Tailored Bites LC

Home doesn’t start when everything is unpacked.

For me, it starts in the kitchen.

This season has been full of transition—moving into a new home, getting my daughter ready for college, building the next chapter of Tailored Bites, caring for my incredible clients, making space to spend a little more time with Bonnie, and soaking up this beautiful Arizona monsoon weather.

That also means I’ve had a little less capacity for Instagram lately…and the break from it has been quite refreshing honestly.

Today, it’s sprouted toast with almond butter and jam, mostly empty cupboards, cozy monsoon skies outside, and a quiet reminder that home is built one meal, one box, and one day at a time. 🤍

Tell me I’m not the only one… Is anyone else like me? Is the kitchen always the last room you pack and the first room you unpack after a move?

One Of The Greatest Gifts I’ve Given Myself This Year Has Been Becoming A Beginner Again.

I have an incredible teacher in Debi, a remarkable horse in Bonnie, and every ride reminds me how much there is to learn.

Some days I’m focused on keeping my heels down.

Then I remember to look where I want to go.

Then I realize my hands have drifted outside my “box.”

Then I’m trying to coordinate my seat, my legs, my hands, my breathing, and where I’m looking…all at the same time.

And Bonnie responds exactly to the cue I gave…not the cue I thought I gave.

She’s not wrong.

She’s simply trying to understand what I’m asking of her.

The fascinating part is that none of these skills are particularly difficult on their own.

The challenge is learning to put them all together until they become second nature.

It reminds me so much of nutrition, strength training, and behavior change.

At first, you’re thinking about everything.

Protein.
Movement.
Sleep.
Stress.
Hydration.
Breathing.

It feels like there’s no way your brain can hold it all.

But with great coaching, consistent practice, and enough repetition, those individual pieces slowly become integrated. One day you realize you’re no longer thinking about every cue—you’ve simply become the person who does them.

That’s the beauty of learning.

I’m incredibly grateful to be a student again.

Thank you, Debi, for sharing your knowledge so generously, and thank you, Bonnie, for being such an honest teacher.

Things Rachel Said While Running on Cortisol | Episode 3

Eight years later… this one still feels just as true.

I was 14 years old when I was put on my first weight-loss diet.

Like so many people, I learned that health meant eating less, exercising more, and chasing a smaller number on the scale.

That mindset followed me for years.

I dieted.
I over-exercised.
I chased quick fixes.
I truly believed that if I could just find enough discipline, I’d finally be healthy.

Instead, I found myself stuck in the cycle so many people know all too well—lose weight, gain it back, blame myself, and start over.

Everything changed when I stopped asking,

“How do I lose weight?”

…and started asking,

“How do I support my body?”

That shift changed my life.

Today, as a NASM certified dietitian, I’m encouraged to see more conversations centered around cardiometabolic health instead of weight alone.

Because health has always been about so much more than a number.

It’s about nourishing your body.
Building strength.
Supporting healthy blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure.
Sleeping well.
Managing stress.
Creating habits you can actually sustain.

Ironically, when we stop making the scale the only measure of success, we often create the conditions that support lasting change.

If you’ve spent years believing your worth—or your health—was defined by a number, I hope this reminds you that there is another way.

You don’t have to spend the rest of your life fighting your body.

Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is start learning how to support it instead. 🤍

Eight years later… I still stand by this.

One nutrition trend I’ll probably never get behind is glorifying eating the exact same meals every single day as the gold standard for health.

Can you lose weight that way? Absolutely.

But as a dietitian, I’m thinking beyond the number on the scale.

Every food brings something different to the table—different vitamins, minerals, fibers, phytonutrients, healthy fats, and resistant starches that help support a diverse gut microbiome. Even the way we prepare our food can change the nutrients available to our bodies.

Our bodies are incredibly adaptive. They’ll compensate for a long time.

But my goal isn’t to see how long your body can compensate. My goal is to support it before it has to.

That’s why, when I’m creating meals for my clients, I’m intentionally rotating proteins, grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, herbs, spices, and cooking methods. Those small differences add up over weeks, months, and years.

This doesn’t mean you can never repeat meals. We all have favorites, and consistency can absolutely be helpful.

It simply means that over time, your body thrives on diversity.

✨ That’s the invisible work of a dietitian. Looking beyond today’s meal and thinking about your health years down the road.

This morning, while sipping decaf coffee on my patio and listening to the birds, I found myself thinking about something that comes up often with the women I work with.

Many women navigating perimenopause are looking for that one supplement, that one food, or that one thing that’s going to help them sleep better, have more energy, improve digestion, and feel more like themselves again.

And while those things can absolutely play a role, I’ve noticed something else.

Boundaries.

Not just boundaries with other people.

Boundaries with work.

Boundaries with food that doesn’t make us feel our best.

Boundaries with workouts that leave us depleted instead of supported.

Boundaries with our schedules, our energy, and the constant pressure to push through.

As I’ve been navigating perimenopause myself, I’ve noticed that the better I get at honoring my boundaries, the better I tend to sleep. The better I digest. The more energy I have. The more resilient I feel.

I’m not saying boundaries fix everything.

But I do think perimenopause has a way of shining a light on the places where we’ve been overriding ourselves for far too long.

What if, for some of us, the answer isn’t more discipline?

What if it’s more support?