Hi! I’m Deryn. I live in Vancouver, BC and I do all the writing, recipe development and photography here at Running on Real Food. I have been developing and sharing recipes at Running on Real Food since 2013.
I started this blog so I could share my experiences in healthy eating and fitness, and to motivate and inspire others to live a healthy lifestyle. Since then, Running on Real Food has grown. I am a full-time food blogger and certified strength and nutrition coach and I love what I do.
What does Running on Real Food mean?
Running on Real Food means fuelling your “engine” with real food. It’s all about using whole foods to fuel a healthy, balanced lifestyle. My hope for this website is for it to be a complete resource with everything you need to eat a healthy diet and feel great while doing it, without restriction.
I make room for plenty of treats too and am all about balance so you’ll find a wide variety of plant-based recipes to suit your needs, from healthy bowls to decadent desserts for every occasion.
About the Blog
Running on Real Food is a food blog that focuses on simple, healthy plant-based recipes anyone will love. You’ll also find a wealth of free workouts and articles on health, wellness and nutrition.
About the Recipes
All the recipes you find on Running on Real Food are plant-based and I try to keep my recipes as simple as I can by using easy to find ingredients. Since I ate fully plant-based much of my adult life, those are the recipes that I feel confident developing and sharing.
It’s important to me that healthy eating be realistic and doable for everyone and that anyone who wants to improve their health can find resources at Running on Real Food to support them.
How I Eat
I eat all foods but I do enjoy eating plant-based meals and proteins but I am not vegan. You can read more about my food philosophy here. To get started with some of my most popular recipes, resources and healthy living posts, check out my Start Here page.
Although I enjoy eating a plant-forward diet and love eating whole foods, I also love enjoying life, traveling and just having as much fun as I can while I’m here, so along with all that healthy food, there are plenty of treats. I do not restrict my diet in any way.
Food to me is can be both functional and pleasurable and while I mostly eat for function and to support my active lifestyle, I always make room for pleasure.
Fitness
I’ve always had a passion for health and fitness. I grew up with competitive swimming and over the years have competed in triathlon, running, cycling, fitness and CrossFit.
Over the past 30+ years I’ve done just about every kind of strength and conditioning. CrossFit, powerlifting, Olympic lifting, functional bodybuilding, bodybuilding and loved it all.
Over the last few years, I’ve continued strength training while training for a 50k trail ultra marathon, marathon, many half marathons, triathlons, half ironman and trail races.
In addition to training, I also love walking my dogs, hiking, swimming, yoga and generally just staying active and moving my body.
You can follow me on Instagram if you’re interested in my workouts or check out my collection of workouts on the blog.
My approach to training is that (seemingly boring) and basic works – progressive overload with managed overall training volume and using sport-specific training when needed.
I also think consistency and essential healthy habits are more important than advanced training and nutrition techniques and that all movement is good movement. I think training should be fun, enjoyable and something everyone should include and can benefit from, if able. I also think physical exercise is incredibly important for mental health and self-esteem, especially for younger people.
Also that it should be a positive addition to our lives, not consume them. It should be there to elevate our lives by keeping us strong and healthy so we can do, and keep doing, everything we enjoy. And finally, that the lifelong journey of training, and not any result or end goal, is what it’s all about, though tackling big goals and accomplishing them is awesome too.
Education
I’m a Certified Personal Trainer, Precision Nutrition Level 1 Coach, Sleep, Stress and Recovery Coach, CrossFit Level 1 Trainer, GGS Women’s Coaching Specialist and I have a Bachelor of Science degree.
I’m currently updating my Sports Nutritionist and Certified Strength Coach.
As for my personal experience in the fitness industry, I have over 25 years of lifting and training experience, I’ve also worked as a group fitness instructor, spin instructor, personal trainer, small group trainer, boot camp instructor and nutrition coach.
Training and Coaching
At Onward Strong, I provide online strength training programs and 1-on-1 nutrition coaching, helping our members and my nutrition clients reach their strength and performance goals and improve their nutrition and habits.
eBooks & Guides
- Super Simple Plant-Based
- Vegan Protein Smoothies
- 7 Day Vegan Meal Plan
- 8-Week Dumbbell Training Guide
- 2-Week Plant-Based Protein Meal Plan
Get in Touch
Please give me a shout anytime, you can always find me on Facebook and Instagram or feel free to shoot me an email at the address below. I love connecting with you guys more than anything.
Contact me by email at deryn {at} runningonrealfood {dot} com, or visit my Contact page for more information.
