For the most part, dietitians practice what they preach. However, nobody eats perfectly all the time, not even the experts dishing out dietary advice, including yours truly. (Shocker!) I thought it would be fun to read about dietitans’ eating downfalls, since they love to eat and are just as busy as everyone else.  I can relate to each and every one of these!

Kate Scarlata, RDN, FODMAP and IBS Expert: 

I wish I had a few less potato chips in my life! I love a good potato chip.

Those salty little fried potato slices are so darn good and somehow make their way onto my plate on a very regular basis, especially when I am eating a sandwich.

I don’t feel I have to give up all the chips in my life, but I know fried salty foods are probably not the best for my heart health. I do try to switch it up and add popcorn, baked tortilla chips or reduced fat potato chips to reduce my fat intake in an effort to be a little more healthy.

Because I associate chips with eating sandwiches, I find I am less inclined to eat them when I have a salad or leftovers at meal time, so including these other meals helps lower my chip intake too.

My 90 year-old mom loved a good potato chip…so I am hopeful that I can enjoy a long life while still enjoying my beloved potato chips…at least occasionally!

Lauren Harris-Pincus, MS, RDN, owner of www.NutritionStarringYOU.com:

I’m the fastest eater and I’m always leaning over my counter quickly eating between clients or before driving my kids around in the evening. I am not a mindful eater and I know it’s something I really need to improve. Much easier said than done for a very busy working mom. However, I am trying to eat at the table more, put away my phone and avoid distractions.

Small changes are my goal. I’m really trying to practice what I preach to my clients every day!

Read: Six Things You Don’t Know About Registered Dietitians

Leslie Bonci, MPH, RDN, CSSD, owner of Active Eating Advice by Leslie: 

Having spent the better part of my career counseling athletes, I am the first one to say that hydration never takes a vacation. But what we preach doesn’t always translate to what we reach for. And, I admit I don’t get a perfect score for my pour.

I am doing a lot of writing these days and don’t work up a sweat. In addition, I hate to be interrupted when ideas are flowing to have to get going to the bathroom. However, I am committing to hydrating better throughout the day through the number of glasses of liquid, watery foods, and more fruits and vegetables.

Regan Jones, RD, Founding Editor at HealthyAperture.com:

In the last year or so I noticed that my “one” glass of wine while cooking dinner turned into one glass while cooking, then topping it off a little if the recipe takes a little longer and then topping that off as I went to the table to eat dinner with my family. I’m a dietitian, not a mathematician but even I know my “one” has quickly turned into 1++.

I’ve made a concerted effort this year to let “one” glass be one glass. While health experts (and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans) agree that one glass for women and two for men can be a part of a healthy diet, night after night of more than that means extra calories that I don’t need.

I started the New Year with this new commitment to cut back on my 1++ glass of wine and have already noticed improvements in sleep. That’s a bonus I wasn’t expecting, but am definitely enjoying!

Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN, Culinary Nutrition Expert and founder of Nutritioulicious:

One of my worst habits is eating in front of the TV, especially at night after dinner. I have a major sweet tooth, and when I’m busy during the day it doesn’t hit me, but as soon as I sit down to relax the pantry calls my name!

Eating too much at night can lead to weight gain when I take in more calories than I burn. And it leaves me feeling full before bed, which can interfere with my sleep. I often wake up bloated and less hungry for breakfast, which is such an important meal.

Some of the ways I’m trying to break the habit are to brush my teeth after dinner so I am not tempted to eat again. Also, I watch TV in bed instead of in my living room. I also don’t keep the pantry fully stocked with treats.

Jenna Braddock, MSH, RDN, CSSD, owner of MakeHealthyEasy.com:  

I love making chocolate chip cookies but am that person who could be fine just eating the dough. I often nibble on dough while making and baking cookies and by the time the cookies are out of the oven, I’ve already eaten the equivalent of my share of cookies.

After thinking this through (also after a belly ache or two), I have decided that I do love the cookies the most. So, I try to talk myself before even starting the cookie making process. I remind me that I really want to be able to enjoy the warm, baked cookies, and the dough isn’t at worth it.

I want to be more conscious of what I’m eating while making cookies instead of mindlessly picking at the dough.

5 Confessions of a Dietitian

Melissa Joy Dobbins, MS, RDN, CDE, The Guilt-Free RD, www.SoundBitesRD.com (blog and podcast):

I wish I had better breakfast habits. I grew up eating a healthy breakfast every day, but now that I’m a mom, I’m more focused on the morning rush instead of feeding myself. I find I’m not very hungry and tend to grab a little something that is more of a snack or a treat than “breakfast” like a cookie or a piece of fruit. I wish I could enjoy Greek yogurt with high fiber cereal and berries – something that provides the fiber, calcium and nutrients I need to start the day off right.

Christy Wilson, RDN, Nutrition Counselor, Writer, Consultant, and Owner of ChristyWilsonNutrition.com:

After work, I am famished, so that after-work/before-dinner time frame is my Achilles heel! I rummage through my fridge and pantry for things to snack on, whether it’s healthy or not. Sometimes, I eat way too many chips and salsa, a few too many cheese sticks, or leftover pizza to satisfy my craving. So, even knowing that eating all of this food before dinner is ruining my appetite for the healthy meal I am about to cook, I just can’t help myself.

To avoid this, I’m working on planning ahead and (more consistently) have foods like jicama sticks, sliced fruit  and/or red pepper strips available to snack on before dinner gets started!

Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD, Co-owner Teaspoon of Spice: 

When I worked in an office building, I was the poster child of staying hydrated via water daily. I’d take several breaks from my cubicle to fill my water bottle up at the water cooler (cliche but true.) Since working at home, I struggle to do the same!

My home office is on the second floor and I guess there’s just a mental block with me having to walk all downstairs to refill my glass. And, when I do, I get distracted with a chore in the kitchen and forget to bring the glass back up! But I really want to work on this as when I drink at least 8 glasses a day, I feel so much better.

Jen Haugen, RDN, LD, Author of The Mom’s Guide to a Nourishing Garden, and blogger at jenhaugen.com:

My one habit I am working on kicking is not planning meals.  I go in and out of phases with this and my weeks go SO much better when I meal plan!

To work on this, I am creating 5-10 freezer meals each month to have ready to go right in the freezer for fast meals.  I’ve also set a reminder on my phone for Sunday afternoons to take 10 minutes to put together a menu plan for the week, and I include my family on that so it’s not just what I want to eat 🙂  Taking just 10 minutes to plan creates more satisfying, stress-free meals!

Holley Grainger, MS, RD, Mompreneuer and Nutrition Communications Expert:

As a working mom in constant motion, I find myself mindlessly eating the first thing I can grab when I feel hunger strike. That may mean a spoon of peanut butter from the jar to my mouth while making a lunch. Or swinging into a gas station to grab an energy bar for “lunch” between meetings.

The main lessons learned from this habit–weight gain, exposing my children to bad habits, and never feeling full and satisfied. My solution of late is to have healthier options prepped and packed. This means I do a little more work on Sunday afternoon chopping fruit, putting a serving of nuts in a baggie or boiling a dozen eggs. When hunger strikes, I have a healthy option ready to eat.

In Conclusion: My Dietary Downfall

‘And now, for my true confession as part of this episode of dietitians’ eating downfalls: I love chocolate and must have it every day after dinner.

There’s no problem with chocolate.  My issue is portion control. I have tried portion-controlled chocolate goodies, such as 100-calorie fudge bars. I would eat one of them, but then I would still eat the chocolate, too!

I’ve been battling chocolate urges for decades now, and I am pretty sure that trying to outsmart them is useless, and a waste of energy. Oh, well, I think this is one flaw I’ll just have to live with!

Thanks to everyone for telling it like it is!