[I’ve rewritten this intro about six times, which feels very on-brand.]

First off… welcome! My name is Jaidyn, and I’m so happy you’re here. I’m new to this whole blog thing, but I’m thrilled to have this little corner of the internet where we can hang out, strive for balanced nutrition together, and celebrate the wins - big and small! So, in the spirit of full transparency, let’s dive into some fun facts about yours truly.

• I ended up here because the idea of sharing nourishing recipes and my wellness journey has been crossing my mind for awhile. I’ve learned so much over the last couple of years and love the idea of documenting my journey.

• I currently live in the big, wide world of Texas! Originally I’m from Nebraska, but I like to say “my blood thinned out” when I moved south—and now I can’t handle the cold at all. I love living in a warm state with so many AMAZING food options (Texas BBQ or Tex-Mex, anyone?!). Speaking of food…

• I am SUCH a foodie. And thankfully, one of the best ways I’ve found to manage my symptoms is through simple, whole foods that genuinely make me feel good. I love being in the kitchen (okay… maybe not the cleaning part) and getting creative with new recipes. And let me tell you—I’ve tried someweirdrecipes for the sake of “health.”Chickpea flour donuts… I’m looking at you.

• When I’m not in the kitchen or enthralled in the latest nutrition lecture, you can find me working up a sweat on my Pilates mat, cozying up with a good book, or soaking up sunshine outside.

Here’s a little background on how I got here…

My health journey started all the way back in middle school when I struggled with severe acne (fun times!!). A lot of insecurity tagged along with that. I tried almost every promised cure out there: dermatologists, creams, skincare routines, antibiotics, holistic doctors, and supplements.

Fast forward to high school, when I began learning how important nutrition’s role is in optimally supporting your body for healing. Accordingly, I removed all the “inflammatory” foods from my diet. I immersed myself in the world of healthy eating. After exploring the cookbook and dieting sections of the library, I would haul home heavy armloads of whole-food cookbooks. For hours, I’d pour over them, choosing recipes to make in my own kitchen.

Being in the kitchen became an exciting adventure of flavors and learning new techniques. At that point, I was eating an extremely nutrient-dense diet, and it seemed to finally be paying off. But then… I started slipping into extremes as I got more and more restrictive.

It’s hard to describe how consuming constantly thinking about food and health can be. Let me put it this way: I unintentionally slid into the extreme. Every day, my thoughts were consumed by questions like,“What foods am I allowed to have?”and“What foods must I avoid?”When I “cheated” or “messed up,” I bullied myself.“Get a grip on yourself. Try harder!”I’d command myself sternly and desperately. I went on multiple intense “protocols” for my health - they did help, but were not something I could sustain!

I believed I could only have the health I desired if I ateperfectlyevery moment of every day. Living with that negative internal dialogue day in and day out became seriously defeating.

Finally, after overexerting myself in the pursuit of perfection, complete burnout hit me.“I can’t do this anymore,”I finally admitted.

That’s when I started backing off extreme dieting—and started working on my mindset. I love something my pastor says regularly:“Stop listening to yourself and start preaching to yourself.”We tell ourselves lies and believe them. But when you preach truth to yourself—specifically rehearsing God’s Word—you’ll find joy.

God graciously worked in my life during that season, growing my trust and obedience in Him. I began focusing on embracing grace over guilt and nourishing my body rather than living in restriction and deprivation mode.

Ultimately, I’m learning to embrace a healing mindset, preach truth to myself, and give myself grace when I’m not perfect. Because God is a God of grace, He wants us to reflect that grace. I finally found the way I wanted to live: a healthy, sustainable lifestyle that embraces nourishment and positivity—healing from the inside out. While I amfarfrom perfect, I’m learning to lean into an approach to wellness that feels good and can last my whole life. “Grace over guilt” is now the way I strive to live and let me tell you- I am feeling better than ever! Currently, I amresolvedto take a more sustainable approach with my more recent diagnosis of PCOS.

That passion for balanced nutrition led me to begin studies with the Nutritional Therapy Association to become a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner! I’m so excited about everything I’m learning and can’t wait for you to learn alongside me.

To keep things light (because I know that was a lot), here’s a little rapid-fire round to wrap things up:

• I love pickled broccoli. I KNOW what you’re thinking, but don’t knock it till you try it. I get it from my local farmers market, and it has just the right kick of spice—I can’t get enough.

• I’m currently working on perfecting the perfect matcha latte. Don’t get me wrong, I love coffee too—I’m just deep in a matcha phase right now. Plus, you can’t beat sipping something that green.

  

• I’m obsessed with the Food Network channel. Cooking shows are basically all I watch.Next Level Chef, Top Chef, MasterChef—you name it.

• I love making checklists. I will absolutely write the most basic tasks down just for the dopamine hit of checking them off.

• My current fav snack is my raw chocolate-walnut truffles. LITERALLY to die for—and I still can’t get over how simple the ingredients are.