Apr 28, 2020
Caitlyn Elf is a Registered Dietitian and working mom with a goal to take the stress out of mealtime. Because it is essential to think about how we can be healthy, even in uncertain times, I invited Cait to be a guest on my podcast. Cait shared some ways to make eating a learning experience and her philosophy about intuitive eating. She also talked about her career pivot from digital marketing to a nutritionist. When it comes to you and the next phase of your career, deciding what you want to do next and finding the courage to do so, well, those are the hard moments. But as you will hear, it took Cait three years to leap, but it is possible.
Caitlyn’s brand, Cait’s Plate, started way back in 2009 as a way for Cait to share her passion for wellness. When Cait began her blog, she was working in digital marketing in NYC, and while she loved being creative, she found herself more and more excited to work on her blog each day. It was then that Cait decided to leave her full-time job and pursue a degree in nutrition.
Whether you need help getting tasty, satisfying meals on the table without a lot of effort, or are looking to follow a non-restrictive approach to wellness – Cait has you covered. She loves sharing easy meals and showing people the freedom found in listening to their bodies.
Cait attended Boston University and received her Masters in Nutrition, participated in a Dietetic Internship, sat for (and passed!) the Registered Dietitian exam. Cait now runs Cait’s Plate full-time (or at least during the moments she has where she is not running after her crazy toddler and dog!
Tune in to hear Cait’s thoughts pertaining to:
- How while working remotely we do have unlimited access to our fridges and pantries and how we can manage. (5:00)
- Understanding that food is fuel, Cait shares her philosophy of allowing your body to guide you and trusting signals. (8:00)
- Packaged foods, not being able to assess or hear our body signals, especially now as we are buying lots of packaged food. (13:01)
- Eating is a learning experience. (14:00)
- Find out how you can use this moment in isolation to change your behaviors. (15:00)
- Cait talks on how guilt has interrupted our ability to make our own decisions about food. (17:00)
- Find out what’s the difference between restaurant food vs. your homemade food, especially as we are experimenting given the closures abound. (18:00)
- How we can approach cooking as an experiment, and refrain from placing pressure on yourself to be a Michelin chef. (20:20)
- No immune-boosting smoothie is going to turn things around, but there are ways to boost your immune system, Cait explains how. (22:00)
- Cait’s shares some advice regarding stress over finding high-quality ingredients and instead focuses on whether you are fueling yourself enough or not. (23:00)
- Let’s talk about sleep and why it is so hard to settle our minds. Some ways to help with sleep include: designating an area for rest, even during these work-from-home makeshift moments where beds are being used as desks. (24:00)
- Cait’s talks about her career journey from digital marketing and how she transitioned to becoming a nutritionist. (30:00)
- What thoughts held Cait back while she was contemplating nutrition yet still thriving in her marketing role. (33:09)
- She describes how she found out that nutrition was her true passion. (36:00)
- We can replenish our energies during homeschooling, job seeking, or working remotely during this trifecta of stress. (41:00)
- Families are eating together for the first time in years. Cait offers some ways to have a peaceful meal with each other even if there are differing dietary preferences. (42:00)
I was so glad to have asked Cait this career change question that can help those who are contemplating whether your skills are transferable: In what ways have you leveraged your digital marketing skills to build Cait’s Plate?
Listen as Cait answers and goes beyond her technical skills and includes some soft skills that have helped her create her community as an influencer/lifestyle expert.
Check out the links below:
- Follow Cait on Instagram
- Cait’s Plate
- Calm App
- Edelman Trust Barometer