Boston in the Fall

I got back this weekend from a solo trip to Boston. It was a good trip; fun enough that I didn't miss home, but hard enough that I'm kinda glad it's over :)

I was there as part of a 3-day Training Certificate in Adult Weight Management (Level 1) to earn some continuing education credits towards my Registered Dietitian (RD) credential. Just over half of the participants were clinical dietitians who regularly counsel clients on weight loss, so I was feeling a little out of practice.

(Which I am. It's been ten years since I sat in the clinician's chair!)

Anyway, I found it a fantastic intersection of evidence-based guidelines and real-life difficulties. We studied the research to see what's been proven to work, then discussed what it takes to convey that information to clients and support them in their choices.

I was surprised by some "new" research avenues that were barely mentioned ten years ago in my training (gut microbiota, excess prenatal weight gain affecting the infant's long-term health, fat tissue endocrinology) and relieved that reliable, long-term research has finally shown that the key to long-term weight loss is total lifestyle change and realistic expectations. Whoda thunk it?! ;)

So, with the few remaining continuing ed credits I need to earn before next May, I think I'll learn more about those new research avenues and worry less about which weight loss plan is best for which kind of person. The bottom line is: whichever diet the client can stick to, that's the one that will work for them.

While in Boston, I had the pleasure of staying with Katie P, a friend I had met some years before out here in Urbana. I did not manage to take any pictures of our adventures together...d'oh!...beyond this oddball assortment:

Garden harvest mid-October: cherry tomatoes, ground cherries, and raspberries. We raided the garden before walking to "Modern" for a couple chocolate-dipped ricotta canollis.

My view from their delicious backyard hammock swing. Perfect weather.

A peek at the exhibitor hall getting set up for the BIGGEST food and nutrition conference of the year. Many of the participants in my program were staying afterwards for the conference.

My first-class "snack" of hummus, veg, pita circle, crackers, and gourmet dark chocolate. Apparently, I had unknowingly purchased First Class for one of the flights on this trip some months ago. I was pleasantly surprised, and remarkably refreshed once I got off the plane.

But it was my time with Katie that made it such a rejuvenating trip. That, and, there were a couple young kids around that I could play with and some dishes that I could wash. It's great to have real-life work around that I can choose to do, not HAVE to do ;) Thanks, Katie, for letting me play house. And eat your delicious food. And raid your chocolate stash.

Friday night, Michelle B braved 4+ hours of night driving and Boston traffic to come chat for a couple hours. I don't know if she feels the experience was worth that sacrifice, but I'm so, so glad that she came. She has such good questions. Unique insight. And she genuinely cares about your answers. I would love to spend more time with both of these inspiring women.

As soon as I got home, the kids started telling me about all of the treats and special privileges they had experienced since my departure. My head was still spinning with childhood/adult obesity statistics and weight loss efforts, so every empty calorie they named was like a dagger to my heart. I had to ask them to stop telling me. Three days later, I'm still wonky. This might take a couple weeks to wear off.

Lovely trip, overall, and I'm so glad I could do that. I don't think I'll do something that intense for a few years...during my next recertification cycle :)