ventures winter newsletter

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In This Issue: Work-Life Balance is a Lie! Winter 2016 Volume XXXII Number 3 Finding the Balance: Tips to Manage Work Life Balance Ventures Enterprising News and Ideas for Nutrition Entrepreneurs Penny L. Wilson, PhD, RD, CSSD, LD | Chair “The truth is balance is bunk. It’s an unattainable pipe dream. . . The quest for balance between work and life, as we’ve come to think of it isn’t just a losing proposition; it’s a hurtful, destructive one.” ~ Keith H. Hammonds I came across this quote as I was listening to The One Thing by Gary Keller. In The One Thing Gary talks about how in order to accomplish anything BIG, you have to go small. You have to focus on one thing. The quote above from Keith H. Hammonds is included in a chapter called “A Balanced Life” in the first part of the book called “The Lies: They Mislead and Derail Us.” I was listening along to the other lies (Everything Matters Equally, Multitasking, A Disciplined Life, Willpower Is Always On Will-Call) when I came to this one. I felt like I’d been hit over the head. Work-life balance is a lie? Really? HOORAY! If work-life balance is a lie, then I can quit worrying about it, beating myself up about not having “balance,” and on and on and on. And, I can help others stop worrying about not having a “balanced life.” If you think about an old-fashioned scale (I’ve learned it’s called a double-pan balance scale), it has two pans, one attached to each end of a beam. The beam is centered over a pivot point. The two pans balance against each other. When something is placed in one pan it gets heavier and lower. Then the other, lighter pan rises. Taking that double-pan scale and applying it to life – you can have work on one side and “life” on the other. If you’re working, you’re immediately out of balance because you’re putting more time into work than “life.” The work pan goes down because that’s where you’re spending time and the “life” pan is lighter since you’re not working on the things on the “life” pan. And, the scale is immediately out of balance. If you’re living “life” and not working, the opposite happens. I can’t think of any way to make this work-life scale balance. If you can’t have a “balanced life,” what can you have? How about starting by embracing the idea that a “balanced life” is a lie and not going to happen? Once you’ve done that, you can start looking at life and deciding what you want it to be. Where do you want to spend your time? Where do you have to spend your time? If you’re not able to spend enough time in one area that you really, really want to, what can you change, give up doing or delegate to make that happen? If you can’t move anything around, then accept that’s just how it is right now and give yourself some grace and understanding. Then, put an appointment on your calendar to re-assess in a couple of months. The next time you start worrying about life being “out of balance,” remember – BALANCE IS A LIE! You get to decide what your life looks like. As long as you are happy with how it’s going, that’s all that matters. Dr. Penny Wilson is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She helps women with IBS learn to trust their bodies. Through her private practice - Eating for Performance - Penny uses integrative and functional nutrition to address her clients’ needs. She was the dietitian for the Houston Rockets and the Sugar Land Skeeters. In addition to her work with athletes, Penny taught sports nutrition at the University of Houston for six years. Penny is a professional member of the National Speakers Association. Work-Life Balance is a Lie ........................................... 1 Why You Should Take More Breaks .............................. 2 Free Your Time: Tools To Optimize Your Schedule ......... 3 Sharpening Your Saw ................................................. 4 I’m Just Too Busy: The Solution ................................... 5 Members on the Move .................................................. 6-7 Delegates' Corner ........................................................ 8 Recharging the Battery ............................................... 8 Finding Your Inner Gymnast: The Art of Balance ......... 9 2015 Member Survey ................................................. 9 Three Small Ways to Set Boundaries for Beginners .... 10 Let’s Institute the Three-Day Weekend! ..................... 10 The Work-Life Balancing Act ..................................... 11 Join NE's Electronic Mailing Lists (EMLs) .................... 11 More Vacations, More Success ..............................12-13 Giving Yourself Permission to Unplug ........................ 12 Finding My Lighthouse! ............................................ 13 Work Life…Flexibility .............................................. 14 Look Up: Using Social Media for Business, and Maintaining Sanity on the Homefront ...................... 15 How to…Be True to Yourself .................................... 16 The Unique Work-Life Balance Challenge of the Second Career Dietitian......................................................... 17 Product Reviews ....................................................... 18 My Morning Routine ................................................. 19 Mini Meetings .......................................................... 19 Twitter Chat Schedule .................................. Back Cover Webinars ..................................................... Back Cover

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Page 1: Ventures Winter Newsletter

In This Issue:

Work-Life Balance is a Lie!

Winter 2016 Volume XXXII

Number 3

Finding the Balance: Tips to Manage Work Life Balance

VenturesEnterprising News and Ideas for Nutrition Entrepreneurs

Penny L. Wilson, PhD, RD, CSSD, LD | Chair

“The truth is balance is bunk. It’s an unattainable pipe dream. . . The quest for balance between work and life, as we’ve come to think of it isn’t just

a losing proposition; it’s a hurtful, destructive one.” ~ Keith H. Hammonds

I came across this quote as I was listening to The One Thing by Gary Keller. In The One Thing Gary talks about how in order to accomplish anything BIG, you have to go small. You have to focus on one thing. The quote above from Keith H. Hammonds is included in a chapter called “A Balanced Life” in the first part of the book called “The Lies: They Mislead and Derail Us.” I was listening along to the other lies (Everything Matters Equally, Multitasking, A Disciplined Life, Willpower Is Always On Will-Call) when I came to this one. I felt like I’d been hit over the head.

Work-life balance is a lie? Really? HOORAY! If work-life balance is a lie, then I can quit worrying about it, beating myself up about not having “balance,” and on and on and on. And, I can help others stop worrying about not having a “balanced life.”

If you think about an old-fashioned scale (I’ve learned it’s called a double-pan balance scale), it has two pans, one attached to each end of a beam. The beam is centered over a pivot point.

The two pans balance against each other. When something is placed in one pan it gets heavier and lower. Then the other, lighter pan rises.

Taking that double-pan scale and applying it to life – you can have work on one side and “life” on the other. If you’re working, you’re immediately out of balance because you’re putting more time into work than “life.” The work pan goes down because that’s where you’re spending time and the “life” pan is lighter since you’re not working on the things on the “life” pan. And, the scale is immediately out of balance. If you’re living “life” and not working, the opposite happens. I can’t think of any way to make this work-life scale balance.

If you can’t have a “balanced life,” what can you have?

How about starting by embracing the idea that a “balanced life” is a lie and not going to happen? Once you’ve done that, you can start looking at life and deciding what you want it to be. Where do you want to spend your time? Where do you have to spend your time? If you’re not able to spend enough time in one area that you really, really want to, what can you change, give up doing or delegate to make that happen? If you can’t move anything around, then accept that’s just how it is right now and give yourself some grace and understanding. Then, put an appointment on your calendar to re-assess in a couple of months.

The next time you start worrying about life being “out of balance,” remember – BALANCE IS A LIE! You get to decide what your life looks like. As long as you are happy with how it’s going, that’s all that matters.

Dr. Penny Wilson is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics. She helps women with IBS learn to trust their bodies. Through her private practice - Eating for Performance - Penny uses integrative and functional nutrition to address her clients’ needs. She was the dietitian for the Houston Rockets and the Sugar Land Skeeters. In addition to her work with athletes, Penny taught sports nutrition at the University of Houston for six years. Penny is a professional member of the National Speakers Association.

Work-Life Balance is a Lie ........................................... 1

Why You Should Take More Breaks .............................. 2

Free Your Time: Tools To Optimize Your Schedule ......... 3

Sharpening Your Saw ................................................. 4

I’m Just Too Busy: The Solution ................................... 5

Members on the Move .................................................. 6-7

Delegates' Corner ........................................................ 8

Recharging the Battery ............................................... 8

Finding Your Inner Gymnast: The Art of Balance ......... 9

2015 Member Survey ................................................. 9

Three Small Ways to Set Boundaries for Beginners .... 10

Let’s Institute the Three-Day Weekend! ..................... 10

The Work-Life Balancing Act ..................................... 11

Join NE's Electronic Mailing Lists (EMLs) .................... 11

More Vacations, More Success ..............................12-13

Giving Yourself Permission to Unplug ........................ 12

Finding My Lighthouse! ............................................ 13

Work Life…Flexibility .............................................. 14

Look Up: Using Social Media for Business, and Maintaining Sanity on the Homefront ...................... 15

How to…Be True to Yourself .................................... 16

The Unique Work-Life Balance Challenge of the Second Career Dietitian......................................................... 17

Product Reviews ....................................................... 18

My Morning Routine ................................................. 19

Mini Meetings .......................................................... 19

Twitter Chat Schedule .................................. Back Cover

Webinars ..................................................... Back Cover

Page 2: Ventures Winter Newsletter

WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE MORE BREAKS

Ventures

Kara Lydon, RDN, LDN, RYT | Newsletter Editor

I recently read an article in The Huffington Post titled “Why We Need Breaks: What I Learned in 100 Days Away From My Business” by Brit Stueven, owner of Brit Stueven PR. Stueven, who admits her biggest addiction in life was her business, took 100 days off from work when she moved to Germany and gave herself the freedom to explore, try new things, experience, play, see and do. By pressing pause on her business and creating space for herself, she realized how much

emphasis she had been putting on her work and not on other parts of her life and herself. Taking a break from her work, she was able to awaken all these other roles she could play: hostess, homemaker, teacher, cook, student, etc. Have you ever asked yourself what are some of the other roles you play in your life? What roles would you want to awaken or try?

BREAKS GIVE US SPACE, WHICH IN TURN HELPS US TO HAVE A HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER APPROACH TO WORK:

• Breaks actually make us better at our work. Taking breaks can make us more productive, more creative, and can bring us new thoughts and valuable insights.

• Breaks give us perspective. By pressing pause, you can evaluate those long-term goals of yours and see if where you’re heading is in line with where you actually want to go. By taking those breaks, you can decide if and what you need to change to reach those goals.

• Breaks help us recharge our batteries. Have you ever had writer's block or been stuck on a problem and then go for a walk - and all of a sudden the answer hits you like a ton of bricks? That’s because taking breaks helps us to see things differently. We can look at things in a new light, from a different angle.

• Breaks make us happier. Taking breaks helps us to see that there’s more to life than just work. Breaks help us to explore, play, take on adventures, feel and love, which generate those warm and fuzzy happy feelings.

While I’ve never taken 100 days off from work, I did take a month off from my business last summer and despite the trepidation and anxiety I felt about leaving it behind, everything was still there waiting for me to pick up when I came back. I didn’t lose clients. I didn’t lose social media followers. I didn’t miss out on huge opportunities. My business was just fine. And you know what? I came back to my work feeling fresh and inspired with lots of new ideas to bring to the table.

I hope the articles in this issue of Ventures give you strategies and inspiration on how to find work-life balance and manage your time better so you can find the time to take more breaks.

Kara Lydon, RD, LDN, RYT, The Foodie Dietitian, is a nationally recognized food and nutrition expert and yoga teacher based in Boston, Massachusetts. Kara offers nutrition coaching, consults with corporate wellness clients, and partners with like-minded food brands and organizations on recipe development and nutrition communications and marketing. Kara is also a speaker, spokesperson and writer and regularly contributes to TODAY Food and Food Network’s Healthy Eats. Her food and healthy living blog, The Foodie Dietitian (www.karalydon.com/blog), features delicious seasonal vegetarian recipes and simple strategies to bring more yoga and mindfulness into lives, and has been featured on TODAY, SELF, Buzzfeed and The Kitchn.

EDITORKara Lydon, RDN, LDN, RYT

INCOMING EDITORAlexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT

EDITORIAL BOARD, 2014-2015Kara Lydon, RDN, LDN, RYT

Alexandra Caspero, MA, RD, CLT

Chere Bork, MS, RDN, LN

Penny Wilson, PHD, RDN, LD

Lauri Egan, RDN, CPT

Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN

The newsletter pertains to the Nutrition

Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Group of

the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and

reproduction rights are reserved. Publication

of an advertisement in the Ventures newsletter

should not be considered as an endorsement

of the product or advertiser by the DPG.

Viewpoints and statements in this newsletter

do not necessarily reflect policies and/or

positions of the Academy of Nutrition and

Dietetics. © 2015 Nutrition Entrepreneurs.

All rights reserved.

WE WELCOME INPUT FROM OUR MEMBERS. PLEASE CONTACT THE EDITOR:

Kara Lydon, RDN, LDN, RYT

140 Arborway Unit #5

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATIONNE members’ Ventures subscription year

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members may purchase a one-year (five

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Page 3: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Free Your Time: TOOLS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR SCHEDULE

Sarah Koszyk, MA, RDN | Chair Elect

Like most dietitians, I wear over 25 hats at work and over 15 hats at home. For example, at work, I’ll play the roles of a coach, social media manager, writer, employee manager, programmer, public speaker, researcher and developer, networker and more. When I finish work, the hats at home keep on coming as a chef, wife, housekeeper, etc. Needless to say, my closet is full of a lot of hat boxes!

So how does one wear so many diverse hats, keep up with all the duties and obligations, and not burn out? The answer is time management and discipline. I definitely wasn’t born with this. I used to be late for everything and blame it on a made-up condition I called Late Deficiency Syndrome. However, I’ve trained myself to get there. Here’s what I did.

I was first inspired by Tim Ferriss’ book, The 4-Hour Workweek, in which he talks about freeing up your time so you can play more often. Who doesn’t want to work just four hours a week and get paid for 80? Sign me up and count me in. The book taught me how I can optimize my efficiency and my time by not focusing on the obsolete, and staying completely concentrated in whatever task or duty I needed to do so it gets completed. Also, by setting up a structured routine, you are able to have a better foundation to organize and simplify your workweek to what really needs to get done.

HERE ARE FOUR TOOLS TO OPTIMIZE YOUR SCHEDULE AND FREE UP YOUR TIME:

1. Make a schedule of your weekly must-dos: On a calendar, set a specific time to schedule social media posts, write articles, perform creative tasks, see clients, follow up with emails, etc. For example, on most days, I just check emails twice daily and place time for this on my schedule. I’ve attached an example of my social media calendar showing where I spend time on specific social media duties during designated time frames. This helps reduce distraction, increase focus, and helps stay on task so you are not bouncing around from one thing to another.

2. Be consistent with the schedule: If you decide you are most creative in the afternoon, set that time to perform creative tasks. For example, I like designating Wednesdays as my creative writing day. It’s midweek and generally quiet in regards to my other obligations.

3. Be realistic with your time: Give yourself more time to do something versus less time. Don’t overcommit yourself to your own schedule. If something could potentially take you two hours, allocate two hours. If you finish early, take a moment to enjoy your free time.

4. Take mini-breaks: Research suggests that people need to breathe and move in order to stay energized, engaged and focused. Make sure to put breaks into your schedule to eat lunch, go for a quick walk, or enjoy a 10-minute stretch or 10-minute savasana (yoga corpse pose/meditation). The breaks will optimize your concentration when you get back to work. Schedule the breaks in between duties.

Sarah Koszyk is a San Francisco-based nutrition coach specializing in adult and pediatric weight management and sports nutrition. Her blog: Family. Food. Fiesta. focuses on delicious, healthy recipes for the entire family, including health tips and videos of kids cooking in the kitchen: www.sarahkoszyk.com. Sarah also writes monthly articles for multiple companies including NutritionJobs, ExerciseJobs, UltraRunning magazine and more. Connect with Sarah on Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest: @SarahKoszykRD, Facebook: /FamilyFoodFiesta.

Social Media: Schedule Weekly Tweets & FB PostsWrite Blogs/Develop ContentInstagramDaily Social Media CorrespondenceNewsletter Write-upPlan/Prepare/Prep/Schedule Blogs/Office Paperwork

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday7:00am7:30am8:00am8:30am9:00am9:30am10:00am10:30am11:00am11:30am12:00pm12:30pm1:00pm1:30pm2:00pm2:30pm 3:00pm3:30pm4:00pm4:30pm5:00pm5:30pm6:00pm6:30pm7:00pm7:30pm

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Page 4: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Sharpening Your Saw

Linda Eck Mills, MBA, RDN, LDN, FADA | Secretary

When I work with coaching clients, the topic of work-life balance is frequently part of the conversation. The start of the year is a great time to evaluate your life and determine the direction you will be going in 2016. I like to use the following story to illustrate the need for balance in your life.

Two men with equal strength and ability each had the task of cutting a pile of wood. Both piles were the same and they had the same kind of saw. The first man started sawing. As time went on, he got hungry and thirsty, and his saw became dull. However, he pushed on until the work was completed without taking any breaks. The second man started sawing at the same time as the first man. As time went on, he got hungry and thirsty, and his saw became dull. But he stopped to get something to eat and drink, and to sharpen his saw partway through the work. The breaks rejuvenated him and allowed him to work smarter, not harder, to accomplish the work. Who finished sawing the pile of wood first? It was the second man!

How does this relate to entrepreneurs? The entrepreneur wants his/her business to be successful and knows that long hours are part of a start-up. But in working long hours, are you neglecting to eat properly, get enough sleep, spend time with family and friends, hobbies and interests outside of work? Consider a 80/20 split of your time.

This means you work 20% of the time and take the other 80% of the time to “sharpen your saw” and rest.

Let's look at the hours in a week and how this works out. There are 168 hours in a week. If we work 40 hours a week and sleep about 56 hours per week, that leaves just 72 hours for everything else. The Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics actually compiles information about how people spend their time each day. In 2013, they reported the following hours spent on an average workday for employed persons ages 25-54 with children:

8.7 hours working and related activities

7.7 hours sleeping

2.5 hours leisure and sports

1.7 hours other

1.3 hours caring for others

1.1 hours household activities

1.0 hours eating and drinking

That may not sound like sufficient time to work and grow your business in 8.7 hours per day. However, remember the two men who sawed wood and who was the most successful. Plan now to be successful in 2016!

As the owner of Dynamic Communication Services, Linda S.Eck Mills, MBA, RDN, LDN, FADA, gives others “Confidence” as a career coach, freelance writer and international speaker. She partners with coaching clients to get them from where they are to where they want to be with their careers - and guarantees to keep an audience involved, even after lunch, or you don’t pay her speaking fee, only the travel expenses! She is also responsible for 38 secure and community correctional facilities in 11 states across the country as the full-time corporate dietitian for Community Education Centers and she directs and teaches in a dietary manager program. Linda has published over 200 articles and authored, co-authored or contributed to ten books, including Flavorful Fortified Food – Recipes to Enrich Life and Food First! Enhancing the Nutritional Value of Meals with Fortified Food. Contact her at [email protected]

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Page 5: Ventures Winter Newsletter

I’M JUST TOO BUSY:The Solution

Chere Bork, MS, RDN | Past Chair

A dietitian client lamented, “I’m being dragged in a million directions! It is the same old/same old. I can’t keep up. Everyone wants my attention and I need a vacation.” Sound familiar? We are connected to work 24/7. The lines between work and family have blurred, in many instances, to the point

where the line is undistinguishable. I have seen people reading their phones in church. We tell ourselves busy is good; it does give me something to do each day to Gary’s dismay. Otherwise, what would we be doing?

As entrepreneurs we get a “rush” from a sense of accomplishment and crossing tasks off the list. Yet people tell me all the time they feel guilty when they are at work that they are not home with their family. And to make matters worse, they also feel guilty when they are not working and are at home. This double dose of guilt is a sure-fire recipe for negativity and unhappiness.

When your life feels out of balance most of the time, it may be hard to know where to begin.

The first step is to refine what work-life balance is not. There is no one-size-fits-all balance you should be striving for. Your work-life balance formula changes all the time. My life was “in balance” when my wood floors were clean and when Dani and Brett were in grade school. Now my balance is fewer than 200 emails in my inbox (when I was NE chair it was 300 emails) and I am doing fun things with my newly retired husband and not feeling jealous that he is playing while I am working. Having

a newly retired spouse is like having a fun five-year-old in the house…always something to distract you. The right balance for you today will be different for you tomorrow.

It is time to dump the “NE comparitis” and focus on your own priorities and values. Many RDNs are jealous of other NE RDNs and if they knew the serious health challenges or miseries in the lives of their colleagues, I bet they would be content with their own lives.

As entrepreneurs we are fantastic at achievement - growing our business, connecting with the “right people” and having a media presence (if we desire one). But are we enjoying our life while achieving so much? I think not.

Jim Bird, a life balance strategist, believes work-life balance is a blend of achievement and enjoyment. We have a great grasp of achievement - getting it all done. He defines enjoyment as pride, satisfaction, happiness, celebration, love, a sense of well-being and joys of living. He reminds us achievement and enjoyment are the front and back of the coin of value in life. You can’t have one without the other, no more than you can have a coin with only one side. Trying to live a one-sided life is why so many successful people are not happy. You cannot get the full value from life without BOTH achievement and enjoyment. When you focus on achievement and enjoyment every day, it gets you out of the trap, “I will be happy when...” The way to predict our future is to create it. Life will deliver delicious life balance if you are achieving and enjoying something every single day.

Chere, as a Law of Attraction Facilitator, gives registered dietitian nutritionists a boost of confidence to live the lives they have always wanted - no regrets allowed! She helps RDNs find clarity so that they can be the best business owners they can be; Chere works with them to develop a game plan to make it all happen. She also knocks audiences off their seats as a national dietetic state meeting speaker. Want a life that you truly love? I’d love to hear from you - please drop me a line at [email protected] or call me at 952-937-5697. www.ChereBork.com the Energy Igniter, at Savor Your Life Today!

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Page 6: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Moveon theMoveThe Association of Correctional Food Service Affiliates (ACFSA) installed Linda S. Eck Mills, MBA, RDN, LDN, FADA, as secretary during its International Conference in August. Linda has been active in correctional food service as the corporate dietitian for Community Education Centers where she is responsible for medical diets and menu analysis for 38 facilities across the country. She has a regular column, “Did You Know…”, in the association’s Insider magazine. Contact her at [email protected].

Susan Mitchell, PhD, RDN, LDN, FAND, received the 2015 Media Award from the Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics at its annual meeting in Orlando. Susan is the host of the medical and consumer podcasts Breaking Down Nutrition: Your Digest for What Works, What Doesn’t and is founder of the websites www.FoodFitFabulous.com and www.BreakingDownNutrition.com.

Denine Rogers, RDN, LD, FAND, owner of Living Healthy, a health and wellness company, was mentioned in an article on faith-based gardening in the September 2015 issue of Today's Dietitian. She is also being honored at FNCE®Ⓡ in Nashville with an award of volunteer excellence from the National Organization of Blacks in Nutrition and Dietetics (NOBIDAN). Visit www.livinghealthy1.org

Dr. Sheila Dean, DSc, RDN, LDN ,CCN, CDE, and Kathie Swift, MS, RDN, LDN, FAND, are the proud co-founders of IFNA™, the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy (www.IFNAcademy.com), a new comprehensive online training and mentoring program designed to teach healthcare practitioners how to seek the true root causes of disease to restore optimal health and function, and ultimately transform the practice of nutrition using the most effective integrative and functional nutrition diagnostic tools and treatment protocols for preventing and reversing chronic illness.

Amanda Clark, advanced accredited practising dietitian in Australia, presented outcomes of her portion control program in a psychiatric facility at Obesity Week 2015. Portion Perfection tools were implemented within the food service making it easier to judge how much to eat. Reports of unwanted weight gain reduced from an initial 73% of inpatients down to 35%, and inpatients reported a high level of confidence that they could continue to implement the strategies following discharge. www.portiondiet.com

Kara Lydon, RD, LDN, RYT, has launched her own nutrition consulting business and food and healthy living blog, The Foodie Dietitian (www.karalydon.com/blog). Kara now works with like-minded food brands and organizations on recipe development, food photography, nutrition communications, and media and spokesperson work. A freelance writer, Kara is now a regular contributor to Food Network's Healthy Eats Blog and Today.com. She also recently received her 200HR yoga teaching certification and is now a registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance.

Michal Hogan, RD, LD, CLT, of the successful Nutrition Results, LLC, has built a LEAP-centric private practice from the ground up and is mentoring dietitians using Certified LEAP Therapy Training and CEU Courses: Food Sensitivity Series, Menu Planning, Live and Tactical Reimbursement. These practical step-by-step trainings help dietitians apply their knowledge from the scheduling of their first food sensitivity patient through collection of payment. Join us in helping people get really healthy: www.NutritonResults.com or call at (614) 477-2474.

Nancy Clark, MS, RD, is looking forward to her 30th year giving sports nutrition workshops to RDs across the country, boosting their confidence regarding nutrition for exercise and sports, and encouraging them to jump in and join the fun. Her upcoming series will be in Boston and Northampton MA, Raleigh, Alexandria and Norfolk VA. She hopes to see some NE members there! For more information: www.NutritionSportsExerciseCEUs.com

Chere Bork, MS, RDN | Past Chair

As past chair of NE I am excited that I am responsible for gathering information for the Members on the Move section. You can see our NE members are movers and shakers in the nutrition world. Congratulations to their successes and how they are contributing to our profession. They make us proud!

MoveMembers

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Page 7: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Move MoveErica Julson, MS, RDN, has recently launched The Dinner Club, a weekly dinner planning service that makes home cooking easier. Each week, subscribers receive links to five easy weeknight recipes from popular food bloggers and a corresponding shopping list. Shop once, cook all week! This service saves time and helps people cook more whole food meals. Learn more on Erica's website: www.ericajulson.com & try one month free using the code "FREEDINNER".

Danielle Rousseau is a senior dietetics major at the University of Georgia. She recently assisted professors at the Medical University of South Carolina in studying how iron status impacts physical performance. The poster entitled “Examining the Relationships Between Dietary Intake, Iron Status, and Physical Performance in Female Collegiate Rowers” was presented at the 2015 Experimental Biology conference. Danielle is also the coordinator for the 2016 Athens National Eating Disorders Association Walk and a MyPlateUGA Ambassador.

Teresa Pangan, PhD, RDN, just joined the faculty of Mansfield University of Pennsylvania part-time this fall. She is excited to work with students teaching classes for their online Masters of Science in Nutrition program. The program emphasizes training dietetics leaders as entrepreneurs in their places of employment or in their own private practices or ventures. She teaches topics she is passionate about - like client intervention for behavior change, utilizing social media and apps, branding, bringing value to the workplace and entrepreneurship. To find out more about the program visit www.mansfield.edu/nutrition/nutrition-masters-degree

Susan Linke, MBA, MS, RDN, LDN, CLT, received the 2015 Excellence in Practice Award from the Dietitians in Integrative and Functional Medicine (DIFM) DPG. She also became an advisory board member for the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy. As one of the most experienced Certified LEAP Therapists in the country, she combines her LEAP experience, integrative and functional nutrition knowledge and passion for mentoring, and has become a sought-after LEAP mentor. Contact her at [email protected]

Julie Duffy Dillon, MS, RD, NCC, LDN, CEDRD, eating disorder specialist and food peace promoter, was featured on TLC’s My Big Fat Fabulous Life. She brought her non-diet size-accepting interventions to millions while helping Whitney Thore promote health with PCOS and prediabetes. Now Julie is bringing food peace to your ears via the soon-to-be launched podcast Love, Food. This authentically engineered series is in the form of a love letter welcoming listeners to reconnect with food. Visit: www.juliedillonrd.com/lovefoodpodcast

Yvette Quantz, RDN, CSSD, LDN, has transferred her passion for educating and inspiring others into a business of providing products and services dietitians can use in their own businesses. She is passionate about the dietitians’ role in connecting with their clients and establishing relationships built on the know, like, trust factor. She is excited to announce the official launch of the Foodspirations website www.foodspirations.com. This has been a vision of hers for the past six years and this could not have happened without the support and inspiration from fellow NE members.

Move MoveMoveMembers

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Page 8: Ventures Winter Newsletter

David Orozco, MS, RDN, LD Incoming Director of Member Services

It’s that time of year again! Planning and preparing for the next installment of the Appalachian Trail hike. Nope, not New Year’s resolutions for me.

Each year in March and October a few of my lifelong buddies and I head off on our long weekend “getaway” trip on the “AT,” the Appalachian Trail. An absolute must for us! It represents the two times of year when we get to escape and recharge life’s batteries. The first part of this trip is the prep and planning stage, which I actually enjoy (yup, that’s the RDN in me). We plan out the 20- to 25-mile hike a few weeks in advance based off our last trip. We start plotting the hike and reading the maps, calculating the mileage, and then confirming rendezvous points because we section-hike the AT. Maybe one day I’ll be able to take off the four to five months to thru-hike the 2,000+ miles from Georgia to Maine. When that happens, I’m sure it would be a book I write and not just an article (wink, wink). OK, so back to the planning. Of course for me the best part is planning the food for the trip. I’ve tried to plan a healthy menu for the other guys, but I gave up on that approach a long time ago. The planning continues to prep the gear, clothing, food, water and essentials. For me, that means shopping at a camping equipment store – the adult version of a toy store. All of this is just as much of the escape as the actual trip – think retail therapy, hobbies, playing with maps. It’s a way for me to get away from the daily grind for a few weeks out of the year leading up to the trip, and the buildup of anticipation is awesome. It’s like being back in elementary school waiting for summer break to finally arrive.

Then finally it’s freedom, the actual trip! All my buddies and I meet together at the trailhead, gear up and head off on the trail with 40 to 50 pounds of food and gear on each of our backs. At this point, it’s hard to say what is the best part of the trip. One of the key aspects of the trip is to connect with my buddies, but so are the beautiful and majestic views and terrain. In March the winter air still lingers and in one trip we can have rain showers, snow or spring-like temps. Needless to say, the challenge of the six- to eight-mile daily trek with elevation changes from 500 to 2,500 feet in the same day, and bog-filled single-track trails that switch back and forth for miles, is testament to how beautiful life is (yup, crazy talk I’m sure). To me, it’s a way of connecting to life or nature, and how it shouldn’t be taken for granted. The long tunnel-like trails filled with the rhododendron and trees and brush creating an endless canopy, jagged rocks, muddy streams and trail steps about one to three feet high, offers a reminder how incredible Mother Nature is. The highlight of the trip is when we finally arrive to the campsite or shelter. We cook up that long-awaited meal, break into who’s got the latest gear (toy), and then just reconnect with the guys in front of a hot fire. It’s just priceless. What a way to unwind for the trek, which is metaphoric for life as well. For me, managing work-life balance means taking time to get away and reconnect with life, recharge my batteries. It is a reminder of what I value so dearly in life – the simple things, my family, my career and nature!

David is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a Master’s in health science from Georgia State University. He holds certifications as a Health Fitness Specialist from the American College of Sports Medicine, Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Certified Quit Smart® smoking cessation counselor, and is fluent in Spanish. David owns td wellness, llc, a nutrition and health consulting business, providing solutions for healthy living to individuals, the food and restaurant industry, and various organizations and corporations. David is a spin instructor, loves to mountain bike and hike, and has been practicing Aikido for over 25 years.

DELEGATES’CORNER

Lisa Jones MA, RDN, LDN, FANDDelegate Message

“Workin’ on a mystery, goin’ wherever it leads…”— Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers,

Runnin’ Down A Dream Lyrics

Runnin’ Down A DreamSometimes the idea of being able to balance everything at once seems like a fantasy. Whenever I start to feel overwhelmed, I try to remember these simple time management tips:

• Flexibility: Make sure to build in time for interruptions and distractions. Implement “flex” time which allows you to reschedule work for when life happens: a friend calls needing advice; your child is sick; or your husband surprises you with a getaway weekend.

• Consistency: Plan your work and then work your plan! Take the time to develop effective processes, tools or templates to manage all your projects, and then utilize them.

• Realism: Be realistic about what you can accomplish. Don’t be afraid to say “no” if your current commitments won’t allow you sufficient time to meet a deadline.

DELEGATE TIME MANAGEMENT TIPS

• Relevance: Make sure to read the Academy and NEDPG website for the latest HOD update to stay abreast of what is happening in our profession.

• Connections: Interact with other colleagues on the EML to identify issues and help determine solutions.

• Accountability: Keep a log of any comments or feedback you have regarding our profession, and email your concerns or questions.

I look forward to hearing from you! Please contact me with your feedback, comments and concerns at [email protected].

Lisa Ann Jones, MA, RDN, LDN, FAND, is a registered dietitian and nutrition communications consultant as well as the clinical editor for Nutrition411. In addition to her NE Delegate role, Lisa is currently serving as the vice-chair of the Academy’s Consumer Protection and Licensure Subcommittee. She has previously held several other leadership roles including past-president of the Pennsylvania Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. In 2014, Lisa was recognized as Outstanding Dietitian of the Year by the Pennsylvania Academy. Lisa can be reached at [email protected].

Recharging the Battery

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Page 9: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Niki Strealy, RDN, LD Director of Member Services

After spending eight years of my childhood as a gymnast, I learned early about the importance of balance. I fell off the beam countless times before learning how to “stick” a particular trick or skill. Fall off, take a deep breath, get back on. Completing a

routine on a four-inch-wide balance beam takes practice, patience and perseverance.

From physically balancing on a beam to figuratively balancing my school work, family, church and friends, the discipline of balance was woven into my character.

Flash forward to adulthood. Now there are more variables: work, multiple projects, volunteer groups, marriage, home, exercise, kids and their school and activities, friendships, and keeping my overall sanity intact. One of the things I have learned is that true work-life balance takes planning; it doesn’t just happen on its own.

There are many ways to achieve BALANCE:

Banish perfectionism (if you’re a perfectionist like me, maybe the best you can do is minimize it!). Reward yourself for finishing a big project.

Allow time to rest and recharge. This is critical! Use your PTO days. Turn your phone off. Don’t answer emails while on vacation. Take a nap. Read a magazine.

Leave the white space in your schedule intact. It’s hard not to fill up every empty space in your schedule (I’m guilty!), but keeping time blocks open without clients or projects gives you breathing room to think and focus.

Arrange your schedule at the beginning of each week to get the biggest or most challenging task done first.

No—a word you should use to help you prioritize people before projects. While it’s hard to turn down a great opportunity, be selective about committing to a new venture.

Cut out people and activities that suck your energy and time. Do not let the Betty Bitters of the world hijack your enthusiasm and creativity.

Exercise is critical to maintaining body and brain. I recommend adding it to your schedule so it doesn’t get left out. I have friends I run with so I can overlap my exercise with social time.

It’s not easy. Achieving the right balance looks different for everyone. If you feel unbalanced now, what can you do right now to change it? Don’t be afraid to fall off the balance beam. Just take a deep breath, hop back on, and remember: balance takes practice, patience and perseverance.

Niki Strealy is also known as The Diarrhea Dietitian, from the title of her self-published book. She fell in love with NE when she joined on a whim in 2009. Reading Ventures and meeting NE members at FNCE® inspired her to launch her private practice, Strategic Nutrition, LLC, and become an NE mentor. She enjoys working with clients with gastrointestinal diseases and disorders, empowering them to make positive changes to live a happy and rewarding life. You can connect with Niki on Facebook, Twitter @DiarrheaRD and LinkedIn.

Finding Your Inner Gymnast: The Art of Balance

Questions Answers

Total Respondents 378 (10% of NE members)

Top Ten NE Services (out of 29 choices)

1. The General NEDPG Electronic Mailing List (EML)

2. Ventures newsletter

3. Monthly educational webinars

4. Webinar library (accessed on the NE website)

5. EML - Private Practice

6. NE Toolkit

7. EML - Authors

8. EML - Speakers & Media

9. Free Product and Services Listing on the NE website

10. Leadership Opportunities

28% of survey respondents didn’t know that NE publishes a “Tip of the Month.” Read this and previous

tips at https://nedpg.org/tip-of-the-month

The most frequent reasons for visiting the NE website are for webinar registration and to listen to previous

webinar recordings. (72% of those surveyed)

The Results of the 2015 Member Survey are in! Thank you to all those who responded this year.

Stay tuned for more results in your next Ventures!

Any questions or would you like a copy of the Member Survey? Contact [email protected]

9

Page 10: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Carlene Thomas, RDN, LD Director of PR and Marketing

It took me a long time to realize the importance of boundaries. When you start a business or a project, it’s easy to say yes. It’s hard to say no. SO. HARD. Eventually, you

have a moment of clarity where you realize some of the things you’re saying “yes” to aren’t benefitting your business, your life or your goals. Setting boundaries will help you prune your life so you can grow into better things.

1. No calls or meetings on Monday: I learned this tip from a friend and fellow business owner. She keeps Monday totally open to be a gateway between the relaxing weekend and a “workweek.” Monday is when you can catch up without having to be “on.” While this doesn’t work all the time, I really try to stick to this policy when scheduling meetings and appointments.

2. Remove your phone number from your business cards and website: This is not for everyone. In fact, if you have a separate business number from your personal line, this won’t apply to you at all. But for those of us who have business calls coming to our cellphones (which are attached to us at all times), it can be easy to answer work calls after hours and have clients think they can reach you at all times. Even if you don’t answer the call, be honest. Doesn’t the phone ringing stress you out a little and get you in work mode?

3. Evaluate your commitments one to two times a year: And be honest. There are times you’re asked to sit on committees or volunteer for something or even pick up a small contract for something outside what you want to do as a business. At the time these may have been a good fit, but rather than continuing to say “okay” year after year, take the time to evaluate if these still are. You may find that saying no to some of these things will open up time for you to work on passion projects that will take your business to the next level.

Setting boundaries can be uncomfortable, but it will be beneficial if you can stick to it! How are you setting boundaries? Let us know on Twitter with #NEDPG!

Carlene is the founder of Healthfully Ever After LLC, helping readers

find healthy, curated living. Carlene also works in recipe development

and food styling. She has been featured in Huffington Post Weddings,

BRIDES magazine, Virginia Living, Food and Nutrition Magazine

and more. In the dietetics world Carlene has served on the Virginia

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics executive board for three years

and is now entering her role as president-elect..

3 SMALL WAYS TO SET BOUNDARIES FOR BEGINNERS

Let’s Institute the THREE-DAY WEEKEND!

Krista Ulatowski, MPH, RDN Incoming Director of PR and Marketing

Does anyone know whom we need to talk to in order to implement the three-day weekend? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve mumbled this to myself as I sleepily get out of bed on Monday mornings!

Until we do see that glorious three-day weekend implemented, I suggest taking advantage of your days off. Sometimes this is easier said than done.

We oftentimes work for companies that expect us to check in when we’re on vacation. You can join our 3:30 p.m. conference call from your lounge chair on the beach, right?

Or, many of us have our own thriving businesses, which makes it difficult to unplug and unwind. What if a client email goes unanswered for four days? I really want to put the finishing touches on that artificial sweetener podcast – I can do that on the plane. I’ll just use my phone to check in once…or twice…or ten times a day.

Sound familiar?

WHAT IF, INSTEAD, YOU TRIED THE FOLLOWING:

• Leave the laptop in its favorite spot at home – it won’t mind being left behind.

• Find comfort in your backup planning – you’ve set your “out of office” notification and your co-workers have your work covered.

• Minimize your check-ins via phone. Instead, check-in, talk and connect with the amazing people you are traveling with.

• Remind yourself that your co-workers, partners, vendors, clients, patients will all be there when you return home. They don’t mind that you went on vacation. They take vacations, too.

This past June, I traveled to Brazil. I admit, I was guilty of bringing my laptop with me, but did my best to use it only for maps, Yelp, and essentially for making travel plans. My error, however, was in trading shifts with my co-workers so that I didn’t “burn” through a good deal of my paid time off. When I returned home, I had ten straight days of work staring me in the face.

I realized then and there that sometimes it’s not worth saving that PTO – use it! It’s there for a reason! I took a two-week international trip and only used seven days of PTO but to what end? I returned home feeling a bit grumpy (OK, a lot grumpy, if you ask my boyfriend) and it was not worth it.

Please take time for yourself. It’s not a race to the finish line. It’s not a competition to see who can work the hardest or the longest. Avoid “carrying over” your vacation days to the year 2025. Be good to yourself this winter and take…a…break.

Krista Ulatowski, MPH, RDN, owner of KUcumber Nutrition Communications, creates and implements marketing, communications and public relations programs for RDNs, health and wellness professionals, and food and beverage companies. Writing that attention-grabbing pitch that gets results; seeing clients’ names in print; generating new social media content; helping clients advance their businesses – these are things that excite her about her business. Prior to becoming a dietitian, Krista spent 10 years in the world of advertising and PR, working at national firms based in Minneapolis and Seattle. Her clients were major names in the grocery, healthcare, medical device, consumer and technology industries. Connect with Krista on Twitter, Facebook, her blog and LinkedIn.

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Page 11: Ventures Winter Newsletter

THE WORK-LIFE BALANCING ACTChristy Wilson, RD | Director of Awards and Networking

“Every day I’m shuffling.” The catchphrase from the 2011 dance hit, Party Rock Anthem, has come to embody my current state of affairs. One morning as I was driving my kids to school, they belted out these song lyrics and the words hit me like a proverbial ton of bricks. Professionally and personally, I feel as if I am “shuffling” from

one project to the next, from one networking and/or job opportunity to another, running from home to work to soccer field to kitchen…and repeating the process the next day. Every day, I am shuffling so much that I wonder if and when it will slow down.

When I was told the theme of this issue’s newsletter, I thought it felt ironic to write about something I am aspiring to achieve: balance. Finding balance between my work life and my personal life is especially tricky because as a dietitian, both are intertwined into my everyday life. I love what I do and I like how both worlds mesh, but there are days I wish I could easily walk away from work - like my parents did. My mom managed a card shop and my dad worked for the railroad, so other than the occasional mention of a coworker at the dinner table, little evidence of their work lives existed inside our home.

Nowadays, a laptop and a smart phone are all most of us need to perpetuate a 24/7-work schedule. These portable devices are ideal for entrepreneurs, but they’ve recently become my travel companions. During our summer family vacation, I was finishing writing projects and taking phone calls before everyone woke up. Merging rather than

balancing my personal life and work overwhelmed me. The night I took a business call during dinner with an old friend and my family made me realize that as much as I love what I do, I love my life away from work more.

I am far from mastering the life-work balancing act, but when I have managed it, I feel happy, well-rested and motivated to continue doing what I love to do. My next step is figuring out how to minimize the “shuffle” and maximize the joy. Here are a few ways I’m approaching it:

• Take time to move. If you’re like me, a lot of work is done sitting down. Taking a mental and physical break from being in the same, locked position and walking around the office or (ideally) outside stimulates my brain and gets my creative juices flowing! After a short break, I feel refreshed and more productive.

• Limit access to work-related responsibilities during family time. As important as work is, time with my family and friends is precious. Unless someone’s life is in danger, emails and phone calls can wait. Keeping phones and laptops away from the dinner table and out of arm’s reach during family time (like our weekly movie night) are essential to honoring the work-life balance.

• Learn to say “no.” Books have been written about this topic, yet when you love your job, it’s difficult to turn down opportunities to learn, grow and network. I feel I’ve gotten better at recognizing opportunities that are worth my time and energy—because each of us only has so much to give.

Christy Wilson is a Tucson, Arizona-based Registered Dietitian. She is a nutrition consultant for El Rio Community Health Center’s Special Immunology Associates clinic serving Southern Arizona’s HIV-positive community. She counsels patients and teaches bimonthly healthy cooking classes. Christy is also working with El Rio’s employees through its life enhancement and wellness program, in which she presents lunch-hour lectures and cooking demos. She has recently returned to her alma mater as a nutrition educator and nutrition communications specialist with the University of Arizona’s Life and Work Communications employee wellness program. Christy is a freelance writer and blogger and enjoys working with local nonprofits including United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona, and Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation. She is currently working with The HAPPY Organization, Wheat Foods Council and Bloggers of Health. Christy is always working on her recipe-development skills and enjoys sharing her hits (and misses!) on her blog and over social media.

Join NE's Electronic Mailing Lists (EMLs):Connect with thousands of Nutrition Entrepreneurs' (NE)

members instantly with our EML list! Get ready for lively

discussion and TONS of valuable information sharing amongst

colleagues to help your business thrive with this email forum. All

Specialty Groups also have their own specific EML to allow you

to interact with other experts in that group. **One of NE’s most

popular attractions.**

Go to NEdpg.org. Login.

Go to Members > Electronic Mailing Lists (EMLs).

Get your nutrition business noticed by thousands!

Special membership pricing for NE members.Contact [email protected] for information and pricing.

11

Page 12: Ventures Winter Newsletter

MORE VACATIONS, MORE SUCCESSMegan Ware, RDN, LD | Incoming Director of Sponsorship

Have you ever been stuck doing unfulfilling work for long hours, subpar pay and minimal vacation time? The great thing about this group is that many of us have had those experiences and chose not to accept them as the norm, leaving those positions and creating rewarding careers on our own terms. The challenge with being an entrepreneur is that

even though we work for ourselves, we still tend to take on projects we are not passionate about and work even longer hours. Days spent not working can make us feel guilty for taking time away from our business, our responsibilities, our goals and our success. There is always a blog post that needs to be scheduled, a book that needs to be written, a tweet that needs to be re-tweeted and a client that needs to know what kind of cereal has the most protein. Who has time for vacation?

But what if you could get the same amount of work completed and have greater success while enjoying more time off?

Highly successful people see their lives as simply working between vacations. As you start to plan for next year, block your vacation time off first. That way you are actively planning and intending to be successful, starting by protecting your time to recharge and reward yourself.

After you block off your vacation time, ask yourself: “What is the most important thing I need to accomplish this year?” If you are not exactly sure what that most important thing is yet, what gets you the most clients, revenue or speaking engagements? What is going to get you the most results? What can you do this quarter, this month, this week and today to accomplish that task? If you can achieve exceptional results from one activity, then you should be hyper-focused on that activity every single day.

Make yourself a timeline and immediately block out all the time you need to accomplish your most important goal or task, working between your already planned vacations. Design your entire day, week, month and year

Giving Yourself Permission to UnplugAlicia Smith, MED, RD, LD, CLT | Incoming Mentor Program Coordinator

I am coming off a trip to the Colorado Rockies as I sit down to write this article on work-life balance, which is ironic because I am guilty of having worked a few

hours each day while on vacation! Many of us in private practice tout that a benefit of having a flexible schedule is we can take time off when we want…. that is if we actually take time off while on vacation. For me, I struggle with putting the phone down, leaving the laptop at home, trying to not check email every 15 minutes… basically disconnecting. But why? Because I want to be available to answer questions, get ahead on projects that others are waiting for me to complete, and keep up with tasks so I don’t get behind. Some of you may be familiar with this feeling.

And yet, in constantly being connected, even while on vacation, I never got that break to recharge. I never got that feeling of freedom because of all the “shoulds” I felt I should be doing. I didn’t give myself permission to disconnect.

Dietitians who run our own practices do not have set hours, unless you set them. You may work from home, so there is no physical office you travel to and from each day. You always have SOMETHING you can be working on. But this is where those boundaries have to be set, and then adhered to in order to ensure that work does not consume your life.

SO HOW TO ACHIEVE BALANCE?

1. Giving yourself permission is the first step. Telling yourself “For me to be a more productive professional, I need time to recharge and that is OK.” Acknowledge that you need that time away from work and that the “shoulds” will be there tomorrow.

2. Discover what your “balance” means. Don’t compare yourself to others and what they are managing. Comparing yourself to someone else’s standards won’t make you happy.

3. Set a time of the day that you switch off the laptop and phone.

4. Set realistic goals. We set SMART professional goals to achieve, or set personal goals for growth, but what about leisure goals? Maybe “I will start by setting aside one afternoon a week for something fun” or “I will stop working after 6 p.m. two nights a week.”

5. Delegate tasks. What do you have on your plate that someone else can do to free up your time? How can you streamline your workflow so that the five to 10 minutes you spend here and there are now available to do something else?

6. Practice staying in the moment. Whether it is for something work-related or for leisure, focus on and be mindful of what you are doing, why you are doing it, and appreciating this particular moment in time in your life.

We all go through different phases in our lives with varying demands on our time. However, it is important to remember your personal goals for yourself and your family so you do not miss out on an opportunity that may not be there in the future.

Alicia is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian in private practice, located in Dallas, Texas. She completed her degree in nutritional sciences at Texas A&M University and her Master’s in counseling from the University of North Texas-Dallas. After working in clinical nutrition and home infusion for four years, she launched her own practice and received her certification in LEAP therapy, specializing in chronic inflammatory conditions and food sensitivities. She also partners with local athletic training facilities and mental health groups to educate staff and clients on the role nutrition plays in these populations. In her free time she volunteers with a non-profit organization, Girls on the Run, whose mission is to empower young girls, teach healthy habits and work towards the goal of running a 5K.

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Page 13: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Finding My Lighthouse! Maria McConville | Guest Author

The issue of my work-life balance hit me like a ton of bricks early one summer morning several years ago. I was lying in bed reading a book called 48 Days to the Work You Love by Dan Miller. The house was very quiet. My husband, a senior military officer, was deployed to Afghanistan for 15 months and my three teenage children were asleep upstairs.

I came across a question the author posed, “Are you living the life you were meant to live or are you living someone else’s life?” This simple question brought me to tears. As an Army wife, I had moved 17 times in 21 years of marriage, changed jobs 12 times, left behind great friends, and sole-parented our kids for one-third of our marriage. My days were spent attending a myriad of functions and events representing my husband and the Army, shuttling my kids to zillions of activities, and trying to adapt to wherever I happened to be living at that moment.

It was in pondering that one question that I realized… I wasn’t living MY life. I was shaken to the core with this realization; however, this epiphany made me ask myself how I could find balance between the life I was entrenched in and the career in dietetics that I loved but had put on the back (way back) burner.

Over the next few months I embarked on my “better balance” journey. I devised a plan to go back to school for a Master’s degree. I read many, many self-help books and started living my life more authentically. I taught myself to set limits on my time and to confidently say no to

obligations and requests that didn’t interest me or energize me. I created a long-term vision of who I would be at my healthiest, happiest place – personally and professionally.

In the beginning, the new “me” felt somewhat guilty about exploring this better balance. Over time, however, I realized that I didn’t need to choose guilt, stress or conflict about the things I was doing for myself. I also recognized that when I was balanced in my thoughts, I was balanced in my actions. By living my life more authentically, I was actually a better helpmate to my family and friends.

THE KEYS THAT GUIDE ME TO BETTER WORK, LIFE, AND HOME BALANCE ARE:

• Have a vision

• Set limits on my time

• Choose confidence instead of guilt

• Eat healthfully, be active and sleep well

• Take responsibility for all my actions and never make excuses

• Live my life authentically.

I am ecstatic to say that I truly feel like I am living my life in balance and named my coaching business “Balanced Body Nourishment.” Spending time at our beach house in Florida and walking on the shore at sunset give me enlightenment, contentedness, inner peace and a true sense of balance.

Maria McConville, MS, RDN, CPT, CWC, is the author of the self-help workbook Lose the Diet, Find Yourself. In her book and nutrition coaching practice, Balanced Body Nourishment, Maria guides clients through a five-step process to create better balance in mind, body, and spirit. Maria has been an Army spouse for 28 years. She and her husband have three children, all of whom are officers in the Army. Maria’s interests include gardening, hiking, cooking, reading, and playing tennis. She finds peace, enlightenment, joy, and passion walking on the beach near their house in Florida. Connect with Maria at [email protected]

around that all-important priority project. Block time to focus on your priority as early in the day as possible. If you need to block off three hours every day until you are finished, do not hesitate.

After you have set your priority time block, it is time to protect it. Emails, laundry, paperwork and social media must wait until you have made it through your time block for the day. These blocks are appointments that cannot be rescheduled. You are the boss and bosses do not cancel. If your coworkers or loved ones tend to seek you out during those times, make sure you let them know you will be unavailable. Let them in on your goals and you will be surprised how supportive they will be.

Highly successful entrepreneurs do not have any more hours in a day than you do. The secret is that they devote maximum time to their top priority. Many people think that means working more hours, but that is not true. They just utilize their hours more efficiently. They get more done, see better results and earn more money in a shorter amount of time. Time blocking your priorities focuses your energy in the area of your most important task and allows you to be as productive as possible for a specific period of time. Time-blocking your vacations puts your health and wellbeing first, allowing you to perform to your peak potential.

Megan Ware is the owner of Nutrition Awareness, based out of Orlando, Florida. Megan works as a personal nutrition consultant and specializes in weight management, sports nutrition and eating for performance. She has researched and written over 50 articles on the health benefits of various foods and has been quoted or featured in media outlets like Today’s Dietitian, Entrepreneur Magazine, US News & World Report, Prevention, Huffington Post, www.LIVESTRONG.com and Sirius XM Satellite Radio’s Doctor Radio. Megan loves teaching her clients and other RDs about what strength training can do to transform the body (don’t be scared of the heavy weights, ladies!). Check out her “before and after” picture on her website, www.orlandodietitian.com.

“Extraordinary results become possible when where you want to go is completely aligned with what you do today.” – Gary Keller

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Page 14: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Carrie Zisman, MS, RD | Corporate Wellness Specialty Group Chair

I could pretend I’m organized and put together, but the truth is I feel like a zombie most of the time. I think I fake people out with fabulous low-maintenance hair and style. Seriously, as a full-time working mom of two small kids (ages 8 and 4), I know all too well how my time and energy are

limited and precious. My motto as of lately is work smarter, not harder. Burning the candle at both ends just makes you tired.

In the corporate world, where we are likely not our own bosses, work-life balance is just as important and challenging for wellness professionals as it is for the employees we help. An article from Time magazine (4-2-14), “How to Achieve Work Life Balance in 5 Easy Steps,” says the happiest people aren’t ones who have nothing to do, but those who are busy and feel in control of their time. Therefore, “balance” may not be a realistic goal. Rather, “work-life flexibility” can be more achievable. Studies have found that providing employees with more control over their schedules - to the extent that flexibility is possible - motivates them to work harder, produce higher-quality work, and develop greater loyalty for their companies. My department has a flexible work schedule and this has helped tremendously in managing my work and my family’s life.

Even with flexibility, an entrepreneurial mind rarely takes a break. It’s hard to turn your creative mind off. And, in the era of global business and the digital world, the work can be never ending. My advice is to step away and take a recharge break. There is a large amount of research to support the benefits of recharging your battery. And, that’s where the “balance” part comes in. Recharging has been shown

to benefit us on many levels: physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually (mission-related, not religious).

While I’m not great at doing this myself, I try to practice what I preach. And, when I can do it, it does feel better.

BEST RECHARGING TIPS:

• Sleep – Seven to eight hours a night. Period. This is perhaps the single most important tip if you remember nothing else.

• Exercise – Regular exercise is an important part of my routine. I get up early to fit it in first thing so there are no excuses or kids in the way.

• Yoga – I’m listing this separately from exercise, because yoga to me also has calming properties and relaxes me.

• Deep breathing – Similarly to yoga, slowly taking a few deep breaths can also provide a sense of calm and peace.

• Movement – Sitting is the new smoking. Research has shown that even if you exercise, sitting all day can be harmful to your health. Small movement breaks during the day can get your blood moving, loosen your joints and muscles, and perk you up.

• Laughing – Science has shown that laughing improves mood and overall wellbeing.

We should all make time for recharging throughout the day. After all, if the caretaker doesn’t take care of her/himself, who will?

Carrie Zisman is a senior health communications specialist in the Health & Wellness Department at Lockheed Martin Corporation. She is responsible for developing and implementing corporate-wide programs on weight management, nutrition and other health behaviors as well as providing strategic direction to the Health Promotion team. Prior to this, Carrie worked for over 17 years on developing and implementing award-winning health communication and education programs within both the public and private sector. Carrie received her dietetics degree from the University of Vermont and completed a combined Dietetic Internship and Master’s at the Frances Stern Nutrition Center at New England Medical Center at Tufts University.

Work Life…Flexibility

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Page 15: Ventures Winter Newsletter

LOOK UP: Using Social Media for Business, and Maintaining Sanity on the HomefrontRosanne Rust, MS, RDN, LDN | Technology and Social Media Specialty Group Chair

Is your head down in your phone half the day? Are you doing a great job at managing your social media accounts at the sacrifice of your personal life? In today’s business world, the average person

is spending two to three hours a day sorting through and replying to email. That’s almost a third of the work week! If you are as old as I am, you can remember a time when “checking email” was not a task (gasp!). When email was introduced in the early ‘90s, it was a few per day, and you had an uncluttered inbox. Flash forward to the 21st century, and find 1,000s of emails per week (or even per day) flooding in. In addition, if you work in media or communications, you are also checking and posting to your social media accounts daily as well - it’s simply a requirement of the job. Some days you may be thinking “When will it ever end?”

The fact is, it won’t, but you can work on managing your time better, stepping away, and keeping things in perspective. It’s important to recognize how business crosses into personal time, and come up with a goal to keep things balanced. [Food for thought: I recently read a quote from a female scientist who noted that there’s a lot of discussion about work-life balance as if they always must remain separate. For her, there is no line. She felt her work is such a huge part of her life, that she can’t completely separate them. This really made me think.]

For many entrepreneurs, work is life. While your work may indeed be a huge part of your identity, it’s important to include breaks once in awhile - for your own sake, and in consideration of your loved ones. I for one have received a few dirty looks from my 13-year-old when I have my head down viewing my smartphone, so awareness is key.

Managing how you handle social media and email during the work week will help allow you the free time to “look up.” Even the most seasoned RDNs are challenged by this. I had the chance to reach out to a few colleagues whose work relies on social media, and asked them how they manage to maintain work-life balance. Here’s their advice:

Faye Berger Mitchell, RDN, LDN, is in the Washington DC metro-area and co-author of Making Nutrition Your Business: Private Practice and Beyond and editor-in-chief for www.FoodieOnCampus.com. Since her population is millennials, she finds it particularly challenging since she’s reaching out to a college-aged population who have a totally different schedule than she does. “Trying to keep up with social media can feel like a full-time job,” says Berger Mitchell. Her tips:

• Pick one, two or even three times per day to engage in all your media rather than checking 24/7. Schedule it. Consider finding an intern or pay someone to manage your social media accounts.

• This should be a no-brainer but it is not: keep devices tucked away during meal times. If you have kids, this is particularly important to set a good example.

• While you may feel as if you are missing something, I recommend taking other times to unplug. I have made it a point to try to stop checking and responding to emails after 9:30 p.m. I am not always successful at this, so it’s okay to be a work-in-progress.

Neva Cochran, MS, RD, is a Dallas-based media expert and communication consultant and admits that so much of her work involves sitting in front of a computer screen to blog, do social media, write articles and create presentations and webinars for her clients. On top of that she receives a number of daily emails that provide content for social media (like SmartBriefs, journal tables of contents, Academy Daily News and industry news). Her week involves posting information for three clients (six to eight posts/week), and she also tries to promote other dietitians by sharing their blogs and accomplishments in social media. Her tips:

• Work on social media posting as you read your email first thing in the morning and only once again throughout the day.

• Use a management platform, like Hootsuite, to spread out posts (especially those on behalf of clients) or have them go out at a better time of day.

• You can also use Hootsuite to create lists of those you follow. This saves time by allowing you to scan these lists for important posts.

• Try to limit social media at night unless there is a breaking story to interact with.

“Honestly, my biggest challenge is finding the time to review the posts of others so I can be more engaged. I know that social media is about interacting and not just posting but finding time to do this is very difficult.” Prioritizing your personal life with some free time is essential, but since no two days are ever the same when working in media, it’s often difficult to set a time to do something every day. “I’m always working on it!” says Cochran.

Teresa Pangan, RD, PhD, branding consultant and owner of Social Media More with Less, has some great ideas for balancing your time. She also emphasizes scheduling time for social media, and recommends scheduling two to three hours a week to review your accounts, reply to “likes” or other notifications.

• Do not just hop on and do it. Refrain from engaging whenever you are bored or get a notification.

• Split your time between: Getting known (25%); Building stronger relationships (50%); Converting to customers, contracts, clients, evangelists (25%)

• Limit notifications on your phone to help with time management. Do not have everything go to your email or phone. Consider just setting messages and comments to go to your phone.

• Let it be known. If you want to achieve work/life balance, model it. Post that you will get back within 24 business hours, and then stick to it. You will attract people who value work/life balance and do not expect a response within minutes.

“The idea is people need to get to know you, your beliefs, values, stories and know that you care about them. This is where you interact and pay attention to those who are retweeting, commenting, liking your posts. Strike up conversations; track who is clicking on your materials.” says Pangan.

Rosanne is owner of Rust Nutrition Services at www.rustnutrition.com. She began freelance writing in 1994 and created her virtual nutrition practice in 2000, and has over 25 years of experience. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in dietetics from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and her Master’s of Science degree in clinical nutrition from the University of Pittsburgh. As a nutrition communications consultant, she translates nutrition data into well-reasoned dietary advice so people can enjoy eating for good health. Her work includes developing social media strategies, freelance writing, and blogging at www.Chewthefacts.com. She is co-author of several books in the For Dummies series including DASH Diet For Dummies®, Hypertension Cookbook For Dummies®, Calorie Counter Journal For Dummies® and the Glycemic Index Cookbook for Dummies®

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Page 16: Ventures Winter Newsletter

How to…Be True to YourselfRebecca Bitzer, MS, RD, LD | Private Practice Specialty Group Chair

Throughout my career, people close to me have said to me, “You do too much,” “You need to slow down,” “You need to delegate.” Sound familiar? I would imagine this is common for business owners and entrepreneurs, but the big question is HOW can I do this? I am not sure that I have completely accomplished ultimate balance, but I can sincerely say that I am calmer, more relaxed, more present and more mindful than I ever have been while I am at work and while I am at home. I am happy to share with you some of the systems and routines that I have put into place that have helped me find more peace and acceptance of my imperfections. I hope that some of these

suggestions inspire you to take better care of yourself as they have helped me.

1. Surround yourself with positive people. I read somewhere that it is important to pay attention to the people you spend the most time with and make sure that they lift you up instead of pull you down. I am blessed to have found a small, core group of people who help me be the best version of me that I can be.

2. Give up my perfectionism; whether I am at work or home, I do a very good job believing that it is “better done than perfect.” I see so many people who are paralyzed by a fear of making mistakes that the fear keeps them from moving forward. I encourage you to be courageous and learn as you go. Life will be much richer for you and filled with fewer regrets if you can learn to trust your decision making.

3. So, how can you trust your decision making? I think this goes back to #1. Surround yourself with good people who will tell you honestly what their recommendations are. Then sit, think and ponder. If it feels right and intellectually sounds right, then plan out the best way to make this happen. Do not be afraid to ask for help; you will be glad that you did.

4. Develop strong systems and good habits so that you are working smart. If you need quiet time to write, think or plan, then either get up really early in the morning or stay up late so that you will create an opportunity to work efficiently.

5. Lastly, I would recommend putting systems in place to stay healthy and grounded. What does that mean? A good rule of thumb for me is anything that I encourage my clients to do, I need to also be doing. These are things that work for me:

a. Eat well and include fun foods

b. Get adequate sleep

c. Stay connected to friends and family who are important to you

d. Stay active

e. De-clutter your mind, heart and home

f. Schedule and plan every day

g. Learn something new each day

h. Set intentions for each day

i. Discover your own personal truth and honor it

j. Push yourself out of your comfort zone every day

k. Practice gratitude

l. Be mindful

I think the most important is to be present and mindful. This takes a lot of practice. Until recently, I was always too busy for yoga or meditation, but I have found that both of these practices have helped me find an inner calm, stronger voice and more clear direction.

Rebecca Bitzer, MS, RD/LD, CEDRD, is an award-winning Registered Dietitian who is both a seasoned nutrition counselor and successful business owner. Rebecca's passion includes empowering clients, Registered Dietitians and nutrition interns. She employs six Registered Dietitians and six nutrition interns in her private practice Rebecca Bitzer, MS, RD, & Associates. In 2011, Rebecca launched the Empowered Eating program (www.empoweredeatingblog.com), designed to provide hope for people struggling with eating disorders. She is on the leadership committee for SCAN’s DEED sub-unit and is excited to be the Private Practice Specialty Group Chair of NE. In 2014, Rebecca co-authored a workbook for Registered Dietitians called Welcome to the REBELution: Seven Steps to Creating the Nutrition Counseling Practice of Your Dreams. In 2015, Rebecca co-authored a workbook for clients titled Taste the Sweet Rebellion: REBEL Against Diets.

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Page 17: Ventures Winter Newsletter

How to…Be True to Yourself THE UNIQUE WORK-LIFE BALANCE CHALLENGE OF THE SECOND CAREER DIETITIAN

Barbara Spalding, MA, MS, RDN | Second Career Dietitians Specialty Group Chair

Second career dietitians, who by definition are a little further along in life experience when they start their dietetics training and internship, often face a particularly interesting work-life balance challenge due to the many incongruent roles they take on as non-traditional students.

They may have pursued their first career for twenty or more years, and many have a family of their own when they decide to return to school. The first steps on the road to becoming an RDN often means they are in class with 18-year-old students who may still live at home with their families, often with a mother to cook for them, do their laundry, and help pay for their books. Other classmates may live on campus, and the university serves these functions in loco parentis.

But who takes care of the new 30-something (or 40-something) wannabe RDN college students, who face the same set of homework, exams, lab reports, projects and responsibilities at school as the rest of the class, but who also have to pick up their children at daycare, cook dinner and attend to an elderly parent who lives nearby?

Moving on to the dietetic internship often presents a new set of challenges for the transitioning career changer due to the rigorous structure of hospital-based rotations. Second career students have to again find a balance between school and family life while meeting all the same requirements as the now 20-something interns who may still live at home enjoying the benefits of family life. If your preceptor wants you at work for a 7:00 a.m. shift, arrangements must be made to get the kids on the bus or the toddler dropped off at daycare. The 1,200 hours of supervised clinical practice are required in order to become an RDN, and as an intern you don’t typically have a lot of control over how you will map out your week.

Once you’re done and become an RDN, life gets easier, and in a way, the work-life balance less of a challenge. For many second career dietitians, their new career means private practice or a consulting-type job, both of which carry greater flexibility for structuring the week than a traditional hospital-based career. One advantage

this group enjoys is the depth of their experiences in managing the extremes of work-life balance by

virtue of the process they’ve been through.

The lessons learned include an understanding of where you can make shortcuts and where you can’t. For example, pre-cut frozen vegetables can really save time in the kitchen when you are trying to feed your family on a tight

time budget. With greater life experience comes the wisdom of understanding that you can’t

do it all; you have to choose carefully those things that are

of most importance to you. You learn to pre-schedule most things

as far in advance as others around you will permit. And, you learn to take

care of yourself no matter what, since everything starts with you, and if you aren’t

in good shape physically and mentally, how can you possibly take care of others? What is it they say

on airplanes during the safety lecture? Put your own mask on first, before helping others. Finally, you learn that perfection can be an elusive goal and may be overrated in many situations.

Whether you are a second career dietitian or not, I recommend you take a little time to pause and think carefully about your values and what is of utmost importance to you. Then find a way to make sure that you are always taking care of yourself. I believe that work-life balance is an achievable state – as long as you are careful to remember what you value most, keep it in your sights on a daily basis, and make careful choices about how you allocate your time.

Barbara Spalding is a second-career Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a private practice located at a medical spa in East Windsor, New Jersey. Her areas of expertise include weight loss counseling and helping women with their nutrition needs before, during and after treatment for breast cancer, along with business development skill building for RDs and RDNs. In her first career Barbara founded, grew and managed an employee benefits and health insurance agency and consultancy with extensive experience working with small to mid-sized companies. After selling that business to a larger firm, she eventually returned to school to become an RDN. In addition to her private practice, Barbara writes, edits and curates a popular food and nutrition blog, www.secondactkitchen.com, which offers down-to-earth nutrition advice and recipes. You can also find Barbara on Facebook at /secondactkitchen and on Twitter at @secondactktchn.

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Page 18: Ventures Winter Newsletter

Take Two Crackers and Call Me in the MorningAuthor: Miriam Erick, MS, RDN

Date: 2015 Publisher: Grinnen-Barrett Publishing Company, LLC Address: PO Box 1883 Brookline, MA 02446 Phone: 617-787-1331 Price: $7.99 (as an e-book only at this time)

Review: Reading about this subject matter is a bit tricky. I have to admit, although my children are 19 and 22 years of age, this brought me back 20 years to a challenging period in time.

The author did a great job making an uncomfortable topic easy to read and even humorous. The target audience - those experiencing morning sickness, through the more severe hyperemesis gravidarum - will get some good information in an easy-to-read prose. The inclusion of drawings and cartoons also add interest and humor to the material.

The practical information was easy to garner with the utilization of lists and bullet points. There are some resources scattered throughout the book, and at the end of many of the chapters helpful tips are highlighted in bold type.

The information in the book is both evidence-based and anecdotal, which is the part when the author draws upon her 30 years of experience working with this population. I would recommend it to both clients experiencing morning sickness as well as dietitians working with obstetrical patients.

Reviewer: Allison Tannenbaum, MS, RDN, CDN, CHWCTitle: Dietitian and Health CoachAddress: New York Life Wellness Center 51 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10010Affiliation: Premise HealthPhone: 914-715-2699Website: www.TheWeddingGownSlimDown.com

Diabetes: 365 Tips For Living WellAuthors: Susan Weiner, MS, RDN, CDE, CDN

Paula Ford-Martin, MA

Date: 2015 Publisher: Demos Health Address: 11 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036 Phone: 212-804-6337 Price: $16.95

Review: Categorized month-by-month chronologically, Diabetes: 365 Tips for Living Well includes a diabetes-management tip for every day of the year. Intended primarily for patients, it’s a fun format for dipping into the material as deep as you’d like or allowing you to circle back later. While some tips are a bit general (e.g., “get moving,”), most are educational, helpful and concrete. The best part is that the book gives patients access to a lot of information that doesn’t always get covered in a diabetes education visit. The calendar theme is woven throughout by including seasonal tips such as which produce is in season, acknowledging holidays, and highlighting health observances (e.g., women’s health tips during National Women’s Health Week in May). It isn’t a comprehensive diabetes resource, so patients may want another diabetes-management reference, but Diabetes 365 is a fun companion text to keep engaged with diabetes self-care throughout the year.

Reviewer: Meg Salvia, RDTitle: DietitianAffiliation: Meg Salvia NutritionAddress: 1280 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02139Phone: 617-782-3933

Blending Science with SpicesAuthor: Gita Patel, MS, RD, CDE, LD

Date: 2011 Publisher: Feeding Health Address: 7 Partridge Road Etna, NH 03750 Phone: unavailable Price: $18.61

Review: Blending Science with Spices combines education on nutrition basics with an Indian cookbook.

The book is split into three sections, the first of which introduces some science-based nutrition concepts to consider when meal planning and also presents ideas on how to save time when making meals.

The second section contains over 75 vegetarian and gluten-free recipes based on Gujarati cuisine, a lighter, more health-conscious form of Indian cuisine. Recipe directions are easy to follow, and each dish is labeled “simple” or “elaborate” to advise readers on the complexity of the recipe. Nutrition information, including the amount of fiber, sodium and omega-3 fatty acids, is also provided for all of the recipes.

The third section combines various recipes from Section 2 into meals, taking the guesswork out of pairing entrees and side dishes. Nutrition information for the meal as a whole is also provided. Overall, this book is good for people new to Indian cooking who may also want a primer on healthy eating. The recipes are approachable, while the nutrition information is science-based.

Reviewer: Theresa Hedrick, MS, RD, LDTitle: Food & Nutrition Consultant Affiliation: Hedrick Food & Nutrition Consulting Address: Corvallis, ORPhone: 541-286-5209

PRODUCT REVIEWS

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Page 19: Ventures Winter Newsletter

My Morning RoutineAllison Schaaf, MS, RD, LD, NE Nominating Committee

Do you ever wake up, open up your laptop, check your email and feel like your day just takes off at a full sprint? I was stuck in this trap and it was exhausting. After hearing Hal Elrod speak about what he calls his “Miracle Morning,” I realized I was approaching my mornings all wrong.

This year I implemented my own morning routine and love the results. It creates separation between life and work. My day is also more intentional, focused and productive, and feels much less hectic.

One key to my morning is NO cell phone or computer until I’ve done everything on this list. Also, I’m flexible on the timing for these. Times listed below vary. On days I am short on time, I will cut this down to five to 10 minutes total. Here’s what my routine looks like:

Lemon water: I love starting the day with hot lemon water. I find it calming and it feels good to my body.

Stretching: Some days I’ll pull out my yoga mat and move for 15-30 minutes, but most days, it’s five to 10 minutes of simple stretches and listening to my body. Currently I include a plank and an inversion to get my blood flowing.

Meditation: I have to admit I resisted meditation, convincing myself it just “wasn’t me,” but this year I’ve committed to a daily meditation practice. It’s usually five to 10 minutes (and I started at three minutes!). It’s been a real game changer in terms of focus throughout the day.

Gratitude: I keep a gratitude journal where I write five items I am grateful for from the day before.

Goals: This is usually just a brief glance at my big picture goals (both personal and business) and I’ll sometimes recite affirmations related to goals.

Tasks: I pick out my “frog” for the day, the most important task that will have the biggest impact on my business. I plan to tackle that item first (before responding to email!).

Breakfast: I cook and sit down to a homemade breakfast with my husband. We enjoy a slower-paced meal, screen-free. I cherish this time together before splitting for our days.

Interested in crafting your own morning routine? I recommend starting with Hal Elrod’s book The Miracle Morning.

Allison (Stevens) Schaaf MS, RD, LD, is the founder of www.PrepDish.com, a subscription-based meal planning website. Subscribers shop once, prep once and enjoy healthy, tasty meals all week! Connect with Allison on Instagram, Periscope, Twitter or Facebook: @PrepDish or [email protected].

Orlando Mini Meeting, September 1520 RDNs, including both NE members and prospective members, met at The Artisan’s Table in downtown Orlando to enjoy artisan noshes and share their best, little-known business tips.

Minneapolis NE Mini Meeting - From Our Farm, To Your Fridge, August 18 Thanks to the Krause Holsteins Farm in Buffalo, Minnesota for showing their passionate commitment to raising beautiful healthy cows with

super-nutritious milk. A big thank-you goes to Alex Larson, MS, RD, LD, and the Midwest Dairy Council for sponsoring our meeting. Our small group had a fascinating discussion about the present and future of dairy farming which left us with much food for thought. It was #dairygood!

King of Prussia, PA Mini Meeting, September 15Twelve entrepreneurs and one student joined Angela Grassi, recipient of the 2015 Outstanding Nutrition Entrepreneur Award, for a night of food, networking, and

sharing tips at Seasons 52 Restaurant. During her presentation "Tips From the Top: Thriving as a Nutrition Entrepreneur,” Angela shared information about the growth of her company, PCOS Nutrition Center, and tips from the book The 8 Traits Successful People Have in Common by Richard St John. The group was so excited about the mini-meeting hosted by Linda Eck Mills, NE secretary, and Lisa Jones, NE delegate, they are planning additional mini-meetings throughout the year!

New Jersey Mini Meeting, July 23New Jersey NEDPG RDNs met up for a delicious tasting event at Bonefish Grill in Green Brook, New Jersey, on July 23. Fourteen RDNs enjoyed complimentary cocktails, appetizers, entrees and desserts. It was a wonderful evening of great food, networking and new friends.

Seattle Mini Meeting, September 13RDNs corralled for a mini meeting at Kickin’ Boot BBQ on September 13. We noshed Southern-style on some pulled pork, cornbread, pickled veggies and more. Everyone enjoyed connecting with current and new friends and we can’t wait to line up another one!

San Francisco Bay Area Mini Meeting, October 18Lara Felton, MBA, RDN, hosted a small group on a sunny day in San Francisco on October 18, 2015, for brunch and networking. We had an engaging discussion about RD jobs in tech and start-ups, how some of us got into our current roles in local start-ups, and the challenges and discoveries we learned

about working in small teams, marketing and social media. All of us are RD bloggers so we also had a lively discussion about blogging, maintaining our creativity, finding our voice and target audience, and building brand awareness. We all had a great time and enjoyed some good food. We're hoping this is the start of a regular get-together!

San Francisco Mini Meeting, November 4NE Chair-Elect, Sarah Koszyk, hosted twenty-five people at a mini meeting in San Francisco, CA, on Wednesday, November 4, 2015. The meeting was

held at the Sports Basement where well-renowned speaker and MI trainer, Steven Malcolm Berg-Smith, MS, MINT, presented “The Art of Motivational Interviewing (MI).” The talk was full of extremely useful and applicable information and everyone received 1 CPEU. In addition, Kuli Kuli shared their delicious Moringa Superfood Bars, Powder, and Energy Shots. Networking is always so much fun with good food, hot topics and great people.

Mini Meetings

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Page 20: Ventures Winter Newsletter

www.nedpg.org

Kara Lydon, RDN, LDN, RYT

140 Arborway Unit #5

Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

@NEdpg Twitter Chats!Twitter chats are the second Wednesday of the month at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

nn JANUARY Hosted by ALEXANDRA CASPERO: Topic: Risk takers: Easing into a fearless mindset by taking strides and experiencing struggles and successes.

nn FEBRUARY Hosted by CHRISTY WILSON: Topic: So you want to be a speaker: How to enhance your speaking skills, how to break into the market and how to improve.

Follow @NEdpg on Twitter!

VenturesEnterprising News & Ideas for Nutrition Entrepreneurs

FEBRUARY 23, 2016: Diabetes Update: The ABCs of Diabetes Care presented by Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, FAND.

MARCH 16, 2016: Putting Last Things First: Why 90% of Marketing Happens Before Your Book is Launched with Julie Beyer, MA, RDN and Electra Ford

WEBINARS