by Lindsay Watts, Senior Nutrition Communication Analyst and Registered Dietitian

I think I was born to be a dietitian.

I grew up with a strong interest in health and food and in my early teen years experimented with different diets. As I got older, I spent more and more time in the kitchen and gained more respect for how food nourishes my body and adds to my quality of life. Fast forward a few more years, and I still love my chosen career path. I am passionate about educating people on how healthy eating can be accessible and affordable and working to make our food environments healthier.

I try really hard to practice the behaviors I encourage in others, but I am not perfect. Here’s a look at what a typical day looks like for me:

5:00AM: I get up around 5 (ok, or 5:30) most mornings and either take my dog for a walk/run or get a workout in on my own. If I’m going to do more intense exercise, I fuel up with a small snack. Today is leg day for me, so I suck down an unsweetened applesauce pouch while I get ready and do some light stretching.

6:30AM: Workout is done, about 45-60 minutes long, and I’m MUCH more awake. I do not have time to eat before I hit the road but have my breakfast pre-packed so I can eat at my desk.

8:00AM: I try to get to work by 8AM every day. We have a really flexible schedule here, but I am a morning person and I find that the earlier I can get in, the more productive I will be. I am STARVING by this point, so I heat up my frittata with cheese, potatoes, rutabaga, and a little bit of bacon. I pre-cooked my root veggies in Swanson Organic Chicken Broth and also added a bit of the broth to the scrambled egg mixture—I thought this was a weird thing to do when I was making it, but it added some good flavor!

I don’t drink coffee very often, but I can’t live without a cup (or 3) of breakfast tea every morning.

10:00AM: I have a few meetings this morning and work on a brainstorming exercise for how we could bring healthy eating messaging to life at retail. I make myself my 3^rd cup of tea for the day and try not to think about lunch too much.

12:00PM: Lunchtime! Morning workouts make me really hungry and I tend to eat the most in the middle of the day. Today, I had a salad with homemade black bean burgers, frozen corn, reduced fat cheese, and a homemade salad dressing I made from lime juice, plain Greek yogurt, and Pace salsa. Not pictured are the 2 small pieces of milk chocolate candy I NEEDED and an orange. I always have a cup of herbal tea after I eat, but no more caffeine for me after lunch.

2:00PM: Between projects, I meet with my colleague, Alexandria Hast PhD RDN to work on an article for www.campbellnutrition.com. One of the best parts of working at Campbell is how smart everyone is around me! Alex is very knowledgeable about vegetables and how we can communicate about them on label, so I’m picking her brain on how we can share this information with other health professionals. I have my 2^nd cup of herbal tea for the day while we chat.

4:00PM: I head down to the company store with some coworkers to restock our snack drawer. We take our snack drawer very seriously in the nutrition department. We always keep nuts, a few sweets, and some other treats handy. I also like to keep lunch items on hand like soup just in case I’m in a pinch.

4:30PM: I try to eat a little something before I leave work so I’m not ravenous when I get home. Today, it’s whole grain Goldfish Graham Crackers and a yogurt. I LOVE them—they remind me of school lunches as a kid. I finish up for the day and head home a little after 5.

6:00PM: I love what I do, but nothing beats coming home. My animals greet me at the door and demand my attention while I get my sneakers on and convince my husband to join me (and the dog) for a walk. Our town is walkable with a grocery store, general store, and state store all near our home, so I love fitting in a little more movement while we take care of some errands.

7:00PM: Today is Thursday, and because it’s almost the end of the week, my meals need to be convenient and not require too many ingredients. I always have Campbell’s Dinner Sauces and Prego Italian Sauce on hand for nights like this. Tonight, we’re having tofu and broccoli with the Campbell’s Thai Curry Skillet Sauce . We’re not vegetarians, but tofu is so convenient for a quick meal that we often have it on hand.

8:00PM: We unwind with a glass of wine and a little TV. Usually, I’ll have another cup of herbal tea before bed, but its almost Friday and this is our weekly ritual. My cat loves lounging with us and takes advantage of it anytime he finds me sitting still—which isn’t often!

I’m in bed by 9 or 10 every night because I am serious about getting enough sleep—a successful day always starts the night before.

I hope you enjoyed following along with me for a day. Like most people, I’m far from perfect and my schedule doesn’t allow me to cook elaborate meals from scratch every day. Packaged foods help me eat a balanced diet that works with my lifestyle. The trick to living a healthy lifestyle is figuring out what that means for YOU and doing your best every day.

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