A balanced foodie

As the title of my blog suggests, I am a foodie.  I love food - eating it, cooking it, smelling it, looking at it in cookbooks, watching it on TV, reading about it, going out to get it, dreaming about it... you get the point.  But I can't spend my days chowing down on homemade ice creams, once in a life time pastries or hand-made pasta.  At some point, I need to balance it all out.  I have to make sure all those delicious pastries and pastas don't just end up hanging around my butt and thighs.

So...circa 2009, I had the grand idea to go back to school at the University of Maryland (go terps!).  And major in nutrition - better known as Dietetics in the medical field.  Why? you may ask, would somebody who enjoys cooking with butter or always has room for dessert, want to major in nutrition?  Well, because it has a lot to do with food!  I learned about it, cooked with it and most importantly learned how it nourishes our bodies, how it can heal us and how even in excess it can harm.

It's this nutrition-focused part of my mind that keeps me in check, it keeps me balanced.  A little indulgence here, a little healthy nutrition there.  A little butter one night and a little heart healthy olive oil the next. It's never an all or nothing game for me.  I truly love food and it makes me happy.  But I've realized that without my health, I couldn't enjoy life the way I do.  And plus, I'm a health professional (or soon to be) and I need to be a good role model for my future clients.

Here's what I do to keep myself balanced, healthy and loving life (and food!):

• Eat everything in moderation 
• Exercise 4-5 times a week for 45 mins-1 hr (check out Ellen Barrett's work out videos)
• Get at least 8 hrs of sleep every night
• Spend quality time with my family regularly
• And every now and again, read a non-cooking related publication 

In this world of wonderful indulgences, I do give in sometimes.  But when I make sure I'm working out often and feeding my soul along with my tummy, I know I can be a healthy AND balanced foodie.