Nutrition For Young Professionals: a Q & A with Katie from Healthy & Happy Hour

I’m so excited to share the latest Q&A for the “Real Women, Real Balance” series with you today. The purpose of this series is to give you a glimpse into other women’s lives to see how they incorporate balance and healthy living into their routine. Ever woman is different and I think we have a lot to learn from one another. Katie is a fellow Coloradan (still feels crazy to say that!) who writes a nutrition blog for young, working professionals called Healthy & Happy Hour. My kind of blog 🙂 Enjoy her interview and feel free to leave questions for her in the comments!

How did Healthy and Happy Hour come to be?

I started reading other food and nutrition blogs, but felt like many of them were tailored to moms. I was looking for information that was better suited to working young professionals like me, and thought who better to write it than a 20-something dietitian? I got a slow start to my blog as I was working long hours at my previous job, and was limited on what products I could recommend or mention because I worked in an agency. Now I feel that I have more freedom and more time to give it the attention it deserves!

What does a typical day look like for you?

I wouldn’t consider myself a morning person so I like to sleep as long as possible. I wake up around 7:30 am, get ready for work and either make a fruit and chia seed smoothie at home or decide I need coffee, which I will pair with a banana and a squeeze pack of nut butter.

I’m in the office usually between 8:30 and 9 where I manage social media, digital marketing, PR and influencer outreach for two organic food brands. I typically bring my lunch and try to prioritize eating it in the kitchen with co-workers instead of at my desk. Mindful eating matters! I leave the office around 5 to make the 5:30 pm group exercise classes where I will do everything from ballet to strength training. Then I go home and make dinner, hang out with my husband, work on my blog or other projects, pack my lunch for the next day and read before bedtime. I will be starting an evening MBA program at the University of Colorado-Boulder in May so I’m anxious to see how my schedule will change!

What do you do when you’re not working?

I have recently made a commitment to watch less television during the week, so I’ve been getting into reading good books, making my to-do list, reciting positive affirmations and practicing a few minutes of quiet meditation before going to sleep. This helps me get in the right mindset to take on the next day.

My current reading list is Conscious Capitalism by Whole Foods Co-CEO John Mackey and May Cause Miracles by spiritual health expert Gabrielle Bernstein. Of course, I’m not perfect and I’m often up late watching reruns of Glee or The Real Housewives!

I’m a total foodie so one of my other favorite things to do is go out to eat and try new restaurants. I’m fortunate that Denver has an amazing local food scene. The weather here is also gorgeous so we’re constantly heading to the mountains for a day hike, camping adventure or skiing in the winter. I’m getting ready to train for my second half marathon and my next purchase is definitely going to be a bike! I love enjoying the great outdoors with my husband. In fact, we’re planning a 10-day road trip on the way to my cousin’s Lake Tahoe wedding which will include stops in Park City, UT, Yosemite National Park, Lake Havasu and the Grand Canyon.

And I would be remiss not to include that I love grabbing a few drinks for happy hour!

As you know, The Balanced Life is all about empowering women to approach health & fitness with a balanced mindset. How do you handle the pressure as a woman (or as a nutritionist) to look or act a certain way?

This is a great question and one of the reasons why I love your blog and mission. As a dietitian, it can be particularly challenging because people assume I am looking in their shopping carts or that I will only order a green salad at dinner. The fact is that I’m a human being, and I’m not the food police.

I think it’s so important not to judge or question others for their eating habits. I don’t follow a specific diet or avoid certain food groups, but I do offer recipes and advice on my blog for people who choose to eat Paleo or have to eat gluten-free, for example, because I want to support them on their wellness journey, no matter the path. My professional opinion is that many of the diets out there are very limiting, but I will only offer that opinion if someone asks for my advice.

As a health professional, I think it’s important to walk the talk. If I’m asking others to eat right and be active, I need to do the same, but I’ve never been obsessive about it. I want to be fit and healthy, but skinny just isn’t part of my vocabulary. A huge part of people trusting me as a dietitian is that I can relate to them and meet them where they are.

{Enjoying a burger and fries from Shake Shack in Central Park}

What does balance mean to you during your current season of life?

When we strive for perfection, we’re more likely to fail, and probably less likely to enjoy living. When I’m traveling for work, I’m often indulging in a four course menu, including dessert, at top restaurants. The extra calories are worth it to me for the great food and camaraderie. I may try to squeeze in a 20-minute hotel room workout but I won’t kill myself getting up at 4am because then I’m personally miserable the rest of the day. When I return, I just get back into my routine and don’t think twice about the extra drinks or food I may have consumed on my trip. This is how I enjoy life and listen to my body.

On the subject of alcohol, I think this is a particular challenge for young professionals who are transitioning from a college mindset. I recently abstained from alcohol for an entire month and felt AMAZING. It was difficult at times not to be able to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a craft beer while watching my K-State Wildcats play, but I did have more energy and was more productive overall. I think applying the idea of balance to alcohol consumption is important. I certainly still love going out for drinks and dancing, but I am trying to be more moderate with my own intake.

Who/what inspires you?

I consider myself lucky every day for my new life in Colorado. I just moved here in September 2012, and the beauty of nature continues to inspire and leave me in awe every time I walk outside. To me, fresh air, laughter and a good book are so important for the soul.

I’m very career-focused too, and have been enjoying new resources such as The Levo League and Lean In lately.

I’m also inspired by the food revolution that is happening in our country and all over the world. Lower-income communities are increasingly gaining access to fresher food and transparency is becoming a bigger deal for mainstream food companies. I mean, when farmers and chefs are the new celebrities, I’d say we’re moving in the right direction!

What is your best tip for maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the midst of a busy life?

While I mentioned that I’m very career-focused, I refuse to let my own health take a backseat to my professional aspirations. My daily routine wasn’t always so great. Most days, I would leave for work at 8:30, get home at 6:30, make and eat a super quick meal and then get back online to work until I went to bed. I was lucky if I squeezed in one day of exercise per week, and ate lunch out more often than I brought it. I was constantly tired and slowly gaining weight. It took me two years to realize what I was doing to myself, and that’s when I made the commitment to prioritize my own personal wellness. See…it can happen to dietitians too!

My best tip for maintaining a healthy lifestyle in the midst of a busy life is to set aside a few minutes each night to get ready for the next day. Decide what you are going to do for meals and snacks so you’re not resorting to takeout. Check your schedule to see when you can fit in some activity, even if it’s just a 10-minute walk around the block mid-day, and put it on your calendar as an appointment you can’t miss. Planning and preparation are the keys to success, especially with a hectic schedule. Even when exercise is out of the picture, it’s guaranteed that you will eat. Make the most out of your food choices to maintain a healthy weight when life gets crazy.

Thank you so much, Katie! I love your perspective and your overall outlook on healthy living.

About Katie: Katie is a 20-something registered dietitian living in Denver, Colorado. She works full-time in the organic food industry and manages the young professional wellness blog, Healthy & Happy Hour. If you would like to read her perspective on health and wellness, keep up with Healthy & Happy Hour on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.