This May, we’re honouring motherhood by chatting with some of our favourite mom bloggers, influencers and content creators about the highs, the lows and the many moments in-between. —Vita Daily
Hi Desiree! Tell us a little bit about you and what do you do!?
I’m a registered dietitian, TV host and author … essentially, I spend my days either cooking and eating or talking about cooking and eating!
How do you use your platform to impact other moms—and parents—who follow you?
I want to show people that eating well is about abundance—not deprivation—and respect for their bodies. That salad can be a craveable meal. And that we are meant to feel really good … and eating more plants can get us there. Mothers can often feel like we need permission to take care of ourselves and put our needs first. Taking the time to make a simple, nourishing meal can be one of the most powerful forms of self-care out there but it has to be flexible. It’s not about what your diet is free of, it’s about the good stuff you put in. Criticizing ourselves over our food choices has no place in a healthy lifestyle.
What’s your personal style/beauty mantra?
Minimal with a creative twist. I love classic pieces with a bit of quirk; give me an exaggerated sleeve, dark floral or a wide leg trouser and I’m in heaven. I love COS and the Uniqlo U Capsule for pieces I’m not afraid to wear around the kids! Given my schedule, I don’t like to fuss a lot over my appearance … except when it comes to my skin-care regime. My medicine cabinet is intense.
What would the Mother’s Day of your fantasies be? And what, in reality, does Mother’s Day usually look like at your house?
On a perfect Mother’s Day, I would wake up late (8 a.m. counts as late around here) and then enjoy a healthy brunch with my family. Afterward I would fit in a Lagree West workout and maybe a massage and then meet my family for a picnic at Trout Lake Park. In reality, I might end up making the pancakes and then we would run some errands and enjoy dinner out together somewhere kid friendly.
Did motherhood come easy to you, or were there challenges (if so, any in particular you’d like to share)?
While I’ve always known that I wanted to be a mother, I really struggled with loss of identity in the first few years. I found it difficult to figure out how to carve out a place for myself and my dreams while maintaining a strong relationship with my partner and creating a nurturing space for my kids. It seemed that I could only hold space for one thing at a time, and then something just shifts. It’s amazing the strength you find inside yourself as a parent—I always say that I wish I could have found this inner grit and determination pre-kids! Imagine what would be possible!
The hardest thing about being a mom? The best thing?
For me, the hardest thing about being a mom is wanting to do it all…and having little downtime. Before I had kids, I could pull a long day at the office and still have hours in the evening to relax, organize or spend time with friends. Now, with two kids and a business of my own, each minute seems so precious that I have to remind myself that they don’t all have to be productive. That it’s OK to watch a movie … or just listen to music and draw with my kiddos. The dusting—and emails—will still be there. The best thing: watching your children’s lives unfold, and observe who they become, is the greatest gift. I am humbled to watch them explore their world. You also get to reimagine your world through their eyes. To remember how fun it is to kick a soccer ball or dig for worms in the garden.
Follow Desiree on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and on her blog. Photo by Alyssa Dawson Photography.
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