Hi! I’m Raegen
About me
I’m so excited and grateful that you’re here sharing your time with me.
Where to begin? Well I guess at the beginning!
I have always loved to cook! As a teenager I probably rolled my eyes and protested when I came home to find a recipe on the counter for me to start dinner, however, in actuality I don't think I minded much. It came pretty easy to me since I’d spent much of my early years watching my grandmothers in the kitchen.
Fast forward to my second year at the University of Kansas, and I fell in love with the Food Network! It was constantly on in the background while I studied. I would record episodes (pre-DVR..eek!) and watch them at night. I learned to COOK from my girls Rachel and Giada, and my boy Bobby!
In 2010, I got married, moved to Oklahoma and had to give up my corporate job as an operations manager in a large marketing and events company. I started my job hunting and found no one wanted to hire me as a military spouse that couldn’t guarantee at least 5 years (yes, I was told that by several companies!). I was very lucky that my previous bosses knew my value and continued to keep me on as a contractor. I was dang good at my job! Even so, with no friends and no office to go in to, I started having quite a bit of time on my hands to experiment in the kitchen. Some things I knocked out of the park and…..some things were nearly inedible, but my new husband would smile, shake his head and just keep eating it anyway! God bless him!
Where does Nutrition come in?
I’ve always been interested in nutrition, reading just about every book on the subject I could get my hands on. When trying to get pregnant for the first time, I started putting into play all the things I’d been reading and making changes to what I was putting in and on my body. Through this self study I quickly realized the impact that my choices had not only for my future babies, but their future babies and beyond. It blew my mind! As moms, I think we all want to do the best we can for our kids, and know that we did everything we could to help them have happy, healthy lives!
Over the last 12 years now, we’ve made slow, gradual changes to our lifestyle and how we eat. Are we perfect 100% of the time? Absolutely not! And I would never want to be. But I do believe that because we didn’t try to make drastic changes all at once we’ve been extremely successful in finding the groove of a healthy lifestyle and laying a strong foundation for our kids.
How did I end up as a registered dietitian and board certified in integrative and functional nutrition?
My husband and I used to frequently joke asking each other “what are we going to be when we grow up?” Apparently a 20+ year military career and operations management were just our appetizers! One night we were joking together, and my husband looked at me reading yet another nutrition and wellness related book and said “can’t you take all that stuff you love to read about and turn it into a career?” Well….yeah I could probably do that.
The next day I spent researching! By the next week, I was applying to Nutrition and Dietetics programs! And by that Fall I was starting classes! I LOVED school! I would be a lifelong college student if I could afford it! It’s amazing when you love what you are learning, when you see the vision of what you want in front of you, how much easier and more fulfilling it becomes the second time around! Don’t get me wrong, I loved college the first time around as well, but more for the social aspects!
I graduated with duel degrees in both Dietetics and Human Nutrition, and completed my required internship in the areas of community nutrition, school nutrition, outpatient care, and functional medicine. The later being my favorite by far. Following completing my examination to become a registered dietitian, I completed additional requirements to become board certified in integrative and functional medicine nutrition.
So that’s how I got here! Thanks for sticking with me through my tale!
Why I created Living A Life Well Fed?
A huge reason I decided to start Living a Life Well Fed is because I needed it! If I’m being really honest, there are some really great resources out there (and some really terrible ones as well), but to me, most tend to make nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle unattainable. Like only for celebrities and social media influencers, only for those that can afford 50 adaptogens and 500 supplements. Anyone feel me on this?
I wanted to create a space where the “food rules” are thrown out! Where we seek real food first and what makes us feel good! Where we don’t have to subscribe to any one way of eating or one food camp! And where there is zero shame in that!
Plus, gosh darnit! I’m a busy mom, and often fly solo in the parenting role, and don't always have the time to sit and meditate for an hour, drinking tea created from unicorn tears, before I do yoga for an hour in peace and quiet, with my 3 course all organic meals….as lovely as that all sounds! That’s not real life for me. I applaud anyone who can do it all and it brings them joy. However, I also applaud those for being ok with the fact that it’s ok to not do ALL. THE. THINGS. someone says I should make the time for to be truly healthy.