We live in a society with complicated and often intense feelings about body size. Truth be told, I originally chose to become a personal trainer and dietitian because I firmly believed if I could change or control someone’s size, it would “guarantee” good health. My early years were fixated on helping people “eat less and move more.”

But as I worked with more patients and clients, I realized my efforts to “help” were actually hurting their physical and mental health. It took a lot of learning and re-learning to challenge old assumptions and find a path that actually helped people in a sustainable way. It was an uncomfortable journey (to put it lightly).

Why is nutrition so hard? When a nutrition message is shared with 10 people, why is it that, 1 can “easily” make the changes, 7-8 struggle, and 1-2 develop an eating disorder? Because what we eat is not a cognitive decision. It has much more to do with our psycho/social circumstance and where we are rooted as people.

We all know someone who lost weight and kept it off. However, how many people do you know who have lost weight and gained it all back (+ more)? How many people do you know who are “fighting” their weight? Chances are when you look at the numbers, for every 1 person you know who kept it off, you know another 20 “battling” their body. Why do so many struggle and what’s the solution? Read on for more.

I recognize and appreciate that people are passionate about nutrition. I also recognize that once we find something that “works” for us, we want to shout it from the roof tops! I truly believe that many professionals should talk about food to with their clients – it’s a cornerstone to health. However, it’s important to recognize whether the “truth” you preach to your clients is helpful or harmful. 

There’s a lot of confusion about eating before exercise. Do all workouts need fuel before? Are some more worthy than others? What should I grab?

Most folks are born intuitive eaters (with the exception of rare genetic disorders / medical conditions). Meaning, we learn to eat and stop eating in relationship to the cues of our bodies. But as time goes on, many lose connection to that skill. So why does it go away and how can we get it back? Can food ever be “just food” again? 

Intuitive Eating is often considered the “gold standard” to help people heal their relationship with food. But social media has created a lot of confusion around the approach. It is not about just “eating what you want, when you want.” Instead, it’s about understanding what drives you to eat and how to decide whether or not to honor your hunger.

Straddling the worlds of athletics and eating disorder may seem oppositional. Is it possible to challenge the body while also honoring its cues? Athletes and fitness buffs are bombarded with messages to ignore their bodies – challenge themselves, go beyond their comfort, and crush their bodies. While my eating disorder colleagues might argue movement should only be reserved for joy. But can their be joy in athletics? Or is it just a place of punitive manipulation?

It’s the time of year we like to be scared – we seek out scary movies and play amazing tricks on our loved ones. For most, it’s temporary and (mildly) entertaining. Since it’s the season of fear, it feels right to talk about the use of fear in health counseling and health communication. Fear often feels like the easiest tool to motivate a client. But does it work? And for how long?

Like many macronutrients. There are a lot of misconceptions about dietary fat – what do they do for the body? What are the best sources? Like so much in nutrition, there’s nuance to understand to support physical and mental health.

Protein is everyone’s “favorite” nutrient. But what does it do for the body, where can we get it, and is it possible to have too much?

There are a lot of people counting “macros” these days which leaves some people scratching their heads. So what are macros and do they matter? Read on for the full story!