Benefits of Intuitive Eating

Whether you are new to intuitive eating or have been an intuitive eater for many years, getting in touch with your body and your internal cues is perhaps the most beneficial thing you can do for both your physical and mental health. We all know how mentally and physically draining dieting can be. Meal planning exact portions, weighing food, and counting calories. Feeling like you can’t enjoy your favorite foods, or have fun in social settings because your diet is so limited. Dieting is a mental mind game that nobody enjoys playing. On top of that, dieting is also physically exhausting! Trying to live and thrive on a calorie deficit just leaves us feeling irritable, moody, and tired all the time. Intuitive eating introduces a whole new perspective on health and wellness that is energizing, refreshing, and sustainable long-term. Intuitive eating is one of the best things you can do for both your physical and mental health. 

Dieting doesn't only drain your energy, it drains your wallet as well! Think about how much money you could end up spending on various diet plans and weight loss products. The health and fitness industry is currently valued at over 2.3 billion dollars. These companies prey on our insecurities in order to target us with overpriced, gimmicky weight loss products that aren’t sustainable and aren't focused on our health as a whole. When you embrace intuitive eating, you reject the mindset that you need to rely on some kind of rigid diet plan to achieve optimal health and reach your goals. Trust yourself, and your body, not the companies making false promises in order to sell their product. 

Perhaps the biggest benefit of intuitive eating is that it is flexible, it works for you and your lifestyle. You don't need to worry about points or calories, counting grams of carbs or proteins, or buying special diet foods. When you learn to eat intuitively, you get to truly live your life to the absolute fullest; never feeling like you have to deprive yourself or miss out on social settings because you are limited from your diet. When you approach food from a dieting perspective, food becomes an enemy and every meal is a battle zone. Dieting sucks the enjoyment out of food and eating. But eating should not be so complicated and frustrating. When you approach food from an intuitive eating perspective, meals become an enjoyable way of honoring and taking care of yourself and your body. Instead of trying to force yourself to not desire certain foods, or trying to limit yourself to tiny portions, you get to truly enjoy the food and the atmosphere around you. 

Have questions about becoming an Intuitive Eater? Book a free discovery call below.

How to Respond to Diet Talk as an Intuitive Eater

We live in a culture that is obsessed with diets. From celery juice cleanses, to the ketogenic diet, to intermittent fasting, it seems there is no shortage of new diets out there. There always seems to be a new trendy diet to try, and if you are an intuitive eater, you are probably all too happy to spare yourself the headache of jumping onto new diet bandwagons every other week. However, it can get tricky when well-meaning friends, family members, or colleagues bring their diets into social conversations. As an intuitive eater, handling diet talk can be very difficult. Hearing about the results of a new diet can make it very tempting to give the diet a try. However, it’s important to remember that just because a friend is experiencing certain results from a certain diet, that doesn't mean the diet is good for you, or is sustainable for long-term health. These kinds of fad diets that promise dramatic results are not usually backed by evidence-based nutrition practice, and usually backfire. One out of every three people who go on a diet and lose weight, will gain the weight back within three to five years. When tempted to try a new diet, it can be helpful to remind yourself of the true reality of diets: they don’t work long term, and they aren’t sustainable!

If you are an intuitive eater, and you have people in your life who are chronic dieters, it may be helpful to explain intuitive eating to them. It can be difficult at first, but explaining how intuitive eating works, and clearing up some common misconceptions can go a long way. Firstly, it’s important to explain that intuitive eating is not a diet; it's a long term lifestyle change that focuses on a balanced and sound approach to food and nutrition. It’s also important to clarify that intuitive eating diets do not have “rules” and “meal plans” ; rather, intuitive eating is a skill developed over time, bringing people back to being in tune with their bodies and their internal hunger and satiety cues. One of the biggest misconceptions that people have about intuitive eating is that it means eating whatever you want. It can be helpful to explain that intuitive eating doesn’t mean eating “junk” food all day. Rather, it’s about eating in a way that optimizes both physical and mental health. Explaining intuitive eating clearly and simply to your friends, family members, or colleagues can make a huge difference in their lives. Intuitive eating is how we are meant to eat, we were never meant to try and conform our lives and appetites to fit rigid diet plans. Explaining intuitive eating clearly and simply can help the people in your life to finally break free from the misery of endless diet cycles. And, of course, if you or someone in your life has more questions or concerns about intuitive eating, reach out to a non-diet Registered Dietitian who can help guide you on your intuitive eating journey.

Nutritionist vs Registered Dietitian: What’s the Difference?

When you’re looking to make changes to live a healthier lifestyle, working with a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) can be very effective. RDNs provide expertise, guidance, and accountability, which are very important when implementing new healthy habits and lifestyle changes. When looking for a nutrition professional to work with, it’s important to be informed about what types of nutrition certifications are out there, what they mean, and how to determine if the professional you are working with is knowledgeable and qualified. 

A Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is someone who completed a four year degree in nutrition or related health sciences, completed a Dietetic Internship which provides rigorous training in many areas of nutrition practice, and passed a comprehensive RDN exam. Most Registered Dietitian Nutritionists have also done a masters in nutrition or a related field, and have areas of specialization or expertise. The credential of “Registered Dietitian Nutritionist” is a legally protected term, which means only someone who successfully completed all the requirements of education and training can be considered a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. Someone who obtains this level of certification is qualified to work in many areas, including hospitals, clinics, and can offer private counseling, and can accept health insurance.

On the other hand, “Nutritionist” is not a legally protected term. Almost anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. A nutritionist can be someone who took a basic online course in nutrition, someone who studied nutrition in college but didn't take the RDN (Registered Dietitian Nutritionist) exam, or someone who is completely self taught. A Certified Nutritionist is someone who took a short course (six months to one year) in Nutrition and passed a certification exam. There are many trustworthy and qualified nutritionists out there, however they have not gone through the rigorous training and certifications that Registered Dietitian Nutritionists have. Therefore, it is important to be sure, before working with a nutritionist, that their credentials are valid and that they are qualified to be offering you advice about your health and nutrition. 

When looking to make positive changes to live a healthier lifestyle, working with a professional is very important. Registered Dietitian Nutritionists work with you to give you guidance and support in making significant lifestyle changes. However, you want to make sure that whichever nutrition professional you choose to work with, that they are qualified and knowledgeable to be offering you advice about your diet and health. If your goals and concerns are more specific, you may find that the expertise of a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist is most effective. 

Intuitive Eating vs Mindful Eating: What’s the difference?

Emotional ups and downs. Restriction and deprivation. Anger at the scale. Anger at your body. Sound familiar? You may be a chronic dieter, and you’re probably fed up with frustrating diets that just leave you irritable and craving your favorite foods. That’s where Intuitive eating comes in. Intuitive eating allows you to make peace with food by focusing on your internal hunger and satiety cues instead of trying to force yourself to stick to overly rigid or restrictive diet rules. These kinds of depriving diets tend to backfire. They leave us feeling miserable and teach us to have a negative relationship with food and our bodies. Intuitive eating is about cultivating a sound and balanced approach to food and nutrition that isn't overly rigid or restrictive. Intuitive eating is about eating in a way that makes you feel your best both physically and mentally. 

If I was to sum up Intuitive eating in one sentence, it would be, “Eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full, and don't go into any extremes”. If you are hungry, eat. Listen to your hunger cues. When you are full, stop eating. If you are in the mood for pizza, eat pizza. If you are in the mood for a salad, eat a salad. Don’t let diet culture convince you that you have to cut out any major food group in order to be healthy. In a truly balanced and healthy diet, all foods fit. It seems simple, but years of dieting and battling with food and weight can make this simple nutrition advice difficult to follow or trust. 

Intuitive eating and mindful eating really go hand-in-hand. Mindful eating is a practice of being focused and present while eating. It means paying attention to what you are eating - the taste, the texture of the food- and what you are doing while eating. Often, when we are distracted while eating, we consume more than we intend to, and we eat past satiety simply because we aren’t focused on recognizing our satiety cues. Mindful eating is about bringing the focus back on the food and enjoying what we’re eating. 

 It takes time to really learn to recognize and respond to your internal hunger and satiety cues, especially if you’ve spent years dieting and ignoring them. But you can begin to work on eating mindfully and intuitively today. The next time you sit down to a meal, make an effort to really pay attention and tune in. Pay attention to the food you are eating, how it tastes, and how it makes you feel. By learning to eat mindfully and intuitively, you will take steps to improve your long-term health and your attitude towards food for good. 

Why Work with a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist?

As a non-diet Registered Dietitian, I help ambitious young professionals learn how to nourish themselves without tracking calories, points, or macros, so they can feel free around food, achieve optimal health without focusing on the number on the scale, and get their life ready to build a family and career instead.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) are trained to provide tailored recommendations and Medical Nutrition Therapy to help you improve your lifestyle. RDNs have an extensive background in nutrition science, successfully completed a one year accredited internship, passed a board exam, and maintain continuing education units to stay up to date with current research. All nutrition recommendations are evidence-based and individualized.

When working with an RDN, nutrition counseling sessions include helpful resources, small actionable steps, goal setting, and email support between sessions.

Unlike nutritionists or health coaches, Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) can accept health insurance as they are licensed providers.

When looking for a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, check their website to ensure they have these qualifications.

For example, here are my qualifications:
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
Licensed Dietitian in the State of Massachusetts

Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences Nutrition Emphasis, Ithaca College
Master of Science in Nutrition and Health Promotion, Simmons College
Dietetic Internship, Sodexo

Coronavirus Grocery List

With the spread of the Coronavirus, my family and I are stocking up on these shelf stable staples.

1. Rice (frozen or dried) - Frozen quinoa or brown rice from Trader Joe’s are great to keep on hand no matter what.

2. Canned or dried beans and legumes - Lentils, black beans, chick peas

3. Oats - Do you like yours warm as oatmeal or cold as overnight oats?

4. Nuts and nut butter - Nut butter is one of my favorite staples. Not only are nuts and nut butters delicious, they are a good source of protein and healthy fats, and are shelf stable. The single-serving nut and nut butter packets are great to keep on hand AND help with portion control.

5. Canned salmon or tuna - A delicious, nutritious, and budget friendly protein option.

6. Frozen veggies - Veggies that are already prepped for you that you simply microwave are essential for my household! I recommend keeping your favorites stocked. We really like frozen broccoli!

7. Pasta - Whether you prefer whole wheat or chick pea, pasta is another great staple to keep on hand.

Ordering your groceries online? Thrive Market is a great resource for specialty diet needs.

Get up to $20 in shopping credit when you purchase a Thrive Market Membership! (1 month, 3 month, and 1 year memberships available)

5 Tips and Tools for Running a Nutrition Private Practice

Congratulations, Dietitian Boss! Starting out, there’s SO many resources to check out it can be overwhelming!

Here’s a list of tips, platforms, and tools that have help me run my private practice smoothly.

1. Professional development & Entrepreneurship - Entrepreneurship can be all-consuming and overwhelming, I know. There's so much to learn, so much to implement, and so much to think about. Enter 👉🏻 the online RD Entrepreneur Symposium. At your convenience [from your couch 🙌🏻] learn from 16 experts all in one place showing you what you've been waiting for!! Register here

2. EHR that makes billing insurance simple! - If you’re going to be billing insurance, I highly recommend Simple Practice an all in one platform that includes scheduling, billing, charting.

3. Building and monetizing your Instagram - Interested in building and monetizing your Instagram? The After Instagram course is a must. Check it out here.

4. HIPAA compliant email - When working with clients, it’s important to use a HIPAA compliant email. I LOVE Hushmail (the Healthcare plan). For only $9.99/mo and a user friendly experience, you can’t go wrong!

5. Create beautiful handouts - Will you be creating handouts? Canva is an excellent option to make beautiful flyers, posters, handouts, and even graphics for social media. Canva has a free and premium version.

These are affiliate links to some of my favorite tools and websites that have been instrumental in my business. If you purchase a subscription through one of these links, I will receive a small commission.

10 Simple Ways to Lower Your Triglycerides Through Lifestyle

1.  Work with a Registered Dietitian to guide you with gradual and sustainable weight loss.

2. Enjoy the “Whole-y” grain! Choose whole grain bread, pasta, and rice instead of white bread, rice, and pasta. Limit foods and beverages that are high in sugar.

3. Emphasize unsweetened beverages – water, tea, seltzer, coffee (without cream and sugar), instead of regular soda, sweetened tea, and coffee.

4. Increase nut intake namely almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios.

5. Eat throughout the day - don’t go too long without eating.

6. Drink and eat fat-free (skim) or low-fat dairy products. Consider mixing skim with 1% if you prefer not drinking skim alone.

7. Engage in moderate-intense physical activity for 30 minutes per day on most days of the week or a total of 150 minutes per week – Lets find a routine that works for YOU!

8. Increase unsaturated fat intake (olive oil, nuts, avocados, vegetable oils, and fatty fish). Increase nut intake namely almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, pistachios.

9. Eat fatty fish twice per week (fatty fish includes: salmon, sardines, tuna and mackerel to name a few).

10. Choose mostly plant-based protein or lean meats (chicken without skin, fish, lean beef, pork, veal) instead of bacon, hot dogs, or sausage.

    For a more personalized nutrition and lifestyle plan, book an appointment here.  

Deliciously Sweet (And Healthy) After-dinner Treat!

What are your favorite after dinner sweet treats? Let me know in the comments.
Spoiler alert - planning healthy meals and snacks does NOT have to be time consuming or complicated! 

This simple combo takes less than 5 minutes to throw together AND checks the satisfaction box!

Here’s what to do:

1) Rinse a bowl of strawberries (stem on).
2) Drizzle agave on top of plain Greek yogurt.
3) Dip the strawberries into the Greek yogurt mixture and enjoy a flavorful and healthy after dinner treat!

Insanely Easy Friendsgiving Salad Recipe

TGIF! Got a simple Friendsgiving-inspired salad below. You're gonna love how delicious and simple it is 

dEATS:

1/2 bag @Traderjoes Baby Wild Arugula

1 bag  @Traderjoes candied pecans

1 container @Traderjoes Pomegranate seeds

1/2 package @Traderjoes creamy, fresh goat cheese

@Traderjoes Champagne Pear Vinaigrette dressing, to taste

Will you try this easy salad recipe for your Friendsgiving dinner?