As a newcomer to the ‘wellness corner’ of social media and the blogging world, I thought I’d kick this piece off by speaking on my own trials and tribulations as I figure out exactly how I want to contribute as a registered dietitian.

In my venture to create original content, I’ve often felt uncertain of my place among the multitudes of fitness/nutrition/wellness pages. Despite the negative connotation existing around the term ‘influencer’, this much is true: what we post in reference to wellness truly does shape our viewers’ ideas of body image, productivity and success, fitness, and dietary habits. Yes, there are those who have made it big by marketing their own techniques because a) that’s what works for them and b) it looks good, which is what makes their followers— either consciously or subconsciously—want to achieve similar results. Unfortunately, it most definitely is not ‘one size fits all’. Even those who may have the best intentions when posting on their social media platforms are still producing body-image-and ‘health’-driven content, which can detrimental to both the physical and emotional wellbeing of their viewers. I’ll be honest, I’ve found myself scrolling and thinking, “wait, is that true?”

Via harmless Instagram posts, news, marketing techniques, etc., social media can create extreme black and white thinking. Everything has to be either this or that, but I think we can agree that what we see on social media can often be untrue to the reality we live in when we put our screens away.

What’s bemused me since deciding to move my content in the direction of a thought-provoking blog is this: how can I maintain balance and authenticity on social media while avoiding any missteps? For those of you who also have a background in clinical nutrition, you know that sometimes there are strict standards of comparison, and at others, our answers reside in the gray area. My goal is to share sound nutrition advice while promoting body positivity and cultivation of a long-lasting, healthy relationship with food and movement.

Think ‘good for you, not for me’. Nutrition is not one size fits all. As a professor of mine often responded to my endless search for one—and only one—correct answer, she replied “it depends.” To me, this response seemed so whimsical at the time because, as a student, my desire to compartmentalize and label information was unrelenting. But it makes sense now. More often than not, there is no single remedy and more than one correct answer.

As I develop my own voice, I find myself treading lightly in an attempt to avoid contradicting myself: If I share my love for exercising and feeling strong, will viewers mistake it for my support of the weight-centric model that exists in today’s healthcare? What’s the best way to market myself and my skills as I work to promote balanced eating and mindful movement without triggering fear and stress around exercise and mealtimes? And these thoughts beg a whole new question: how can I remain transparent while I promote my nutrition services?

As a registered dietitian, I hold myself accountable for sharing up-to-date, evidence-based practice. There is always going to be someone who disagrees with me, and that doesn’t make either of us wrong (or right). The best I can do is be my most authentic self and continue to create helpful content that promotes healthy and positive thoughts and behaviors, and I hope you’ll stick with me on this journey. Have any comments or questions? I’d love to hear from you!