Why I chose to eat my dessert, sitting at a table full of registered dietitians.
This past week I attended the annual Utah Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics conference. I enjoyed learning more about nutrition as well as seeing some school mates and professors from Utah State University, other Utah-based dietitian bloggers (Like Rebecca over at Nourish Nutrition Co.), as well as meeting new people. The second day an awards luncheon is always held, during which a plated lunch is served. I sat at a table with some of fellow Utah RDN’s I had never met before.
The first course was a green salad, the main course some chicken, rice and mixed veggies with a roll on the side, then dessert was a layered slice of cake. We sat and ate lunch, listened to the awards being given, then came time for dessert. As the waiters cleared the lunch plates one by one, we were then able to move on to the cake. It looked good. We grabbed our forks and took a bite or two. It WAS good. Light and fluffy cake surrounded by sweet whipped cream and a tangy raspberry sauce. Then, it seemed, I missed the memo because everyone else at the table sat their forks back down after two bites.
At first I didn’t think anything of it, but as I took a third and fourth and fifth bite, I realized no one else was eating their dessert anymore. As I continued to eat my cake, I, for the first time in a long time, felt judged for eating my dessert. Now you would think at a table full of registered dietitians no one would even take one bite of dessert, right? Dietitians eat only healthy foods all the time, and that certainly does not include dessert.
But wait, I had to remind myself that’s not true! I can eat dessert if I want dessert. Maybe not for breakfast, lunch and dinner, or every single day, but if I am at a special luncheon being served delicious food, by darn I am going to eat my dessert! But still, the judging I felt from the other dietitians sitting at the table with me… I could feel their eyes glancing over at me and my dwindling piece of cake.
I started questioning myself, my image as a dietitian, and even my body image. Do they think I’m irresponsible as a dietitian for eating more than two bites of cake? Why aren’t they eating the cake? Do they think I’m fat for eating cake? Maybe I should stop so I can fit in with them.
With all of this running through my head I had to stop myself and think why I was eating the cake. Simply put: it tasted good. I liked it. That’s why I ate it. I didn’t need to defend my action of eating cake to myself or anyone else.
Why this #dietitian ate dessert...and that's okay! Share on XNow I think back to what I was thinking and the questions and thoughts running through my head and I laugh. I don’t know why the other dietitian’s only ate two bites of their cake. Maybe they were full. Maybe didn’t like the taste of it. Maybe they just aren’t a sweets-type of person. And secondly, whose to say they were even judging me for eating the cake? Maybe they couldn’t have cared whether I ate two bites or the whole thing. I put myself in that place of feeling judged.
I guess the moral of the story is, it doesn’t matter what other people think. Don’t let how much others are eating dictate what or how much you eat. Don’t feel guilty about it. Listen to yourself, your body, your wants and desires. Now I’m not saying go crazy eating dessert all the time just because you want it and it tastes good. Practice mindfulness when eating, too. It’s about balance and moderation. Eat dessert, don’t eat dessert – it’s up to you. But whatever you choose, make sure it is your choice and feel confident about it! 🙂
- Lunch Ideas for Busy Moms - July 10, 2024
- Why Sharing Mealtime Responsibility with Your Kids is a Game-Changer - June 20, 2024
- 10 Best Bedtime Snacks for Kids - June 5, 2024
