Dietitian Confessions: The Advice We Give (But Don't Always Follow)
You may think that because dietitians have the nutrition training and spend their days dishing out nutrition advice, we've pretty much nailed this whole healthy living thing.
But, like many of you who probably know what's best for your health, knowing what to do and actually putting it into practice can look...well, a little different.
Some days, you follow the plan. Other days, not so much. Because, let's be real. Life happens, and caring for ourselves is often one of the first things to fall by the wayside.
It's no different for dietitians.
Recently, I shared my own struggle with eating fruit, even though I always recommend eating at least two servings of fruit a day. Walking into the kitchen thinking, I'm dying for a bowl of berries! just doesn't happen for me. But I know how beneficial berries are, so I've had to find sneaky ways to make them part of my daily routine. (See Confession #6 for that story.)
And that's just one of my confessions.
Another? I make sure all the critters in my garden stay hydrated—it's a little activity I enjoy during my work breaks that allow for a brief connection to nature and to see who's visiting the yard. The problem? While being busy worried about hydration of others, I often forget about sipping on my own water. So it seems that the bees, birds, and squirrels have a better hydration plan than I do.
My own challenges had me curious: Do other dietitians struggle to follow their own advice, too? And if so, what helps them navigate the busyness of life while still making their health a priority?
So, I asked a few fellow registered dietitians to spill the beans.
Their responses were refreshingly relatable, sometimes funny, and a reminder that knowing what to do and figuring out how to make it work in real life are two very different things.
And while we can certainly learn from each other's experiences, sometimes it's just nice to know we're not alone in our struggles.
From forgotten water bottles and working lunches to bedtime procrastination, here are six dietitians sharing the healthy habits we're still working on ourselves.
Dietitian Confessions:
The Advice We Give (But Don't Always Follow)
Confession #1: I remind everyone to hydrate and eat meals consistently...then run on coffee until lunch.
Kiran Campbell, RDN | Cardiovascular Disease Prevention
The advice she gives
“I’m always reminding patients to stay hydrated,” says registered dietitian Kiran Campbell, RDN. But when it comes to taking her own advice? “I would be surprised if I even drank one liter a day on average!”
And hydration isn't her only dietitian confession.
Kiran also encourages her patients to eat regular meals, avoid skipping meals, and make breakfast a priority. Meanwhile, she wakes up around 5:30 a.m., has a cup of coffee, and often doesn't eat again until lunch.
What gets in the way
Her reason will probably sound familiar: life.
“Busy schedules and daily life are absolutely difficult to keep up with,” she says. “Go, go, go nonstop.”
What helps
Rather than trying to overhaul her entire morning routine, Kiran looks for small ways to make the habits she recommends easier to follow.
That might mean grabbing a glass of water before diving straight into work or doing a little breakfast prep the night before so there's something ready to eat when she wakes up.
She's the first to admit she's not always consistent. But these small changes stay on her radar, and she keeps coming back to them.
Her advice to the rest of us
“Think of one small habit you could change to make this better, and do it consistently!”
Learn more from Kiran at kcampbellnutrition.com.
Confession #2: I tell people to step away for lunch...then eat at my desk
Gisela Bouvier, MBA, RDN, LDN | Latina Media Dietitian
The advice she gives
Gisela regularly recommends disconnecting from work for 20–30 minutes to enjoy lunch mindfully.
Actually doing it herself is another story.
“I often find myself eating at my desk, bringing my laptop into the dining room to work while eating, or forgetting to eat entirely,” she says.
What gets in the way
As a solopreneur and mom, Gisela feels the pressure of a limited workday.
“Every minute of the day counts, and spending time away from work makes me anxious,” she says.
“Between school drop-off and pick-up and after-school activities with the family, my work hours are more limited, so I want to work as much as possible.”
The result? A mindful mealtime is often the first thing to be compromised.
What helps
Gisela tries to check in with her hunger cues and honor them. When her husband comes home for lunch, she uses the opportunity to disconnect, spend time with him, and enjoy a more mindful meal.
She's also making space for lunch before the day gets away from her by limiting calls around noon and 1 p.m. whenever possible.
In other words, instead of hoping the time magically appears, she's trying to protect it.
Her advice to the rest of us
“Block your calendar. Make it a priority to step away from work and nourish your body and your mind.”
Learn more from Gisela at giselabouvier.com.
Confession #3: I teach people to stop when they're satisfied...but food is delicious
Kim Kulp, RDN | Owner, Gut Health Connection
The advice she gives
Kim helps her clients tune into hunger and satiety cues with a simple philosophy: “Never starving, never stuffed.”
“If you're eating and no longer feel hungry, and your stomach feels content, put down the fork,” she advises.
Simple in theory. Not always so simple when what's on the fork tastes really good.
“I'll be the first to say this can be hard,” Kim admits. “I sometimes keep eating even though I know I should stop. Food can be delicious, right?”
What helps
For Kim, the uncomfortable feeling that can come from eating beyond fullness is sometimes the reminder she needs the next time around.
But rather than turning overeating into a failure, she treats it as information—something to learn from and start fresh next time. Keep it moving forward.
Her advice to the rest of us
“No one should be striving for perfect! If most of the time you can eat until you're comfortable and content, then just learn from those times you overdo it, and start again the next meal.”
Learn more from Kim at guthealthconnection.com.
Confession #4: I know I need sleep...but nighttime is finally my time
Sheri Gaw, RDN, CDCES | Plant-Forward Media Dietitian
The advice she gives
Sheri knows how much better she feels when she gets seven to eight hours of sleep.
Getting herself into bed to actually get those hours? That's the tricky part.
“When it comes time to hit the pillow, my mind is spinning, and it's the last thing I want to do!”
What gets in the way
Sheri is naturally more of a night owl. She can feel tired throughout the day only to get a fresh spark of energy right around the time she should be winding down.
There's another factor many busy parents will recognize, too.
“Life is busy with work and kids, so when it is quiet at night, I want to do something I enjoy instead of sleeping.”
What helps
One simple swap makes a difference: a book instead of her phone.
Reading before bed helps Sheri relax and become sleepy, whereas scrolling can keep her awake. She also recommends making the phone a little harder to reach in the first place.
Her advice to the rest of us
“It takes practice and reminders to make any change. Remind yourself of the reasons why it would be helpful to get better sleep. Try placing your phone away from your bed at night so you can't easily grab it.”
Learn more from Sheri at sheridietitian.com.
Confession #5: I recommend putting screens away before bed...while I'm still on mine
Haley Bishoff, RD, LD | Founder, BetterOn GLP1 and Rutsu Nutrition
The advice she gives
Haley is a big proponent of good sleep and has recently started tracking her own sleep in greater detail.
One of her recommendations is familiar: put away screens at least an hour before bedtime.
One little problem?
“I don't always follow this advice.”
What gets in the way
After working long hours, Haley likes to decompress by watching something or FaceTiming a friend. The same phone she's supposed to put down can also provide connection and a way to unwind at the end of a demanding day.
What helps
Instead of relying entirely on willpower, Haley has started using technology to help create a boundary around...technology.
She sets her phone to sleep mode beginning at 9:30 p.m., preventing calls from coming through and giving herself a cue that it's time to put the phone down.
She also recommends having something ready to fill the space the phone occupied—journaling, stretching, or reading, for example.
Her advice to the rest of us
“Start with simple, manageable changes and build on the habit over time. Short-term, mini-goals can help create long-lasting habits.”
Haley also offers a reminder worth keeping in mind: “Nobody is perfect, even as health professionals, and we are all trying to progress and improve our health!”
She adds, “It's about finding what balance looks like for each individual that helps them achieve their health goals while maintaining fun, balance and enjoyment in life.”
Learn more from Haley at rutsunutrition.com and betteronglp1.com.
Confession #6: I tell everyone to eat more fruit...but I'm a chocolate girl at heart.
Nichole Dandrea-Russert, MS, RDN | Plant-Based Dietitian & Mind-Body-Planet Advocate
The advice I give
As a plant-based dietitian, I'm constantly encouraging people to eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, especially berries, which are packed with fiber, polyphenols, and other beneficial plant compounds.
But here's my confession: I'm terrible at eating fruit.
Vegetables? I can eat them all day long. In fact, I've always gravitated toward more bitter, earthy flavors. And when I'm craving something sweet, I tend to reach for dark chocolate instead of fruit.
I've gotten away with this for years as I tell myself, chocolate comes from the seeds of the cacao fruit, so it counts, right?
What gets in the way
It's not that I dislike all fruit. It's just not something I naturally crave or consider when I'm hungry. And if I rely on remembering to eat it later in the day, it most likely won't happen.
Dark chocolate, on the other hand? I never forget it.
What helps
I've created a little habit that takes the thinking out of it.
Every morning, I place a bowl of berries right next to my avocado toast prep station.
Since avocado toast is already part of my morning ritual, the berries become part of it, too.
No extra planning. No negotiating with myself. Just making the nourishing choice convenient and automatic.
My advice to the rest of us
Don't underestimate the power of making a healthy habit ridiculously easy. The solution doesn't have to be more willpower. It can simply be attaching a simple habit to something you already do.
The Real Confession? We're All Human.
After reading these confessions, I noticed a common thread.
Not one of these dietitians suggested that the solution was to try harder, be more disciplined, find the willpower, or strive for perfection.
Instead, their strategies were refreshingly simple.
A glass of water before starting work.
Blocking time for lunch.
Learning from an uncomfortable eating experience without judgment.
Swapping scrolling for reading.
Setting a phone to sleep mode.
Putting a bowl of berries where breakfast happens.
Small shifts that make healthy habits a little easier to practice.
Knowing what supports our health is only part of the equation.
The other part is figuring out how to make that knowledge fit into our actual lives, given competing priorities, distractions, responsibilities, and the occasional late-night Netflix binge.
Sometimes, working healthy habits into our lives happens seamlessly. Other times, not so much. Laugh about it. Make it playful. Be gentle and don't judge yourself. And remember, there's always next time.
And even though we dietitians are trained in this field, we're still figuring that part out, too.
Maybe the goal isn't to follow every piece of healthy advice perfectly. It's to keep finding little ways to show up for ourselves, one habit at a time.
And if we fall out of a routine? We can always begin again.
