Mama, focus on progress, not perfection.

Last week we met with a few friends for dinner and somehow the hostess and I got into a conversation about nutrition and healthy eating. Here’s what she told me: “I don’t know how you do it, Dorit. How do you keep yourself motivated all the time? I am so tired of this”. Someone else, jumped in and said: “Your kids are amazing, they eat greens, how do you teach them to do that?”, “You probably spend a lot of time in the kitchen, good for you!”

To be honest, I didn’t know how to reply. On the one hand, I felt great because these people think we eat healthily. On the other hand, I felt like crap. I felt like a total liar and fraud.

If only people knew how hard I work to instil healthy habits in our household.

If only they knew how hard these past two weeks have been. I was so busy with work, kids practically didn’t eat anything fresh. I had to opt for canned tuna, crackers, canned beans and store-bought spreads.

If people knew how tired and exhausted I am most of the time, how many times I regret choosing nutrition as a profession. If people only knew about all the times my kids came home from school/daycare and I had nothing to serve them to eat, simply because I didn’t plan ahead of time. Or all the times I’ve worked so hard in the kitchen preparing a gourmet meal, and kids didn’t even want to look at it!

People think that because I am a nutritionist, I have figured out the “Ultimate Healthy Household Lifestyle”. This couldn’t be further from the truth! For that reason alone, I hate being a nutritionist!

What does “healthy” mean anyway? I believe that a mom plays a huge role in forming healthy habits, but that doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to slip or take a break.

I chose this profession because food and nutrition is my life’s struggle. I feel like if I didn’t work as a nutritionist, my kids would eat processed food all day long because it is so much easier. They would’ve been happy and so would I. But no, I know that this is not the right way.

I chose this profession because it gets me out of my comfort zone on a daily basis. When there is no nutritious meal served, my husband and kids surely remind and make me feel bad about it.

Working as a nutritionist confronts me with the hardest challenges of a mother:

How to feed kids healthy in a way they will actually enjoy what I serve?

How to make them appreciate what you do? All the hours you spend in the kitchen, grocery shopping, cutting and slicing, looking up recipes online instead of just taking a bath and relax.

How to create only one meal for the entire family?

How to prepare healthy school lunches?

How to plan your meals in a way that doesn’t require a huge chunk of time?

How to deal with picky eaters?

How to create a meal that is healthy, easy and doesn’t require a lot of time spent in the kitchen.

What is the right way to feed kids? How much is too little, how much is too much?

How much protein should kids eat?

How to feed kids so they don’t get sick a lot?

And many other questions and challenges…

The fact that I’m a nutritionist, doesn’t mean I’m perfect! I am human and make mistakes as well. My wish is to instil healthy habits in my household which is something that takes time and a full commitment to the process. I am committed, are you?

I love hearing from you, in the comments below, write what is your number #1 struggle in the kitchen? And if there was a “magic pill” to solve this challenge/struggle, what would it be?

Waiting to hear from you!

Love,

Dorit