haggis = okay). Recently, I acquired some canned haggis (yes, canned) so that I can cook it up over the holidays with some neeps and tatties (that’s rutabaga and potatoes, cooked and mashed separately). Stay tuned for my disastrous attempt at cooking haggis!

In the meantime, click through the album below for some delicious meals I enjoyed while in Scotland:

Finally, during our Scotland trip, I had the opportunity to swing down to London and meet a dear friend with whom I’ve corresponded for seven years, but never met in person until this past summer.  Hi, Christa!

Hugs!

Take care, gentle reader!

Q: Have you been to Scotland? (I know YOU have LeQuan ;) ) Have you ever tried black pudding or haggis?

AND

Where is your dream place to visit?

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2. The Great Wall Revisited

That’s right, folks!

Just call me: Jessie, RD.

When I mentioned in this post that I would be taking the registered dietitian exam later this summer, I didn’t realize how SOON I would be taking it. The graduates of my dietetics program and I were told that we wouldn’t be eligible to take the RD exam until the end of July. Thus, it was a surprise to me when I found out on July 2 that I could take the exam at any point thereafter.

So, there I was, staring at my phone and wondering when I should sign up for the exam. Have I ever told you guys that I’m impulsive at times? I called the scheduling center and exclaimed, “I’d like to take the exam! ASAP!” I think I startled the poor woman at the other end, because it look her a moment to respond. “What’s your name, and which exam would you like to take?”

Rule #1: When you’re on the phone asking for something, at least have the courtesy to identify yourself before making demands.

Within a few minutes, I had scheduled to take the RD exam on Wednesday, June 13th at 9 am. It wasn’t until I hung up that I realized just how much studying I would need to do in ten days.

Rule #2: Being impulsive is good for deciding to study abroad in China at the age of 25, or making cartoons out of veggies. Perhaps not good for scheduling exams that condense three years of schoolwork into ten days of studying. Particularly when you’re working on your Master’s degree research at the same time.

During the next ten days, I did a lot of this:

And this:

Yep, they be flashcards.

Plus about a thousand practice questions as part of a study guide (recent RDs and soon-to-be-RDs will know EXACTLY what I’m talking about).

A fabulous aspect of the RD exam is that you find out right away whether or not you passed. On Wednesday, July 13th at 10:42 am, I sat in my car just outside the test center and sent Peter the following text:

Just call me Jessie, RD.

And, now, here we are :)

I didn’t cook a lot while studying for the RD exam, but I did pull out a few easy recipes to … ahem … DE-STRESS. One of these recipes was by the lovely LeQuan: Steamed Eggs with Silken Tofu and Conpoy.

Rule #3: When your mind is full of facts about carbohydrate metabolism and about what to do if the person you’re counseling is disgruntled, use simple cooking to fill you up without stressing you out more.

I’ve had LeQuan‘s recipe bookmarked for a while, as I’m always looking for recipes with conpoy (a.k.a. dried scallops). … WHY do we have dried scallops just lying around our house?? Do you really need to ask? One word: PETER. He uses them to make the gosh-darned spiciest XO sauce I’ve eaten in my life. So painfully spicy, yet … so good.

Anyhoo, here are a few pictures from preparing this delicious dish:

Soaking conpoy.

I didn’t add the silken tofu, because we didn’t have any. Yes, we have dried scallops hanging around, but no tofu. Go figure.

Hmm, that's a heckuva lot of scallops. And, no, I didn't measure.

Finished!

LeQuan, this dish was perfect! Easy, delicious, full of protein, and delicious with rice and veggies. For more info on why eggs are such a great source of protein, check out this post. For those who make this dish: the dried scallops are KEY! Combined with the fish sauce, the dried scallops and soaking water give this dish its complex flavor. Thanks for the recipe, LeQuan!

As for the future: I’m so thrilled to officially be a part of the dietetics profession. When I began my RD journey three years ago, I had no idea what I wanted to be at the end. Now, I have a better idea about what I enjoy in dietetics, and I will continue to learn as I work on my Master’s degree in nutrition next year.

Take care, everyone!
Jessie, RD :D

Q: What do you cook when you get busy? Or do you prefer takeout or frozen items? I’ve done that before – hello, Amy’s frozen burritos!

Related posts:

1. Jessie the Researcher
2. What’s Up, Jessie? … and a Book Review!
3. Jessie, The Judginator

When I left you a week ago, I had just completed a dietetics internship rotation with the wonderful Maryann Meade and was looking forward to my next mini-internship with Marci Anderson, a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition therapy for eating disorders and who owns her own practice in Cambridge, MA. As dietetic students often are not exposed to eating disorder counseling, I was looking forward to this internship as a way for me to gain experience in both eating disorders and counseling.

So, how was it? Rather than keep you in suspense, I’ll just tell you now: I had a fantastic and rewarding experience with Marci! If you’ll come inside, I’ll tell you all about it:

Check out this chic and cozy sitting room:

Marci decorated the entire office herself. As a business owner, she takes on many jobs besides that of a nutrition therapist: she also needs to think about the appearance of her office, marketing of her services, budgetary issues, insurance (both her clients’ and her own), her tenants, even whether or not the plumbing is working correctly! I could go on and on. I’ll say it again, folks – owning your own business is NOT easy.

Upon my arrival, Marci was brimming with ideas for possible learning experiences. Over the course of a week, I worked on designing handouts (which I LOVE to do!), writing blog posts and tweets, contacting dietetic internship directors, and writing an article for a Massachusetts Dietetic Association publication.

My “office”:

Oh, no! I don’t have a picture of me working at my computer like I’ve had in every internship post thus far! Let’s see if we can fix that:

That’s better.

I was also able to sit in on many counseling sessions with Marci’s clients. Thanks to all of Marci’s clients who welcomed me into their sessions! Nutrition therapy for eating disorders often brings up painful and difficult conversations, and I know it must not have been easy having another person in the room. This internship was an incredible opportunity to see nutrition therapy for eating disorders firsthand.

In Marci‘s office:

Marci works hard to incorporate the most current and effective nutrition therapy techniques in her practice. I’ve learned a little about Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and motivational interviewing in class, but nothing beats seeing these counseling approaches in action.

Marci also devoted plenty of time to chit-chat sessions with me, sharing how she started and grew her practice, as well as answering any questions (of which I had many!). I feel as though I’ve learned so much about counseling and owning your own business over the past week. What a wide world out there for future dietitians!

I wanted to take a picture with Marci on my last day, but there wasn’t anyone around, so I propped my camera on a book and used the self-timer. I’m surprised the picture turned out so well!

Thanks for a great experience, Marci! :)

I also had a nice week with Peter’s brother, Dave, who kindly let me stay with him rather than commute four hours a day. Dave is quite the gourmand, especially where hot peppers are concerned. I would show you a picture of his dried chili collection, but I don’t think I’d be able to fit them all in a single camera frame. Only with Dave would you come home at the end of the day and hear him say, “Hey, Jessie, try this death sauce.” (I kid you not.)

You first, Dave.

So, how was it?

Yeah, I thought so.

My next dietetic internship rotation (and second to last rotation!) is in food service. I’ll keep you updated!

Q: Have you ever cooked with dried hot peppers? Have you ever accidentally stuck your finger in your eye after handling one? I have.

Lesson? Wear gloves!

PS: When I returned home late Friday evening, I found my desk had been transformed in my absence.

Do you think Peter is trying to tell me something?

Edited to add: I’ve had a few questions about whether or not Peter and his brother, Dave, are twins. The answer? Nope, they’re not – just brothers who look very similar. Although, each claims he is taller than the other (I stay out of that argument).

Related posts:

1. Eating Real Food: Shrimp Scampi
2. The THIH Montage – A Week in a Flash
3. A Day in the Life of a Private Practice Dietitian

Hello THIH readers! After recovering from my “tastes of the wild“, I’m ready to share with you more about what a registered dietitian does. To bring new readers up to speed: I’ve talked about nutrition research and clinical dietetics, as well as quick looks at food service dietetics and community nutrition with SNAP-Ed. Let continue this series, shall we?

Over the past five weeks, I’ve had the fortune to intern with Maryann Meade, a private practice dietitian in Connecticut. As I discussed in my clinical dietetics post, registered dietitians work in many diverse areas. Maryann not only offers nutritional counseling for a variety of nutritional needs, but also consults for home care agencies, day care organizations, drug and alcohol facilities, workplace wellness programs, and more. She is also involved politically, having held several offices in the American Dietetic Association and currently the office of delegate for business and consultation in the House of Delegates of the American Dietetic Association. She has even taught classes at the University of Connecticut! Diversity in dietetics is not just a rumor, kids.

So, what exactly did I do over the past five weeks? A short summary:

Welcome to the waiting room! You have an appointment with Maryann? Please, sit and get comfortable. Maryann will be with you in just a moment.

I observed and participated in many nutritional counseling sessions during my time with Maryann.  We counseled clients with diabetes, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, IBS, anemia, kidney stones, disordered eating, lactose intolerance, acid reflux, nutrition support, and more.  We also counseled athletes looking to fuel their performance and individuals who wished to lose weight.  I feel like I’ve seen almost everything over the past several weeks – but I know there’s much more out there.  I have also met many amazing people who are committed to their nutritional health.  Having clients come in and thank us for the help we give them is one of the most rewarding aspects of nutritional counseling – but, not the only one!

Maryann and I also visited some clients in their homes.  These visits are particularly fruitful because home visits give us a chance to observe food practices and cooking facilities in the home – for example, if a client is talking about a particular specialty food, he or she can just pull it out of their cabinet and show it to us.  Nice. I have also helped Maryann give presentations at a children’s nutrition program for which she consults, as well as attended a meeting of certified diabetes educators.

A lot of work goes on behind the scenes as well.  As a nutrition consulting business owner, Maryann establishes and maintains relationships with other health care providers and organizations through marketing and communications.  For example, I developed mad skillz in writing assessment letters to physicians and nurses concerning mutual patients/clients.  I also learned about billing insurance companies, setting up appointments, and arranging referrals.

Hard at work on the computer.  Gotta have a picture of me at the computer for every dietetics-related post.

Dude, where’s my doctor letter??

"What??"

Establishing, growing, and maintaining your own business is not easy!

Don’t forget: registered dietitians need to eat, too! A lunch beneath the tulips:

A mish-mash of veggies, feta, olives, olive oil, and fresh herbs:

Greek yogurt with raspberries and blueberries:

Veggies? Check.  Healthy fats from olives? Check. Protein in my yogurt? Check  … But, wait, Jessie! This isn’t a balanced meal!

After reviewing these pictures, I realize I had forgotten to add my usual whole grain pasta to my veggies and olives.  No whole grains in this meal.  Oops. I guess even soon-to-be-RDs make mistakes :) Not every meal is going to be balanced, but that’s ok!

Hanging out with Maryann in her office:

Thanks, Maryann! I had a wonderful time over the past five weeks! :D

If you have any questions about private practice dietetics, please feel free to contact me.

Future plans: Next week, I’m very excited to be working with Marci Anderson, the owner of Marci RD Nutrition Consulting in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA. Marci is a registered dietitian and certified personal trainer who specializes in eating disorders, body image, emotional eating, and more.  Stay tuned!

P.S. The cherry trees are blooming in New Haven!  Check it:

Have a great Easter weekend, everyone!

Q: What aspect of dietetics do you find the most interesting so far?

and

Have you ever seen a cherry tree in bloom?  Gorgeous!

Related posts:

1. A Day in the Life of a Clinical Dietitian
2. The Life of a Corporate Dietitian at Subway
3. Food Service and the Dietitian

… after supper, walk a mile.

(I have no idea where this proverb came from … anyone??)

Thanks to all of your for your excellent feedback on my last post about clinical dietetics. I’m thrilled that so many of you out there have met with or know a registered dietitian (or that you ARE an RD!). I’m excited to join the RD ranks this upcoming summer!

Before I get into this post, I want to answer a question my friend Sandy asked in response to my last post. Sandy writes:

“What sector do you want to work in?”

Great question, Sandy! I have successfully avoided this question on THIH thus far, because answering the question “what do you want to do with your life?” is a lot harder than typing up my latest recipe or trying to fit a picture of my dog into every post. In truth, I’m not 100% sure which area of dietetics I enjoy the most. As you may have gathered from my last post, dietetics is extremely diverse, and many registered dietitians move from one area to another over the course of their careers.

I will tell you this tidbit, dear reader: I love talking with people one-on-one about nutrition and connecting with them in a way I never did before studying dietetics (or before starting THIH!). Right now, I am having a blast working in nutrition counseling at my current rotation. I’ll be sure to share more details in a later post :) Thanks for the question, Sandy!

Picture inserted to break up text. Here, I'm playing with a baby goat on my professor's goat farm.

On to today’s topic: In a recent nutrition class, we talked about how physical activity can contribute 15-30% of your total energy expenditure (including exercise and NEAT – nonexercise activity thermogenesis, e.g. fidgeting). The digestion and absorption of food (diet-induced thermogenesis) requires ~10% of your energy, while your basal metabolism requires 60-75%. Physical activity is the easiest energy expenditure you can change (you can change your metabolism and even your diet-induced thermogenesis; but, we won’t get into it now).

I’m sure many of you have heard that walking 10,000 steps per day (about 5 miles) can contribute to good health and prevent slow weight gain. A few months ago, I was curious about how many steps I was taking per day. For several non-consecutive days, I wore my pedometer from the moment I woke up to the well-earned moment when I hopped into bed for the night. I did not include daily exercise, as the 10,000 steps are to be taken BEYOND exercise.  So, what did you find out, Jessie?

(Disclaimer: My pedometer is a cheapo unit I picked up when I was working with a nutrition program and likely was not accurate – at least it was accurate to within an order of magnitude! :D Also, like a decent scientist, I tried not to let the fact that I was wearing a pedometer affect my actions or choices, e.g. taking the stairs instead of using the elevator to increase my total. My frequent peeks at the pedometer indicate I was not entirely successful.)

Like a sneaky scientist, I did not report all the data I gathered over several weeks.  That would be pretty boring, would it not?  A sampling, then, if you please:

4278?? This first day was a shocker. I consider myself an active person, choosing to walk instead of staying still and never passing up the opportunity for a good play session with the dogs.  Guess 10,000 steps per day isn’t a breeze.  Not impossible – achieving 10,000 steps just takes effort.

… oh, you want to know what I was doing during that day?  I was at the VA hospital, dashing around the hospital as a clinical dietetics student.  Guess I didn’t dash around as much as I’d thought.

My, oh my.  Jessie.  What were you doing, girl?  I have to confess to you guys: this was a weekend day.  A BUSY weekend day, yes … but, busy at my computer with schoolwork and internship projects.  After I saw this number, I told myself: Less computer time, more move-time.  Can you guys guess why I haven’t been blogging as much lately?

I decided not to change up my routine yet, and so came up with this remarkably similar number of steps to day one (4280 vs. 4278).  In fact, I walked these 4280 steps on another hospital day.  If I’m not prolific with my steps, at least I’m consistent.

Finally broke the 5000 steps mark! Surprisingly, I walked these steps on a day when I had classes all day.  I thought the steps total would be the lowest of them all, but it ended up being the highest.  Go figure.  … well, ok, I know why.  On this day, I had to dash out between classes to mail a package I had put off until the last minute and was literally running back and forth between buildings.  I guess procrastination paid off in this case.

My original plan was to continue wearing a pedometer and document how I worked my way up to 10,000 steps per day. However, my original cheapo pedometer broke after the 5000+ steps day and I have yet to get a new one. I would like to continue this experiment, so stay tuned for more!

In the meantime, how can I increase my steps? Like with many lifestyle changes, starting slow is the way to go. Exempli gratia: if you enjoy a sport, get out there and play instead of sitting on the sidelines! Do more of this:

And less of this:

If you have a pet, do more of this:

And less of this:

(Yes, I know they’re cute, but they need exercise, too! Save the pet cuddle sessions for the couch. Also, I got TWO pictures of Maddie in this post! Bwah ha ha ha!)

Working your way up to 10,000 steps per day doesn’t have to be boring. Take a walk after dinner (a mile will add 2000 steps to your total!). If it’s dark after dinner, take your walk after lunch (and save the siesta for later). With warm weather appearing with every step, take your walks outside and welcome Spring!

I’m off to toss a tennis ball with the dogs. Catch ya later!

Q: What are your tricks for moving around more during the day? Do you wear a pedometer?

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