10 Things I Swear By as a Dietitian and Mom of 2

One thing I realized as I get older and spend some time on social media is that sometimes we want to know more about what is working well for other people.

Being a busy mom and just simply trying to find the “new you” can be so overwhelming. They say it take a village right? And sometimes that village is through social channels like social media which may help reduce decision fatigue by just simply seeing what others are doing to see if it works for you!

I have created my top 10 things I swear by which I use almost daily which may help you in some of your decision making!

My favorite versatile pan is from Our Place that can steam, sauté, and go in the oven. I literally use it everyday and it works soo well and not to mention how stunning it is! It is made from ceramic and is toxin free which I try to reduce toxin exposure when possible. It’s worth it if you’re in the market for a new pan!

You guys, if you are not already subscribed to Audible what are you doing! I signed up for the 1 book a month subscription for $15/mo. And of course tend to listen to popular nutrition books to stay as in formed as I can! I’ll be honest I also listen to quite a few raising kids books too! It also has tons of free books and podcasts! I love listening to audible when I am walking or when I am getting ready in the morning!

A few of my favorite audibles to start with would be Atomic Habits by James Clear, Outlive by Peter Attia, and The Mountain is You by Brianna Wiest!

Even if you’re a seasoned chef or a home cook a quality set of knives is a must! It truly improves efficiency and reduces risk of injury. Funny story I cut through my pinky finger In culinary school because I had not sharpened my knife it slipped off the carrot I was chopping and had to go to Vanderbilts ED to get stitches! Little did I know I’d eventually end up working there a few years later!

This set my husband bought me for my birthday it’s from Wusthof and it comes in a set of 3. I use all 3. He also bought me this in-drawer cutting block which I LOVE because knives on the counter is such an eye sore!

It’s 2025 we use reusable grocery bags yall! I actually prefer them over paper or plastic and there is less risk of them ripping! I have linked here a few bags I use weekly.

I always recommend daily movement, and right now in my life I have been aiming for 10-14K steps daily. I’ll be honest I have an Apple Watch, but I chose this simple band here as I did not want anything connected to my phone and I wanted a sleeker look. We have soo many devices I did not want to add more distractions to my day. But if you want to this pedometer does connect with your phone.

As mentioned above, I walk as much as I can find time during the week. If majority of the time I can be outside I will do I can take in some sunlight and fresh air. That being said, I always recommend sun protection and so a fun hat can always elevate your walking experience! This one is from Alo and I love it!

If you don’t bring your water bottle wherever you go — are you even drinking enough water?? Just kidding but I will say I am PARANOID that I always have to have my water with me or I will get thirsty! I even bring it to restaurants as I dislike most restaurant water! Y’all may think I’m crazy but I swear by this tip — always bring your water with you! I used to be a Yeti fan but I caved into the Stanley and yall it’s WORTH IT. Shop here.

Again, we are in 2025 if you don’t have a standing desk let’s get on it! I know budgets can be tight so here is an alternative I used back when COVID First hit. But I do love my desk here and I get questions about it all the time.

Okay, exercise routines are personal and what’s recommended is to just do something! For me with 2 young children, I have to exercise at home there is no time for me to leave the house. I typically exercise at 5:30am before my boys wake up. You may have some exercise equipment laying around, these here are from lululemon like years ago and target! Here are links to some cute ones from Amazon though!

If you know me, I love wine 🍷. Being a dietitian though I know wine can certainly be apart of a healthy diet in moderation, though in general I try to keep it to one glass less than 3x a week! If you follow me on IG you know I promote Mediterranean diet, which red wine is actually a staple, that said, newer research is coming out that no amount of alcohol is recommended for health. So just getting that disclaimer out there before I show you these cutie wine glasses I got from Amazon! Makes that occasional wine that much better!