Can I Lose Weight Doing Intuitive Eating?

With the start of a new year comes new year resolutions, which for most people, tend to center around health. Perhaps you’ve tried diet after diet and are instead searching for another way to take back your health without eating 10 grams of carbs and nothing but pork rinds and steaks (cough cough keto). Perhaps during your searching you’ve come across the term Intuitive Eating. Whether Intuitive Eating is something you’ve just discovered or if it’s an approach you’ve been hearing about (I.e. my previous post or basically every post on my IG account @FeelGoodDietitian) most people that are new or unfamiliar tend to have the same question:

I think I get this question so often because people want to lose weight (either because they think it will improve their health or self-esteem or both), but recognize that diets don’t work. And I’ll be honest with you…when I first started Intuitive Eating, in the back of my mind I kind of hoped I would lose weight too!

⁣How can you not? Our culture celebrates weight loss! But what I didn’t realize at the time, was that Intuitive Eating is not about the weight loss. In fact, it is a weight neutral approach, meaning weight loss is put on the backburner.

Still people fear that if they implement the 10 principles of intuitive eating , they’ll never be able to stop eating and will gain weight forever. (Rightfully so after we’ve been fed the lie that we can’t trust our bodies, we have to use portion control and must weigh and measure everything we eat!) This just simply does not happen. There are three things that can happen though when you start Intuitive Eating:⁣

1. You lose weight⁣

2. You gain weight⁣

3. Your weight stays the same ⁣

For people that were extremely restrictive, overexercising, etc. it’s likely that in order to return back to health, their body may need to gain some weight. For people in a restrict, binge cycle, it is possible those individuals will lose weight as they reduce their bingeing behavior. For others, their weight might not change at all.

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Everyone is different and things will vary from person to person. What’s important though is that we put weight loss on the back burner. That’s not what Intuitive Eating is about and focusing on it hinders your ability to listen to your body for guidance. Weight DOES NOT determine health and whether you gain, lose or stay the same, you can and will improve your health when you improve your relationship with food.

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Your weight might go up and then down, or down and then up, or maybe just remain the same. Eventually though most people tend to settle into a place that is healthy for them. ⁣

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This is usually the place your body settles into when you are no longer dieting, you’ve made peace with food, you are honoring your hunger and fullness, coping with your emotions without food, moving your body in a way that feels good to you and using gentle nutrition to guide your eating behaviors.

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It’s the place where you can go out with friends without stressing over the menu; where you can go on vacation without fear of gaining weight; where you can eat without guilt, shame or penance. ⁣

Does this mean your body will never change? Nope? Bodies are meant to change! But remember, your size doesn’t determine your worth or your health - (which is a concept that is hard to accept in a culture that praises thinness)⁣!

We come in all shapes and sizes - the diversity is what makes us so great! I like to give the example of different breeds of dogs. Do we expect Golden Retrievers to restrict their dog food or exercise excessively so they can look like Greyhounds? Of course not! Just because Golden Retrievers don’t look like Greyhounds doesn’t mean they aren’t awesome!

It can be extremely hard to accept that perhaps what you consider to be your “ideal body” is not what is written in your genetic blueprint. But when you learn to appreciate your body and reject the diet mentality, that’s where true health is achieved; and where life tends to get a lot more fun!

If you would like to get started on your own Intuitive Eating journey, apply here for 1-on-1 coaching.

What Is Intuitive Eating?

Intuitive Eating is an evidenced-based approach to eating that integrates emotion, instinct and rational thought. The eating framework is based on 10 principles and was created in 1995 by two dietitians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. Intuitive Eating is a weight-neutral model and is backed by over 125 studies to date. This approach teaches you how to honor your health by tuning back into the body and responding to the messages it gives you in order to meet your needs.

The 10 Principles

This dynamic and personal process includes the following principles:

1. Reject the Diet Mentality

2. Honor Your Hunger

3. Make Peace with Food

4. Challenge the Food Police

5. Discover the Satisfaction Factor

6. Feel Your Fullness

7. Cope With Your Emotions With Kindness

8. Respect Your Body

9. Movement—Feel the Difference

10. Gentle Nutrition

These principles work together to help you break down rules and old beliefs that you may have picked up from the media, a well-meaning family member, or through years of dieting. Instead it teaches you how to cultivate a more supportive inner dialogue and build trust in the body to provide the necessary feedback to meet your biological and psychological needs.

Will Intuitive Eating Improve My Health?

Intuitive Eating has been associated with improved physical and mental health outcomes such as:

• Higher self-esteem

• Improved body-trust

• Increased satisfaction with life

• Improved body image

• Optimism and well-being

• Reduced guilt/shame around eating

• Proactive coping skills

• Lower rates of emotional eating

• Lower rates of disordered eating

• Lower body mass indexes

• Higher HDL (good) cholesterol levels

• Lower Triglyceride levels

How Do I Define Intuitive Eating?

Now that you know the official definition of intuitive eating, I thought I might share with you my personal definition of it. This definition is much shorter and can be summarized into one word.

FREEDOM

Intuitive Eating gave me back my freedom - the freedom dieting had stolen from me for more than half my life. The freedom to go out to dinner with friends without checking the calorie count ahead of time. The freedom to enjoy a meal without doing extensive math in my head to calculate the macronutrients. The freedom to go to the beach and travel without packing my food or fearing weight gain. The freedom to eat my favorite foods without guilt, shame, a sense of urgency or the need to burn it off the next day.

Intuitive Eating helped me overcome years of binge eating and bulimia. It not only gave me back my freedom but it gave me the life I had always hoped for. It taught me how to respect and honor my body; how to stop tearing myself down and criticizing every inch of flesh. It taught me compassion, self-care, appreciation and body-trust. It gave me back my physical and mental health and has positively impacted every single arena of my life from health, to family, relationships and career.

Are You Interested in Becoming an Intuitive Eater?

I work with clients virtually across the U.S., helping people who are frustrated with dieting and want to change their relationship with food. Learn more about my Intuitive Eating programs to see how you can give up dieting for good, eat the foods you love, and achieve authentic health.

"I Can't Stop Eating At Night!"

“I’m so good all day….and then I get home and all bets are off!”

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“I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t stop eating at night!”

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“I think there is something legitimately wrong with me!”

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“I think I have a food addiction!”

Sound familiar? Do you find yourself eating “good” all day long, only to come home and eat anything and everything in sight? Well, you aren’t alone! In fact, I hear this from clients every single day. Many truly believe that since they can’t “get a handle” on their eating, that something is inherently wrong with them. First and foremost, nothing is wrong with you. Any time you are eating in a way that might feel out of control, there is always a reason behind it. In short, you are most likely overeating at night because you didn’t eat enough (either intentionally or unintentionally) throughout the day. Let’s look at two scenarios that demonstrate this. Afterwards, we’ll look at how emotional eating comes into play as well.

Scenario 1:

Your alarm goes off at 6:48 am giving you exactly 12 minutes to shower, brush your teeth, get dressed and get out the door. You hardly have time to wash your face, much less consume a balanced meal. You grab a coffee on your way to the train and answer work emails the entire ride to work.

From the minute you arrive at your desk at 8 am, to the minute you leave at 7 pm, you hardly have a minute to use the bathroom. Between emails, meetings and phone calls, your day is jam packed. You manage to find five minutes to grab a salad from SweetGreen around 12 o’clock and proceed to eat it at your desk, working while eating lunch. You are in the zone throughout the rest of the day and hardly think about food at all.

You finally punch out for the day and arrive home at 8 pm. You change into your comfy clothes, relax for a second, and, now that you’ve finally exited “fight or flight mode”, a massive wave of hunger hits you like a ton of bricks. You’ve been underfed all day and primal hunger has kicked in.

You start snacking while waiting for dinner, then eat a large dinner only to continue to snack in front of the TV. Do you have a food addiction? No, you are simply hungry and underfed from the day. You body is kicking in and doing what it is designed to do, survive.

You go to bed feeling uncomfortable and potentially sleep poorly (which will increase hunger the next day as well) since your body is still trying to digest your food. You wake up in the morning still full from the night before and skip breakfast. This cycle continues…..

Scenario 2:

You feel guilt over your eating choices and your late night snacking. You’ve been eating so “bad” recently and vow to lose weight for good this time. Your alarm goes off at 6:35 this time so you have time to have a “healthy breakfast”. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day right - better start the day off on the right foot! You eat a fat-free greek yogurt and grab a small skim latte on your way to work. “Today I will be good! No more overeating!” you remind yourself as you start the day.

You get to work and proceed as normal, enjoying a salad you brought from home for lunch. You eat it around 12:00 pm and go about your day. Around 3:00 pm you make time for a “healthy snack” and grab a hard boiled egg. The day continues and you feel a sense of pride as you reflect on how “good” you’ve been. No bread, no sweets!

Again you arrive home around 8pm and eat a “sensible” dinner of chicken and broccoli; after all, carbs after dark are forbidden right? You feel proud of yourself for how good you were today….. until 9:30/10 pm rolls around and the craving for chocolate chip cookies kicks in. That voice starts luring you into the pantry and although you try to fight, it’s like you are being controlled by another entity. So you remind yourself of how you promised to be “good” and you try to curb your craving for cookies with a Quest Bar…..but that didn’t do the trick. So you have some Halo Top (diet ice cream) to try to satisfy that sweet tooth, but you’re still left feeling like something is missing. This continues until you have eaten a bag of popcorn, some cheese, and another Quest Bar at which point you say “screw it I already blew it for the day” and polish off 6 cookies.

You go to bed feeling ashamed and wake up with guilt over your eating from the night before. You pledge to be better. The vicious cycle continues.

So do either of these scenarios sound like you? Do both of these scenarios sound like you? This is SO normal, but it can be uncomfortable and frustrating! The moral of the story is that you need to fuel yourself throughout the day. No matter how much willpower you think you might have, your body is more powerful and will kick into overdrive to force you to eat. It sees restriction (intentional or unintentional) as famine, and goes into survive mode, driving you to eat. When we get to this dangerous level of hunger, our bodies drive us to eat quickly and lead us to seek high calorie foods in order to get as much energy into the body as fast as possible. This is why when you are hangry, you aren’t usually reaching for carrot sticks. If this resonated with you, try eating breakfast, lunch and some snacks, so you are fueling your body every 3-4 hours. If you are eating throughout the day and truly feel like you are giving your body what it needs energy wise and STILL feel like you are overeating at night, it might be because you are using food to fill some other void.

Emotional Eating

Often times people use food to cover up emotions they don’t want to experience. This can also be intentional or unintentional. It’s also possible to have never learned another coping mechanism. If you are someone that has turned to food in times of sadness or pain for a majority of your life, it can be extremely helpful to work with a mental health professional to work through these challenging emotions and along with any past traumas.

In these moments of emotional eating, it can be helpful to pause and ask yourself “what am I feeling?” to identify the emotion you are experiencing. From there, ask yourself “what do I need?” to truly tend to this emotional need. Use the chart to the right for assistance. Perhaps you need support and can call a friend. Or maybe you really just need some alone time as an act of self care.

Now remember, eating is emotional (such as when we celebrate with birthday cake) but when we use food as our only coping mechanism issues arise. Not only do we have to eventually deal with the source of the emotion, but we have to deal with the consequences of overeating as well.

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Is Something Else Missing?

If your basic needs are not met, you may also experience challenges in your eating. Instead of meeting yours needs, you may use food to fill a void that exists in another area of life. Use the chart to the left to see if your basic needs are being met.

Perhaps instead of food you really need rest. Perhaps instead of food you need some other form of stress reduction. Perhaps instead of food you really need to feel fulfilled from hobbies or religion. Or perhaps you need to find a new way to cope with the negative and uncomfortable emotions you are experiencing. Please also note that certain medications can lead to increased hunger as well.

Working through these issues alone can be challenging. If a lot of this information resonates with you, I would highly suggest seeking out the help of a mental health professional along with the help of a registered dietitian. If you are looking for a RD to help you make peace with food and address your binge/over eating, you can click below to see all of the services I offer from 1-on-1 coaching to my self-guided intuitive eating program.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

A client of mine that has some food allergies was looking for a protein powder alternative last week. After doing some searching through Amazon, I came across Carrington Farms Coconut Protein Powder. This powder is a blend of organic coconut powder, organic pumpkin powder and organic pea powder. It has 8 grams of fiber and 20 grams of protein! I decided to give it a try myself. It arrived the next day thanks to amazon prime and after smelling it I determined it would not enhance the flavor of a shake AT ALL. “Perhaps it would be good for baking” I thought. Last night I was in the mood for some good smells and noticed I had some extremely ripe bananas laying around, so I whipped up a loaf of this Peanut Butter Banana Bread. This recipe is pretty “allergy friendly” in that the peanut butter can be swapped out for cashew, sunflower, pecan etc. If you don’t have the coconut protein powder you can also use coconut flour. I figured I’d give the loaf a protein/fiber boost to help keep me fuller longer.

Ingredients

• 4 medium ripe bananas

• 2 large eggs

• 1/2 cup nut butter (I used crunchy peanut butter)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup coconut protein powder (I used Carrington Farms Organic ; could also use coconut flour)

• coconut oil (for greasing the pan)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan with coconut oil.

2. In a large bowl, mash bananas with masher or fork.

3. Push banana off to one side and add in the eggs. Whisk them with a fork.

4. Add in the peanut butter, vanilla, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

5. Stir everything to combine well.

6. Add in the coconut protein or flour and mix.

7. Pour batter in loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool off completely.

9. Cut yourself a slice, add an extra goop of nut butter and enjoy!

10. Refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Banana Bread Bars

You know what coffee shop I love??? Gregory’s. They have delicious coffee and reallllly tasty baked goods. You know what I don’t love about Gregory’s Coffee though? The fact that ONE energy ball is $3.50!!!! Every time I buy one of them I savor every bite while simultaneously kicking myself for spending $3.50 on a tablespoon of rolled mush.

These banana bread bars are inspired by Gregory’s energy bites but TBH they don’t taste anything like them. I made these as simple as possible because that’s how I live my life :)

You can spice them up (literally) with cinnamon or nutmeg; maybe add some coconut flakes; get really wild add some chocolate chips - the world is your oyster. If you have a peanut allergy you could also skip the powdered peanut butter and just add a bit more oatmeal to soak up the moisture. Maybe do a little flax meal - hey I’m down for a good time. These bars are great to grab and go in the morning, as a mid-afternoon snack, or a pre-workout bite to fuel you towards your gains. Whatever it is, enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 3 ripe medium bananas

• 2 cups rolled gluten-free oats

• 3 scoops Naked Nutrition chocolate peanut butter powder

• 1 T chia seeds

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• dash of salt

• Optional add in’s: coconut flakes, nuts, seeds, cranberries, raisins, chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper. (We ran out of parchment paper so I had to use aluminum foil - just be sure to spray with cooking spray)

2. Mash bananas in a large bowl

3. Stir in dry ingredients

4. Using about 2 T of “dough” form into a rectangle and place on cookie sheet. This should make about 8-10 bars depending on the size

5. Bake for 12 minutes

6. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.

7. Store in airtight container and keep in the refrigerator to last longer. You can microwave for 15-20 seconds to get them all goey again :)

Banana Bread Bars

Cruciferous Crunch Broccoli Slaw Salad

Summer might be winding down but it’s never too late to throw a new side dish into the mix. This cruciferous crunch broccoli slaw salad features two of the many wonderful things one can find at Trader Joe’s. Based off the name can you guess??? That’s right, a bag of cruciferous crunch collection and a bag of broccoli slaw! You can throw this salad together in 10 minutes and bring it to a BBQ or keep if for yourself and enjoy it all week!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C red wine vinegar

• 2 T balsamic vinegar

• 1/3 cup EVOO

• 1/4 t black pepper

• 1/4 t garlic powder

• 1/2 t salt

• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds (I used roasted & salted)

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries 

• 1 bag broccoli slaw (Trader Joes)

• 1 bag cruciferous crunch collection (Trader Joes)

Directions:

1. Combine red wine vinegar, balsamic, salt, pepper and garlic in a blender

2. Turn blender on low and slowly drizzle in olive oil through the top

3. If you are working with a magic bullet, combines all liquids and spices and blend

4. Place dressing to the side

5. Pour half of the bag of broccoli slaw and half the cruciferous crunch into a large bowl

6. Add half of the cranberries and half of the sunflower seeds in

7. Pour half the dressing over the top and combing everything.

8. Toss for 3-5 minutes until everything is well saturated

9. Add in the remaining broccoli slaw, cruciferous crunch mix, seeds, cranberries and dressing

10. Continue to toss everything together for another 3-5 minutes

11. If you need to adjust taste, add more salt, pepper, garlic powder or vinegar

12. Serve cold 

9 Tips to Ease Depression with Nutrition

This post is not to be interpreted as a “cure” for depression. Depression is a complex, multi-factorial illness. Nutrition however, may a play a role in easing some of the symptoms. If you are experiencing depression, please be sure to seek the help of a qualified mental health professional.

1) Eat Protein at Each Meal

Foods like turkey, tuna and chicken contain an amino acid called tryptophan, which helps produce serotonin (feel good chemical). Include protein at each meal to keep blood sugar levels steady, energy levels high and hunger levels low. Good sources include poultry, fish, beans, grass-fed beef, and yogurt. 

2) Increase Your Water Intake

Dehydration can affect mental status and mood. Fluid needs can vary depending on age, activity level, disease status and climate however a good rule of thumb is 0.5 oz per pound of body weight. Keep a water bottle on your desk or in your bag as a reminder to drink up!

Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

3) Choose Complex Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates may increase serotonin (the happy neurotransmitter) in your brain. Choose foods rich in complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, wild rice, oatmeal and whole grain sprouted breads.  Limit sugary foods and beverages which can cause more cravings, crashes and inflammation in the body.

4) Get Enough Vitamin D

Vitamin D receptors are located throughout your body, including your brain. Studies show a correlation between low vitamin D levels and depression. Increase safe sun exposure and include vitamin D-rich foods such as sardines, salmon, eggs and cod liver oil. 

5) Include Probiotic-Rich Foods

The gut is responsible for delivering nutrients to all organs (including the brain) and for constraining harmful bacteria and molecules from the rest of the body. Poor gut health can lead to “leaky gut” which can allow toxins to cross into the blood stream and eventually into the brain. It can also cause inflammation throughout the entire body. Additionally, 90% of serotonin (the happy neurotransmitter) production occurs in the gut. To maintain a healthy gut microbiome, include probiotic-rich foods such as kefir, kombucha, organic sauerkraut and kimchi. 

6) Choose Omega-3 Rich Foods

Studies show that people that don’t get enough omega-3, may have higher rates of depression. Omega-3 fatty acids may reduce anxiety as and improve depression.  Include flax seeds, hemp seeds, chia seeds and wild-caught fatty fish like Wild Alaskan salmon, sardines and tuna. An omega-3 supplement may be beneficial for vegans and those that consume little or no fish.

7) Include Antioxidant-Rich Foods

Due to environmental factors and the byproduct of metabolism, our bodies accumulate molecules called “free radicals” which can cause cell damage, aging and other problems. The brain is particularly at risk to free radicals. Antioxidants help “clean up” free radicals. To reduce the destructive effect of free radicals, include antioxidant-rich foods in your diet.

Photo by Tomasz Olszewski on Unsplash

• Fruits: Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, apples, prunes, sweet cherries, plums, black plums

• Beans: Pinto, red kidney, dried small red

• Fats: Walnuts, pecans, grass-fed butter, coconut oil, wheat germ, flax-seed, hemp seeds

• Vegetables: Artichokes, kale, spinach, beets, broccoli, pumpkin, sweet potato, peppers, onions 

• Spices: Turmeric, ginger, oregano

8) Lifestyle Factors

Caffeine can trigger anxiety, dehydrate the body and interfere with sleep. Excessive caffeine intake can fatigue your adrenal glands and elevate the stress hormone cortisol. Adrenal fatigue is associated with other health problems such as high blood pressure, IBS, ulcers, acid reflux, and Crohn’s disease. Many people who are depressed also have problems with alcohol or drugs. Not only can they interfere with your mood, sleep and motivation, they can also reduce the effectiveness of your depression medications. Work with a qualified health professional if you need help with alcohol or drug dependence.

2-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

I know it’s probably bad to say as a dietitian, but I don’t like to make complicated things in the kitchen. I love BEING in the kitchen, but I like to keep things simple. This mug cake is a great way to make busy mornings super easy. Just mix the dry ingredients at night, wake up, stir in the liquid, microwave and boom!

Or, if you are like me and cannot finish dinner without something sweet/chocolatey, this mug cake is an awesome way to seal the meal.

2-Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup Birch Benders Paleo Pancake Mix (scroll down to food section)

• 1 T cacao powder

• dash of sea salt

• 1/3 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)

• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

• Toppings (optional): peanut butter, nuts, coconut flake, cacao nibs

Directions:

Note: I normally eat a mug cake straight from the mug, but I wanted to showcase all of its beauty. If you’d like to do the same, spray the mug with some cooking spray or wipe down the sides (and bottom) with coconut oil.

1) Combine pancake mix, cacao powder and sea salt in mug.

2) Stir in almond milk and vanilla extract.

3) Microwave for 60 seconds.

4) Top with peanut butter or any other topping you like and enjoy warm!

How Yo-Yo Dieting is Harming Your Health

We live in a world that not only shames obesity, but blames it for almost every chronic disease. Whether our doctor tells us we are 10 pounds “overweight'“ or 100 pounds “overweight”, we live in fear that this weight will eventually lead to our demise.

So what are we told to do? Lose weight of course! How? Through DIET and EXERCISE!

More often than not, people embark on a weight loss journey in an attempt to improve their health. Now don’t get me wrong - changing up your nutrition can and will improve your health - IF you change the way you THINK about food. Most people however, tend to engage in restrictive, unhealthy behaviors in order to lose weight though (which remember, was to be healthy - backwards much?)

I’ll cut out carbs. Nothing white allowed. Only protein and veggies. No eating after 6pm. No more sweets. Fast intermittently. Do weight watchers. Go keto. Give vegan a try.

These are some of the ideas we come up with for ourselves or are given as suggestions from friends, family AND DOCTORS.

What if I told you restrictive diets not only DON’T WORK (as in they don’t keep weight off long term) BUT actually NEGATIVELY impact both your PHYSICAL and MENTAL HEALTH?

That’s right - diets ARE BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH!

Today I am going to share the biological, physical, psychological and emotional ways in which diets can negatively impact your health. The following information is adopted from Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch’s book Intuitive Eating; A revolutionary program that works (pg 48-49).

Biological and Physical Damage

Throughout the history of our human existence, human starvation has occurred. In some parts of the world, it still occurs today. In order to survive as a species, human beings adapted during times of famine and learned to hold on to extra energy stores. In order to survive, we needed to store fat. Today, although our technology, access to food and day-to-day lifestyles have changed drastically, this built in survival mechanism has not - and it kicks on when we diet. Which leads to the following:

1. “Chronic dieting teaches the body to retain more fat when you start eating again. Low-calorie diets double the enzymes that make and store fat in the body. This is a form of biological compensation to help the body store more energy, or fat, after dieting.”

2. “Chronic dieting slows the rate of weight loss with each successive attempt to diet.”

3. “Decreases metabolism. Dieting triggers the body to become more efficient at utilizing calories by lowering the body’s need for energy”

4. “Increases binges and cravings. Both humans and rats have been shown to overeat after chronic food restriction. Food restriction stimulates the brain to launch a cascade of cravings to eat more. After substantial weight loss, studies show that rats prefer eating more fat, while people have been shown to prefer foods both high in fat and sugar”

5. “Increase risk of premature death and heart disease.” Studies have shown that people who’s weight repeatedly goes up and down, have a higher death rate and two times the risk of dying of heart disease (independent of cardiovascular risk factors, and held true for thin and obese people). The Harvard Alumni Health Study shows that people who lose and gain 11+ pounds within 10 years or so, don’t live as long as people that maintain a stable weight.

6. “Cause satiety cues to atrophy”. Dieters learn to rely on external cues/rules to stop eating rather than listening to inner cues of fullness.

7. “Cause body shape to change. Yo-yo dieters who continually regain the lost weight tend to regain weight in the abdominal area. This type of fat storage increase the risk of heart disease.”

Irregular periods, fatigue, dry skin, hair loss, and headaches are other side effects of dieting.

Psychological and Emotional Damage

1. “Dieting is linked to eating disorders.” In one study, by age 15, dieters were 8x more likely to suffer from an eating disorder than non-dieters.

2. Dieting causes feeling of failure, erodes self-trust, confidence and self-esteem. It can also increase social anxiety.

3. Loss of control when eating. Continuous restriction and deprivation can trigger overeating when a “forbidden” food is consumed.

As you can see, dieting is harmful in so many ways. You are probably thinking “Okay so what am I supposed to do instead? Learning to eat intuitively is the answer, for EVERY SINGLE PERSON. Intuitive eating is a paradigm shift on how we approach food. It is looking at nutrition from a completely different frame of reference and getting back in touch with the intuition we were all born with.

Are you ready to get off the merry-go-round that is the diet cycle and become an intuitive eater FOR LIFE? Click HERE to if you’d like to chat about my 1-on-1 programs. Not ready to take that step? Want to get your toes wet first? Check out The Feel Good Mentality Workbook!

Summer Lentil Salad

Trader Joe’s does it again with their steamed, ready-to-eat lentils. This definitely isn’t a new product, I’m just late to the game and bummed I’ve been missing out on such deliciousness this whole time. This lentil salad is great as a meal, a side, a snack or on top of a salad. It has a summery feel to it because it’s a cold salad and because of the lime flavor, BUT thanks to climate change who can even keep track of what season we’re in?? The best part about this recipe….it takes about 5 minutes to make!

Ingredients:

• Trader Joe’s steamed lentils (1 box)

• 1/2-1/3 cup chopped scallions (depending on how big of a scallion fan you are)

• 1/3 cup diced tomatoes

• 1/3 cup chopped cucumber

• juice from 1 lime

• salt / pepper / garlic to taste

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well (unless you’re trying to go for aesthetics for blogs and or social media then mix everything but the cucumbers together and then carefully place chopped cuc’s in a pile in the middle).

2. Serve cold.

Homemade Nutella

Not going to lie, I was patting myself on the back for this one. This homemade Nutella tastes just like the stuff you’d buy in the store!

Homemade Nutella

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 C dry roasted hazelnuts

• 1 T + 1 tsp coconut oil

• 2 T cacao powder

• 8-12 drops liquid stevia

Directions:

1. Add hazelnuts and coconut oil to food processor or high-speed blender like a Vitamix (if using Vitamix like I did, you’ll need to use the tamper)

2. Blend / process on high for 1-2 minutes

3. Add cacao powder

4. Blend

5. Scrape from sides with rubber spatula

6. Add 8 drops of stevia, blend and taste. Add more for more sweetness

7. Use a rubber spatula to scrape nutella from sides of the blender/processor into a glass jar or dish

8. Enjoy with apples, bananas, toast or my favorite way, straight from the jar with a spoon :)

Easing Anxiety with Nutrition

Easing Anxiety with Nutrition

This post is not to be interpreted as a “cure” for anxiety. Anxiety is a complex and multi-factorial. Nutrition however, may a play a role in easing some of the symptoms. Worrying about your food TOO much though can cause anxiety. These tips are all things to ADD in to support your body. If you are experiencing anxiety, please be sure to seek the help of a qualified mental health professional. If you are experiencing anxiety around your food, I’d recommend working with an Intuitive Eating counselor to heal your relationship with food.

Eat Protein at Breakfast (most meals throughout the day)

Protein can help you feel fuller longer and helps to stabilize blood sugar level so you have more energy throughout the day. Protein is also necessary for the production of dopamine and serotonin (neurotransmitters that make you feel good!). Good sources of protein include: eggs, chicken, fish, turkey, pork, beef, tofu, beans and greek yogurt.

Choose Complex Carbohydrates

Complex carbohydrates may increase serotonin (a neurotransmitter that has a calming effect) levels in the brain. Choose foods rich in complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, wild rice, oatmeal and whole grain sprouted breads.

Increase Your Water Intake

Dehydration can affect mental status and mood. Dehydration has been linked to a raise in cortisol (the stress hormone) levels. Keep a water bottle on your desk or in your bag as a reminder to drink up!

Mind Your Minerals

Magnesium can have a calming effect on the body. Incorporate high magnesium foods such as nuts, seeds, legumes and leafy greens such as swiss chard, spinach and kale. Foods rich in zinc, such as cashews, grass-fed beef, egg yolks and oysters, have been linked to lower anxiety.

Include Prebiotic and Probiotic-rich Foods

Probiotics are important for a healthy gut microbiome. Studies show that fermented foods that contain probiotics, protect against social anxiety. Include probiotic-rich foods such as kefir, kombucha, organic sauerkraut and kimchi. Prebiotics are basically food for probiotics. Prebiotics can be found in the following foods: onions, garlic, leeks, asparagus, banana, apple and chicory root. You can also add in a good probiotic supplement. This is my favorite one.

Choose Omega-3 Rich Foods

Omega-3 fatty acids may also reduce anxiety as well as improving depression. Include flax seeds, chia seeds and wild-caught fatty fish like wild Alaskan salmon. Most people would benefit from adding in an fish oil supplement. If you are taking blood thinners, consult your doctor before taking one.

Limit / Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol

Caffeine can make you feel jittery and nervous, interfere with sleep and dehydrate you. Excessive caffeine intake can fatigue your adrenal glands and elevate the stress hormone cortisol. Adrenal fatigue is associated with other health problems such as high blood pressure, IBS, stomach ulcers, acid reflux, and Crohn’s disease. Drinking alcohol may seem like a good way to calm your nerves, but in reality, it causes spikes and dips in blood sugar, dehydrates you, and causes impaired brain function—all of which can lead to anxious feelings. This may in turn make you want to drink even more. You can see the vicious cycle.

Include Antioxidant-Rich Foods

A lowered total antioxidant state is thought to be correlated with anxiety. Including antioxidant rich foods in your diet may help relieve some anxiety symptoms.

Fruits: Apples (Gala, Granny Smith, Red Delicious), prunes, sweet cherries, plums, black plums)
Berries: Blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, cranberries, raspberries
Beans: Pinto, red kidney
Nuts: Walnuts, pecans
Vegetables: Artichokes, kale, spinach, beets, broccoli
Spices: Turmeric and ginger

Which Diet is Best For Me?

which diet is best for me?

If you are reading this, chances are you’ve been on a diet before.

Paleo

Keto

Atkins

Weight Watchers

Vegan

Carnivore

Whole 30

Flexible Dieting (If It Fits Your Macros - IIFYM)

Intermittent Fasting

Low carb

Low fat

Vegetarian

Gluten-free

Zone Diet

Blood Type Diet

Cabbage Soup Diet

Cookie Diet

Alkaline Diet

South Beach

Raw Food Diet

Slimfast

Special K

Jenny Craig

The Master Cleanse

These are 24 diets I could think of off the top of my head. There are hundreds more out there but for arguments sake lets say there are 24. So with 24 styles of eating, 24 programs that claim to be the answer to health and weight loss, here we are……confused, frustrated and disappointed.

What. The. French…?

How is it that we have so much research, so much technology, so much access to information and yet we are still trying to figure out how to get this nutrition thing “right”?

If you are like most of us and have tried 3,6,10 or all of the diets listed above, I’m glad you are here! Today I’m going to talk briefly about how you can finally find a style of eating that works FOR YOU.

“Wait a second, I’ve heard this before” you might be thinking, and I don’t blame you for your skepticism! Unlike many people behind these fad diets, I’m not here to sell you a book or product. I’m not here to offer you empty promises. I’m not here to tell you how to drop 12 pounds fast. I’m here to help you give all of this up for good, settle into a weight that is healthy for your body and help you get back to more important things in life that don’t involve points, grams or a food scale.

Your mom was right….You are special :) You are unique and unlike anyone else on this planet (yay for affirmations).

We are all unique. We have different lifestyles, different activity levels, different upbringings and different genes. We have different goals, different medical histories, make different amounts of money, and have different food preferences.

SO WHY WOULD WE ALL EAT THE SAME?!

What works for one person might not work for someone else.

So then, what is the BEST DIET for YOU?!

The best diet for you is:

• fluid

• enjoyable

• non-restrictive

• sustainable long-term

The best diet for you also:

• improves sleep

• provides variety

• aids in good digestion

• allows for social events

• meets your medical needs

• supports stable energy and mood

• provides satisfaction and pleasure

• meets your physical and emotional needs

• aligns with your cultural and personal beliefs

• promotes health (but not so much that you miss out on the satisfaction factor of foods)

“Cool” you might be thinking…..how do I figure out what that looks like?

That my friend is the work, and it’s the work not everyone wants to do. We live in a society today where we want instant gratification (and I’ve got my hand way up, I am massively impatient and I know it) and we don’t want to do the work or wait for the results.

It’s a lot easier to follow a plan mindlessly then tune into your body and listen to what it is saying. Or to observe your behaviors and question why you do what you do. It’s a lot harder to challenge your beliefs and re-frame your thoughts, so we try diet plan after diet plan looking for the answer. The answer, which is corny I know, is within my friend.

Think about this….

When we were hungry as an infant, we would cry until our caretaker fed us. Once we were full we would push away and move on, until we were hungry again. Infants don’t stress eat, they don’t feel guilty for eating more at one feeding session then the other, and they don’t eat all day long.

We are ALL born with this "eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full” mechanism if you will. It’s not until we get a bit older and we are told to "“finish our plate” or that we “can’t have dessert until dinner is gone” that this inner voice gets hushed. We learn to listen to the (usually well-meaning) older people around us to figure out how to eat instead of listening to our bodies.

From a young age, we are also taught certain foods are good or bad. Broccoli is good and cookies are bad. We learn that food has an emotional component as well. Ice cream is used to celebrate a baseball game or to soothe a scraped knee.

Then we grow up and download Instagram and make a Facebook and mindlessly scroll all day while thousands of messages from the media continue to infiltrate our subconscious. Eggs are bad and keto is life and vegan will help you live to 100.

So now you have your family’s beliefs deeply ingrained, and you’ve got societies messages poured onto you. It’s no wonder you feel confused……you’ve got years of diet culture conditioning you under your belt.

What are you supposed to do?

The first step is to let go of the idea that a “diet” is going to work for you. Calorie restriction leads to weight gain. It doubles the enzymes that stores fat. Is erodes self-trust and takes you further away from the innate wisdom we all have.

Stop trying to fit into a mold and apply what you’ve learned from all of that diet experience. Did you learn that you have more energy when you eat less carbs? Cool! Do that. Are you a complete grouch if you skip breakfast! Cool! Eat breakfast then!

Listen to how food feels in your body.

• Does it make your stomach feel weird?

• Does it make you tired?

• Does it give you gas?

• Does it cause you to break out?

• Does it give you diarrhea

• Does it taste like garbage to you?

TRY TO EAT LESS OF THOSE THINGS

• Do you feel full when you eat more fiber and protein?

• Do your joints feel better when you eat more “whole” food?

• Do you enjoy the taste of that food?

• Does that food help you stay “regular”

TRY TO DO MORE OF THOSE THINGS.

Don’t over-complicate it people. The things from the top list aren’t bad; the foods from the bottom aren’t good. Different foods feel different in all of our bodies. Again, what works for one person, might not work for another.

To simplify it into one sentence:

Eat the things that make you feel good (energy, mood, digestion, sleep, strength) and that you enjoy.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Tarts

This tasty treat is a great source of omegas thanks to a nice dose of hemp hearts. No don’t worry, not that kind of hemp; the only high you’ll be getting from these is a chocolate peanut butter high.

So what are hemp hearts? Well, they’re the edible interiors of the seed that hemp grows from. The hemp plant does share the same plant species as the marijuana plant. But the hemp plant contains nearly undetectable levels of THC. Hemp hearts contain less than 0.3%, while traditional marijuana plants can contain levels upward of 10 to 30%.

Per serving, hemp hearts contain 10 grams of plant-based protein and 12 grams of omega-3 and omega-6 per 30-gram serving (which is more than a comparable serving of chia or flax). Combine this with raw cacao powder, an egg, coconut oil and some peanut butter and you’ve yourself got quite a tasty treat!

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder

• 1 cup + 2 T Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts

• 2 eggs

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• few drops of liquid stevia (optional - I didn’t use stevia but if you prefer sweeter, go for it )

• 1 T coconut oil (melted)

• 1/2 cup peanut butter

• coarse salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray mini cupcake tin with cooking spray

2. In a bowl, mix the cacao, hemp heart , eggs, vanilla extract and stevia until well combined

3. Spoon about a tablespoon of the mixture into each well in the cupcake tin

4. Press down to form a little cup - shown here

5. Bake for 10 minutes

6. While the cups are baking, melt coconut oil and peanut butter in a double boiler

7. Remove tray from oven after 10 minutes and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes

8. Remove cups from pan and place them on a plate or flat surface

9. Use a spoon to fill the cups up with the coconut oil / peanut butter mixture

10. Freeze for 30 minutes

11. Remove and sprinkle salt on top

Roasted Tomato Soup

So I can’t take credit for this recipe because my client actually made this soup for me. She sent me the recipe to replicate but it’s so darn good that I asked if she’d be cool if I shared it with you guys. She’s the best so here you have it!

Dairy-free Roasted Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

Part 1

• 7-8 vine tomatoes, quartered

• 1 c cherry tomatoes

• 1 c cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1.5 T balsamic vinegar

• 8 cloves garlic

• 10 sprigs thyme

• 1/2 t salt

• 1/4 t black pepper

• 1/8 t cumin

Part 2:

• 2.5 T grass-fed Kerrygold butter (can use EVOO if you are vegan)

• 1 mirepoix container from Trader Joes (or 1/2 C each: chopped onions, celery and carrots)

• 10 sprigs thyme

• 1, 6 oz can tomato paste

• 1 c chicken or vegetable broth (vegetable if vegan)

• 1/4 t Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning OR 21 Salute Seasoning (optional)

• 1 handful fresh basil’

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 370 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients from part 1 and mix thoroughly

3. Transfer to baking sheet and roast in oven for 30 minutes

4. When the tomato mixture has about 10 minutes remaining, brown the butter in a large pot over medium heat

5. Add the mirepoix and thyme and stir frequently

6. When the timer goes off for the tomato mixture, remove from oven. Spoon ~1/3 c of the juices into the pot with the mirepoix

7. Place tray of tomatoes back into the oven and roast for another 30 minutes

8. Add can of tomato paste to pot, stir and continue to cook (stirring frequently) until mixture turns into what looks like a pile of mush

9. When the tomatoes have finished roasting, remove from oven, remove sprigs of thyme (from the tomato mixture and from the mirepoix) and add to pot

10. Add broth, and everyday seasoning, stir and allow to simmer for 10 minutes

11. Add basil, simmer for another 5 minutes

12. Turn off flame

13. Use a high power blender or immersion blender to puree and emulsify the soup

14. Serve hot, preferably with a side of grilled cheese