I think we have all heard “A calorie in, a calorie out” at this point. 🙄 If you haven’t, you’re lucky you haven’t been subjected to this. It’s basically referring to the notion that every calorie we eat needs to be utilized or “burned” in order to maintain our weight. Ya, that’s just not right or the way to go. Hyperfixation on calories is not very sustainable nor enjoyable….Here’s why. 👇
1) The calories we consume aren’t just “burned” or stored as fat- they are also utilized for energy and other bodily processes!
2) Calories are not just “burned” during exercise, BBs. We require calories to stay alive, even if we lay in bed and do nothing all day. In fact, roughly 70% of the daily calories we need is what we burn at rest doing nothing. 15% is used for NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) movement, 10% is used during thermic effect of food (digestion of certain foods), and 5% is used during exercise.
3) According to the FDA, nutrition labels can be up to 20% inaccurate. Therefore, your tracking can likely be inaccurate.
4) We do not absorb everything we eat! Think about. We wouldn’t have stool is some input didn’t form output in the form of poop! So, technically this one is calorie in, versus calorie out. LOL
Do you see my point that this theory and guideline is flawed? You’re welcome. Loosen the reigns on tracking calories and listen to what your body needs, lovelies! 💋 If you need more gentle nutrition education, book your FREE consult with me today!
Today’s post will be short & sweet. One, because I am up at 5:30am writing this because I work 7am-6:30pm, and two, because I will not have any time and my brain will be fried by dinner at 7. 😜
I actually wanted to ask you all what YOU would like to learn about nutrition, health psychology, me, different foods, recipes, etc. on this blog? I want to remain genuine in writing about topics I love, but I can also accommodate and am interested in requests. Please comment your suggestions below ⬇️ , as it would be appreciated and help me greatly.
Wish me luck on this long work day, and I bid you the same. Happy Friday and weekend ahead, loves! 💖 Danielle
I am going to keep this Friday post short & sweet. I wish you and yours a fabulous Friday and weekend ahead. If you are someone who is hard on themselves, who previously or currently is struggling with disordered eating, or who is currently restricting food in the hopes that you will attain a body type that will ultimately make you happy- then I beg you to drop the food rules and enjoy your food, this weekend and onward.
I know. It can be daunting and feel like your goals are unattainable without lessening your food intake. That’s not the case. Please let me guide you as a nutrition expert and someone who has personally struggled with multiple eating disorders over the course of 15 years. Restriction is NOT the answer. There’s another way.
Curious as to how I can help? Book your free consult here to get started. See you next week! 💖 Danielle, your friendly dietitian
If you want to engage in this post, comment your favorite food int he comments below! ⬇️ I would love to hear. 😊
If I had a dollar for every time I was asked about a particular diet…Well, let’s just say I would be traveling right now. 😂 The diet industry likes to perpetrate societal ideologies by influencing us on what we SHOULD be doing. Why are we listening to the media channels and “health” conscious companies rather than professionals? A few reasons: 1) We all want a quick fix and to see immediate results. We live in an instant gratification culture, and frankly, we need to work on this., and 2) Not everyone has the best experience or receives appropriate guidance from their providers! 😢 *sad but true* and I will touch on this another day.
This post is about adopting diets in the hopes that it will make all your hopes and dreams come true. Not one food, nor diet, has this power. You want to know why? Because diets restrict by nature, and by restricting or removing entire food groups we are psychologically depriving ourselves. Maybe you’re thinking, “But Danielle, I don’t even really like that food so I’m fine with giving it up.” That’s not the point. The point is that you’re telling yourself you can’t have something. There is a difference between restriction and giving yourself permission to have a certain food group or food and choosing NOT to have it because you simply don’t enjoy it. Don’t get the 2 confused.
The top question I ask someone who is contemplating going on a diet is “Do you plan on staying on this diet for the rest of your life?”. If the answer is a big resounding NO, then how do you expect to maintain the results and the effect of said diet? You can’t. Because diets are not meant to be long-term nor sustainable!
Let’s focus on eating in balance, moderation and foods you enjoy rather than instilling a restriction mindset with scarcity. We want abundant lives! Let’s goo!
Say no to that diet and book your FREE consultation with me today to learn how to gain an abundant mindset and have your cake and eat it too! #saynotodieting
I want this post to be more than just a shameless ad, because I want it to convey the benefits of working with a dietitian even if that dietitian isn’t me!
Just like any service, the provider and client need to be the right fit for an optimal relationship, trust, building rapport, and even results. Two good examples are finding a good therapist, and hair stylist LOL. Ami right or I am right?!
So, what are the perks of working with a dietitian?
You will learn life-long nutrition knowledge and FACTS. A dietitian usually lays out the fundamentals of nutrition first. For instance, the macronutrients and the purpose they serve, what a balanced plate looks like, and how to portion control without feeling deprived. You will be apply to apply this knowledge and strategies for the rest of your life. It is truly invaluable and the gift that keeps on giving.
A dietitian can help identify nutrient deficiencies or gaps in your diet. With lab work and a dietary recall, dietitians can help interpret your labs to identify any insufficiencies or deficiencies that need to be addressed and corrected along with ways to boost your diet through FOOD FIRST for optimal nutrient delivery and status.
To hold you accountable. How many times have you said, “Oh, I’ll start my diet and be ‘good’ on Monday.” #1 There is no good vs bad because food inherently has no moral compass or value, and #2 crash dieting just isn’t sustainable or effective! The diet we want to focus on is what you’re consuming overall and lifelong. 😉 Diet is everything you consume too, not just food friends. Dietitians can help instill these lifelong habits and lifestyle changes via check-ins, encouragement, suggestions, and more that are suitable to YOUR individualized way of life and preferences.
We cater to your individualized needs! Dietitians individualize your plan because nutrition is a highly personalized and intimate thing. We consider not only your age, height, weight, and activity level but also your food preferences, food aversions, food allergies, dietary restrictions, medical history, job, lifestyle, available eating windows, and much more. This ain’t no meal plan that is generalized and given out like flyers to everyone that walks by. Your bespoke plans are tailored to YOU because every individual is different!
We can provide Medical Nutrition Therapy and debunk gobbly gook nonsense spewed by the influencers. As medical professionals (because we are), dietitians can help treat certain medical conditions as part of a care team via nutrition interventions. In addition, we are the only ones who can diagnose malnutrition! Not to mention, help combat fallacies commonly spread by non-credentialed influencers, health coaches, and other inexperienced figures. We know our shit and have access to the latest, high quality studies and research about food, nutrition and how it affects the human body (not studies on animals).
For example: The vast majority of people I work with think egg yolks are bad for them because they contain cholesterol. Well guess what? Recent studies and findings have shown egg yolks to actually be BENEFICIAL for those even at risk for heart disease! The cholesterol in egg yolks doesn’t directly convert to cholesterol in your blood. YUPPPPP. And those same studies encourage egg consumption up to 6-7/week for those with heart disease. 🎤 *mic drop*
There you have it! 5 very good reasons to invest in and work with a dietitian. Don’t delay! Get started before the holidays and new year. Book your FREE 30-minute nutrition consultation HERE.
I just returned from my trip to NYC 🌃 and Montreal, Quebec in Canada 🇨🇦. While I consider myself fully recovered from my eating disorder, I was surprisingly challenged on this trip when old notions and negative thoughts surfaced surrounding food. This specifically occurred after my husband suggested we get pizza in NYC. You see, I wasn’t really hungry after having a late bagel sandwich for breakfast. I am now very in tune with listening to my hunger and fullness cues, so I just didn’t want to force feed myself or feel heavy after eating such a rich meal (or so I told myself). Part of my reasoning was the meal choice… but I hesitantly agreed because I could tell my husband wanted the pizza, so we ordered and sat down. Before diving in, I kicked my negative thoughts butt and said, “Danielle, you are in New York City. Eat and enjoy the damn pizza! 🍕 “. And I did just that without looking back. Now, was the pizza a fully balanced meal? NOPE. Did I listen to my body in that moment? NOPE. Did I listen to my heart and soul? YUP. In that moment, I chose to live a full, happy, and food freedom of a life, and damn 👏 it 👏 felt 👏 good. 😜 Good enough, in fact, that I’m now writing this blog post to share with y’all in the hopes of reaching someone else who needs to hear this.
Let me break down the nature of feeling guilty or shameful after eating certain foods. Dieting, restriction of food, and disordered eating patterns partly stem from seeking control. When we travel, our routine is naturally thrown off beat, which can lead to making you feel even more out of control. A shift in routine + food access and food choices looking differently can really affect someone who is accustomed to specific eating patterns, is sensitive, or struggles with mental health issues. This is quite normal.
But does deviating from our normal eating habits mean that we “fell off the wagon” and should feel guilty? HELL to the NO, boo! Vacation implies relaxation and enjoyment, and stressing about your food intake sounds like the last thing I want to be doing on vacay. Do you agree? P.S. This applies to everyday living as well, not just vacay btw!
So how can we eat what we want on vacation (and always) while still applying gentle nutrition strategies? Great question! Let me start by defining gentle nutrition. Gentle nutrition is taking the nutrition knowledge acquired from a credible source and applying it to what we WANT to eat. In other words, it’s a way to add nutritious foods to our diet without feeling limited or restricted in any way.
A quick run down looks like this. ➡️ A simplified balanced plate contains a 1. carb, 2. protein and 3. veggie. Let’s say you find yourself traveling to NYC like I did and you want to try NYC style pizza 🍕 . First of all, great choice! 😉 I always explain to my clients that the crust of the pizza is the carb, the cheese is the fat and minimal protein, and the meat is the protein. So, is that a balanced meal? It could be with the addition of veggies! Did I have any veggies on my pizza? NOPE. Do I regret it? NOPE. But guess what? I could have easily ordered a veggie on my pizza or ordered a side salad to get that component in. YES! Pizza can be considered a balanced meal. 🤯 You’re welcome for that bit of information.
Instead, I chose to incorporate my veggies with dinner and at other meals that day. THIS is food freedom + gentle nutrition. Choosing, accepting, honoring and enjoying our food choices without the guilt or shame but then adding the fruits, veggies, and other nutrients when we can to provide our body with the actual nutrients it needs to thrive and feel its best.
Food doesn’t always have to be perceived in terms of calories or labeled as “good”, “bad”, “healthy” or “unhealthy”. There are just some foods that are more nutrient-dense than others and each one provides its own nutrition profile of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, and macros. The end. Let’s not overcomplicate this.
In addition, will eating a certain way on vacation contribute to such a change in your body composition that it will “ruin” all of your previous hard work, progress, or that it will make it difficult to come back from? HAHA NOPE. Do you know how difficult it is to gain pure fat in a short amount of time like vacation? This perceived weight gain is usually water weight retention we experience from being dehydrated, consuming alcohol and excess salt or carbs.
So, the next time you find yourself doubting your food choices, whether in everyday life or on vacation, try to catch yourself and reframe with these helpful reminders. ⬇️
I require food to live.
Food is fuel for my body, despite its form.
I can have my fruit/veggies later.
I deserve to enjoy my food.
Food is pleasurable.
I am allowed to eat any and all foods.
Food is not toxic to my body.
Food is not good nor bad since it has no moral value.
All food contains some nutrition.
Did this resonate with you? Do you want to continue improving your relationship with food? Schedule your FREE nutrition consultation here to get started.
Feed Me Happy 