The one thing nutritionists eat at holiday parties

Yesterday, Well & Good posted an article revealing what nutritionists eat at holiday parties.

 My “one thing” listed was Scotch. As you can see below, I mention Scotch but there’s also food involved. I thought I’d share my unedited answer, lest you follow the Scotch diet.

Generally, I’m running out the door, after my last client, to the party or event.

My pre-party taxi snack involves our Foodtrainers’ nutcase (shameless I know but I have one in every purse) filled with anything from All Good Provisions goji trail mix to Himalania dark choc chia seeds. I also sniff peppermint essential oil as a quick pick me up and appetite suppressant.

At the party, I’m a one and done drink girl. My winter spirit of choices is Scotch and I have it “neat” as it’s easy to nurse that way. I’m allergic to wheat so party food choices are limited which is totally fine. I try to pick a few items and stick to those. The whole pupu platter approach never ends well. I’ll pick from shrimp cocktail, sashimi, crudité and usually some cheese situation. “Lipstick-sized” is our Foodtrainers ’cheese rule though I often have two lipsticks.  Finally, if I didn’t have dark chocolate something en route to the party, I’ll end my night with that.

Happy Holidays, just because it’s a festive time of year doesn’t mean you should be strategy-free.

Cleavage and Advice

I am always intrigued by how experts resonate with people. Sometimes it’s warmth, I think of my friend/nutritionist Keri Glassman who has a fantastic smile and interest in people that comes across when she’s on TV or sitting at lunch. At times intellect does it, think Alton Brown or Michael Pollan. They say things that we remember or say things in a way we haven’t heard. Other times it’s passion, if someone feels so strongly about his or her subject matter then I often feel maybe I should too. But there’s another trend I’m noticing and that’s sexiness bordering on porn-iness and not just where you'd expect it. I understand swimsuit models or actresses playing the sexy card but experts? Or maybe a new type of  “sexpert”?

At a recent nutrition conference, a lecture on blogging encouraged nutrition bloggers to make content sexy and “sex it up”. At Foodtrainers, we always try to fun it up, even snark it up but sexy smoothie advice?  No thanks.

 

Then, I was forwarded this. The content (about nasty ingredients in Subway bread)

 is actually fine but the “expert’ rolling around on the ground, breasts front and center?  We actually looked and liked much of what the “Food Babe” had to say on her website but “babe”?  Can you imagine for a second Dr Phil looking sexy (see above)? Is it that brains-only work only for men?

There’s also Tracy Anderson, I really do admire the business she’s built and I get that a fitness professional is often in very little clothing (thank goodness I’m in nutrition).  This (see photo) is more than just a workout outfit and it’s not that I’m jealous I don’t have “more” to offer (my "offerings" will never be on full display). I'm the first one to raise my hand and say I wouldn't want an out of shape fitness instructor but this is a whole other subject.

Obviously I get the appeal of these images to men (maybe) and I understand sex sells. I fully appreciate that looks matter and that doesn't bother me. But where do you stand on experts and sexiness or cleavage? Does it matter to you? Do you think it’s a good thing? Or does it “turn you off”?