The Expat Dietitian Turns 10!

Hello friends! When I first hit the “Publish” button on my Banana Oat Cookies post in May of 2015, I had no idea that I would still be blogging 10 years later. But here I still am, hanging out in my little corner of the internet, cooking, baking, working out, and sharing tales of my expat life. Even with my months-long breaks, you’ve kept reading, and you’ve kept encouraging me. I can’t tell you how much that means to me! Thank you. Knowing that you’re on the other side of my screen is hugely motivating for me, and so many of your faces pop into my mind as I write. Again, thank you.

I actually sat down to write this post two days ago, but instead of writing, I found myself just clicking on post after post… I think I read more than half of my 257 posts from the beginning until now. Oh my goodness! Re-reading these old blogs was fun, funny (sometimes when it wasn’t meant to be), enlightening, endearing, and somehow very grounding. And in this journey through the past 10 years, I noticed several distinct “eras” that The Expat Dietitian has gone through. Want to see them? Here we go:

The Early Years (2015-2016)

I was so enthusiastic during the first two years of my blog! I posted 3 times a week: one recipe, one “What I Ate”, and one lifestyle or workout post. These posts reflected the rhythmic cycle of expat life, which is largely driven by the international school schedule. I didn’t recognize the rhythm at the time, but looking back on my posts, it’s easy to see. Leaving season, saying goodbye, saying hello, summer home leave and what I bring back from the US. Bootcamp to stay fit and stay connected socially, keeping up with my 3 growing children, and feeding them well without sneaking too many vegetables into their desserts. I loved this era of the blog, and looking back on it brings so many memories back to life. My (and your!) favorite posts from this era:

Banana Oat Cookies– the post that started it all!

Body Weight Workout– so reflective of international summer

Asian Salmon Salad– this recipe is just as good today as when I first made it

The Fit Ladies of Alabang Bootcamp– it wasn’t just a workout group, it was a place to truly connect and build relationships

Chickpea Salmon Burgers with Tomato Chili Jam– another oldie but goodie

Leaving Season– it’s never easy to say goodbye, and some years are harder than others

5 Strength & Flexibility Tests You Need to Take Now– this one still holds up… and also makes me laugh. Click and you’ll see why!

The Bodybuilding Years (2017-2019)

I started my training for bodybuilding competitions in late 2016 and continued until early 2019. It gave me a whole new perspective on not only the sport itself, but also on the ideals of fitness and appearance portrayed on social media. Going through the yearly process of building muscle, then cutting body fat to be “stage-ready” drove home to me the fact that you can’t just walk around lean and shredded all the time, despite what social media might make you think. I lived it, and the first-hand knowledge of what it really takes to get “lean & shredded” changed my view of how I want to walk around, and equally importantly, the message I want to send about weight, body image, and appearance. I’ll never regret my bodybuilding years- I truly enjoyed (most of) the process, and I learned so much about building muscle, losing body fat, weightlifting, and food values. My experience in competitive bodybuilding helped me truly understand that “healthy living” is about balance, not extremism. And that balance includes freedom in eating, finding a workout you love, cultivating a good relationship with food, and recognizing your inherent value as person, regardless of how you look. My (and your) favorite posts from this era are:

Meal Planning 101– tracking my meals all the time made me a boss at meal planning. I still use these principles today!

Broccoli Cheez Soup– this one is just plain funny… and yummy!

Confessions of a first-time bodybuilder (part 1) and (part 2)– really gives the inside scoop of what I loved about the sport, my show results- and the secret to the temporary but amazing vascular stage look.

The Real Scoop on Getting (& Being) Super-Lean– I wrote this as I was dieting hard for my second show in 2018, and I was hungry & tired!

Why I Quit Competitive Bodybuilding– bodybuilding was a great sport for me… until it wasn’t. I didn’t realize the emotional toll the second season would take on me, nor how difficult the constant mental adjustments to my changing body size would be.

My Year of Eating Everything– I didn’t mention this in this post, but after my second show in 2018, I gained almost 25 pounds in about 5 months. My body and my subconscious mind needed this so much, even though the weight gain alarmed me. But through this process, I learned to trust my body (and my mind) even more.

The Covid Years (2020-2022)

When the kids and I left Manila the day before lockdown began, we had no idea we would be away (from Manila and from Mark) for 7 months. Nor when we left again in April 2021, that we wouldn’t return until September. We spent more time away from Manila during these years than we spent here. It took its toll for sure, as it did for so many. My blog faded into the background of my mind, and writing was a struggle. I didn’t post at all in 2021 and most of 2022. Still, I cooked! My favorite posts from this era:

What I Ate Wednesday- Quarantine Thoughts– I was feeling the monotony & stress of the ongoing pandemic, but finding habits and routines that helped.

Spaghetti & Turkey Meatballs– food really does make things better!

When Home is Across the Globe– we had just returned to Manila in October 2020, and it was difficult to know where home was.

The Years I Didn’t Write

I confess I lost my mojo (motivation and joy!) in 2021 and didn’t write at all. I rallied a bit at the end of 2022 enough to hire a team to revamp my website and thought I was “back”… but soon found myself in a continuing writing slump that lasted until early this year. This time of not writing was hard for me, and I really considered closing down my website and letting The Expat Dietitian fade into internet oblivion. But those thoughts made me realize that I still believed that if I didn’t do something “perfectly”, that I shouldn’t do it at all. And that’s just not true! For any of us. The only way to fail is by giving up completely. So I decided to just let it rest until I was ready to write again. And now I’m so glad I didn’t hit that giant “DELETE” button!

The New Era

So now I think I really am back! Early this year I set a goal for myself to publish two posts per month, and so far I’ve stuck with that (assuming I get this out in the next 12 hours.) It’s nice to write again! So far this year, your favorites have been:

What I Cooked Over Spring Break– I don’t think I’ve ever cooked SO MUCH FOOD in the space of one week! It was super fun and I would do it all again.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Smoothie– because who doesn’t love chocolate??

Friends, I’ve loved writing this blog for so many reasons. The ups and downs of the past 10 years have taught me so much about perseverance, adaptation, flexibility, the power of reflection, and embracing imperfection. I’m excited about what’s ahead for The Expat Dietitian! More recipes, more nutrition education, more fun foodie posts, more about Mark’s & my fitness endeavors of late, and more musings on our empty-nesting life these days. And through my writing, I hope to stay true to my tagline… inspiring healthy living when home is across the globe!

Here’s to the next 10 years, God willing! Cheers, friends!