When I first learned about health at every size, intuitive eating, and set point weights I immediately fell in love. I felt relief at the idea of accepting all different shapes and sizes, accepting body fat, and normalizing body fat. Learning why people gain weight after weight loss was like a smack in the face. And the research-based evidence was there to support it all. I was all-in! But I still struggled with one thing… Is there a point where a person is too fat? Is there ever a body weight or body fat percentage that did warrant weight loss for the reasons of health? I can only assume others have these same questions. After doing my own research, spending more time in this field, and talking with my colleagues who have be practicing these frameworks longer than I have i was able to come to a definite conclusion. We cannot assume anything about someone's health by looking at them It doesn't matter who we are to said person, it is not our place to assume anything about their health just by looking at them. Assuming such would only reveal our own internalized weight stigma, AKA stereotyping based on weight. This goes for both ends of the spectrum. We cannot assume that a very thin person has an eating disorder, and we cannot assume that a very fat person has type 2 diabetes. That’s ignorance. There is not one health condition that only exists in fat people or in thin people. We know about health by evaluating lifestyle, lab values, symptoms, etc.. If you ever work with a health practitioner who assumes health status based on weight and looks, FIRE THEM AND GET A NEW ONE. That is lazy practice! Every person has a set point weight range Have you heard the term “set point weight” before? Lindo Bacon, author of Health At Every Size, explains it like this in their book, “An individualized weight range which the body continuously aims and will sacrifice any {body functions/metabolism} to maintain.” Basically, each individual body has a predetermined weight range, hardwired into their DNA, and the body will go to any and all lengths to reach and maintain that weight range. For example, you could have 3 women, all 5’7” and for one of them a healthy weight might be around 120-135 lbs, for another it might be 155-170 lbs, and for the last it might be 225-240 lbs. Set point weights are largely determined by genetics. They are extremely individualized, and there is no science to support a limit on what this weight range can be. We achieve our set point weight by moving our body in ways that feel good, by practicing intuitive eating, and by not trying to control our body weight. Because health at every size is not healthy at every size, it is possible for a person’s health to be affected when they are engaging in behaviors that are causing their weight to be above or below their set point - but think about it, is it the weight that is causing the health issues or the behaviors? *Also important note, it is very possible for a person to still have health issues at their set point weight. Set point weight does not equal perfect health. Health at every size is not anti weight loss! Health at every size does not support intentional weight loss (When I refer to "intentional weight loss" I am referring to weight loss achieved by intentionally restricting calories, or food groups), but it understands weight loss might be a byproduct of pursuing healthy behaviors. It also understands that sometimes weight gain is a byproduct, and sometimes weight maintenance is. None of them are right, wrong, frowned upon, or the goal. Let’s pretend that health is negatively impacted when a person is living in a very large body, and it is improved as they lose weight. We still do not have a way of losing weight that we can maintain past the 5 year mark. Every weight loss study done, that goes up to or past the 5 year mark, shows weight regain in the majority of participants. We also have the evidence to prove that weight regain is not caused by lack of willpower, but instead by the biological mechanisms in place to help one maintain their set point weight. I have a whole blog post on this I will link below. So instead of weight loss happening, health improving, and everything being merry forever. Weight loss might happen, health might improve, and then eventually the weight starts to come back on. At this point, this is referred to as “weight cycling.” And we do have the evidence to show that weight cycling is associated with negative health outcomes like, diabetes, stroke, hypertension, high cholesterol, and overall higher mortality. (PMID: 25024396) Ultimately, when the pursuit of improving health is done through intentional weight loss the result is likely to be more negative effects on health. And the current studies we do have that show improvements in health as a person loses weight cannot prove that the improvements are a result of weight loss, instead of change in behaviors. Correlation does not ever equal causation. How fat is too fat? There is no such thing. Is there ever a point where a person is too fat and weight loss is warranted? No. However, there are often times when practicing healthy behaviors like joyful movement and intuitive eating are warranted, and when they are in affect we accept whatever body weight the body decides to fall into. I WORK 1:1 WITH CLIENTS WHO ARE TRAPPED IN DIET CULTURE AND WANT OUT, WHO WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD, OR WANT SUPPORT RAISING THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING TOGETHER SEND ME AN EMAIL AT [email protected]
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When I talk about my food philosophies and how I practice nutrition, most of the time, the receiver's first reaction is to tilt their head and question me. I totally get it. A lot of these concepts of not what we are used to hearing, even though they are all backed by science, they aren’t part of the diet industry that brings in billions of dollars every year so they aren’t talked about very often. I think it’s time to clear up some misconceptions about the things I practice. Let’s dive right in…
carbs in a cookie are the same as the carbs in an apple. Sure, the apple has more fiber and vitamins/minerals but those are just an added bonus. It is kind of like, they are both cars but the apple comes with all wheel drive ;). The car without all wheel drive still gets you where you want to go, but the car with all wheel drive does it more efficiently. The carbs in a cookie still give you energy, but the apple can give you a little bit more than energy. And the person who has all wheel drive, is no better than the person who doesn’t. If you scroll down past this post you will see pictures of me enjoying a variety of foods/food groups all the same. The smile on my face is not fake, or hiding any fear. I never feel proud of what I ate (unless I tried something new or homemade something really impressive), and I never feel guilty for what I ate. I am able to eat fun foods when I want them, and turn them down when I feel like it. I eat nutrient dense foods regularly because I crave them and I know they make me feel good. I believe a good relationship food, and health, are found without drastically changing your whole life, without skipping nights out with friends, and without rigid food rules. Our bodies are brilliant. It is amazing how good we can feel when we relearn how to trust our own body. I work 1:1 with clients who are trapped in diet culture and want out, who want to improve their relationship with food, or want support raising their children to have a healthy relationship with food. If you are interested in working together send me an email at [email protected]Sometimes cooking at home can feel overwhelming. It can feel like it either requires a lot of time and ingredients, or you fall into a rut of the same "simple" meals over and over again. I want cooking at home and family meals to feel possible, fun, and encouraging. So here are 3 quick and simple meal ideas to add to your menu rotations. Remember, I am not a professional recipe developer or writer - at all! These are just real meals that I make for my family. 1. Taco Bowls
*It's also super tasty to open up a can of refried beans to add to the bowls too! 2. Sloppy Joes
Preheat oven to 400F. Coat vegetable with oil, garlic powder and salt. Spread out onto a baking sheet. If roasting broccoli, roast for 20-30 minutes. If roasting asparagus, roast for 5-10 minutes. While the vegetable is roasting - Combine meat, onion, pepper, and water in a large skillet. Cover over medium-low heat and cook for 15 minutes or until mea reaches 160F. Add ketchup and mustard. Heat 5-10 minutes on low heat. Serve on hamburger buns, or sometimes I like to eat the meat over a steamed potato (sweet or regular). Serve with the vegetable. 3. Spaghetti Squash and Meat Sauce
While the squash is roasting, make the sauce. In a skillet, cook the meat to 160F. Once the meat is cooked fully add the tomatoes, salt, and seasonings to the skillet. Let the mixture heat through and simmer until the squash is ready. When the squash is ready, combine squash and sauce in a bowl and top with lots of parmesan cheese! Spaghetti squash alone is not a great a carb source. I recommend serving this with more carbs, like bread and butter, or you could add beans to the sauce. Otherwise, this meal probably won't keep you full for very long. A few notes on how to serve these meals to your whole family: ~ When serving to babies <1 year old, don't salt their portion. Set a portion aside without salt for them. Their kidneys are still developing, and they aren't quite ready for added salt yet. ~ For pickier eaters, or when serving meals your child has never seen before, serve meals deconstructed. Let them pick and choose what they want to add to their plate, and what foods they want to combine. ~ Every ingredient and amount is a loose recommendation. Play around with these things to find what is right for your family! ~ Never force your child to eat a food or finish their plate. Give them the autonomy to make these decisions themselves. At the same time, remember you're not a short order cook. They can choose from what is offered to the whole family. You're a loving parent, you did provide at least 1 food you know they feel safe around. See my blog post on Division of Responsibility in Feeding (linked below) for more information about how to handle family meals. Please reach out with an questions you have about these "recipes." Have fun in the kitchen, and enjoy have fun at family meals!! I WORK 1:1 WITH CLIENTS WHO ARE TRAPPED IN DIET CULTURE AND WANT OUT, WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD, OR WANT SUPPORT RAISING THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING TOGETHER SEND ME AN EMAIL AT [email protected]How should you prioritize your nutrition? Such a big and nuanced question! It really depends on where your relationship with food and your body is. Gentle nutrition is the last principle of intuitive eating for a reason. Focusing on certain aspects of nutrition can easily turn into a strict set of rules. Here is an abbreviated hierarchy of nutrition. Don't move on from one step until you've mastered it. 1. Eat Enough For most people this means 3 meals a day, plus snacks. When you're not eating enough, your body can't utilize the nutrients you are eating optimally. It's also hard for your brain to have the energy it needs to work through the mental barriers of the other levels when you're not eating enough. Please don't trust calorie counting apps to tell you how many calories you need, they are notoriously known for being way to low and calorie counting never leads to anything good. If you're unsure of how to make sure you're eating enough the best thing to do is talk with a registered dietitian. Eating enough means that sometimes you may need to eat foods you don't love when they are the only thing available and will be the only thing available for awhile. Or maybe it means grabbing a quick snack, like a bag of chips, an apple, or a candy bar because you don't and won't have access to a more balanced, satiating option for awhile. Your body learns that it can trust you when you consistently provide it with enough energy. Eating anything is always better than nothing! 2. Choose Flavors You Enjoy Taste is important! Are you surprised this is second? Choking down food you don't like, for the sake of "health", is not healthy. Part of intuitive eating is focusing on foods that you crave and bring you pleasure. When you don't satisfy your cravings usually 2 things happen: You find yourself continuously looking for something to eat (AKA you eat 10 things to "curb your craving" instead of eating the 1 thing that would satisfy it) and when you finally do eat that "off limits food" you've been craving you eat way past the point of satisfaction. Pleasurable taste is also what keeps us eating. It is one piece of the puzzle that keeps us alive. Have you ever been sick and lost your taste? Eating is not fun or something you want to do during that time. It also keeps us eating nutrient dense foods. Boiled asparagus? No thanks. Asparagus roasted in olive oil with garlic and topped with parmesan cheese? Yes please! 3. Eat All 3 Macronutrients Next, aim for all 3 macronutrients on your plate. Carbs, fat, and protein are all key nutrients in the body. Consuming all three at meals (and 2-3 at snacks) provides satiation, satisfaction, and energy. As well as, better blood sugar control, better digestion, hormone regulation, muscle growth and maintenance. For examples of each three macronutrient and a few meal ideas, see my blog post "How To Build Meals and Snacks" linked below. 4. Incorporate micronutrients Micros are abundantly found in macronutrients, but here I'm talking specifically about fruits and vegetables. Yep, they're the last piece of nutrition to prioritize. It can be very hard to eat enough and live optimally when you're mainly eating fruits and vegetables. They are so beneficial to the body, but they do the most for you when you're eating enough, eating your macros, and enjoy the taste. Studies actually show that when you hate eating something you absorb less of it's nutrients. Can you see now why focusing on nutrients don't show up until steps 3 and 4? Those things can easily turn into rules. For example, a person might think that they shouldn't eat a meal unless it contains all 3 macros. Or maybe they think they aren't making healthy choices if they aren't choosing fruits/vegetables. Neither of these scenarios are true. It is freeing and can be healing to put these priorities on the back burner for awhile to focus on eating enough and satisfying cravings. Then when the time comes gently incorporate them without rules or rigidity. For an expansion on all of these check out the books "Intuitive Eating" by Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole and "Anti-Diet" by Christy Harrison, and consider working with a registered dietitian who specializes in intuitive eating (information on how to work with me is linked below). I WORK 1:1 WITH CLIENTs WHO ARE TRAPPED IN DIET CULTURE AND WANT OUT, WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD, OR WANT SUPPORT RAISING THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING TOGETHER SEND ME AN EMAIL AT [email protected]First, when I refer to parents I am really talking to anyone who has a guardian position, at anytime, over children or teenagers. This can include: parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, babysitters, etc.. If you struggle with your relationship to food, or your body image, it's not your fault. It's common in the society we live in. It's not something to be ashamed about. But this does not mean it is normal. It is certainly not healthy. If you're here I assume it's because you're wondering how to stop the cycle and not pass these struggles on to your children. Fun fact: Research shows that roughly 35-50% of 6 year olds (boys and girls) are aware of their body size and express wishing they were thinner. (1.) I want you to know that it is possible to protect your kids while you still struggle. In short, it comes down to faking it until you make it. But there is more to it than that. Here are 6 quick tips to help you protect your kids from inheriting your body/food struggles... 1. Don't comment on your own body in front of your children What you comment about your body in-front of your children, they will start to believe about themselves. For example: If you constantly talk about your "flabby arms" then your child will start to believe that arms should look and feel a certain way. They will begin to question their own arms. On the contrary, be mindful of compliments you give your body in front of your children. There is a fine line between, "I am proud of my strong legs." and "My stomach looks so flat today!" One sends the message that body's are beautiful instruments and the other sends the message that body's are ornaments. 2. Buy yourself clothes that fit comfortably It is really hard to not make comments about your body, and to feel OK about your body, when you are constantly faced with clothes that are too tight or that you do not feel good in. I would consider it an investment, that benefits you and your kids, for you to buy clothes that fit you comfortably. 3. Don't talk about your diets in front of your children Similar to not talking about your body in front of your kids, talking about your diet (or "lifestyle change") sends your kids a message that they are good or bad based on what they eat, that part of their worth is determined by how they eat, and they are doing something wrong if they do not eat a certain way. 4. Compliment your child one what they can do and how they behave, not how they look Focusing on achievements and inner characteristics of your child, instead of how they look, is a great way to show them that looks are not important to you. A good guideline is for every 1 compliments about their body (I.E. "You're hair looks great!", "You're so handsome!", "You are so cute in that dress."), there should be 10 compliments about other things. 5. Do not comment on other people's body in front of your child Usually when someone feels their body is flawed, they are hyper-aware of other people's body's as well. You might not be able to stop your thoughts, but you can be conscious about not expressing them out loud. When your child hears you commenting about other's they are going to assume you care about how a person looks, including them. You say: "That person is way to big to be wearing those yoga pants.", your child wonders "My pants feel a little tight. Does she think I am too big? Does she think I shouldn't wear yoga pants?" 6. Invest in getting yourself help I believe this is the BEST thing you can do for your child's body image and relationship with food. If you are able to work through, and improve your own beliefs, that will automatically make you a positive influence for your child. This will pricier than buying new clothes. If you have to choose between the two, choose this one. It will be most beneficial to work with a Health At Every Size/ Intuitive eating dietitian or therapist, but if you cannot afford access to them there are plenty of podcasts, books, Instagram accounts to follow, and courses you can take. Here are some of my suggestions: Books: "Intuitive Eating" By Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch "Body Kindness" By Rebecca Scritchfield "Anti-Diet" By Christy Harrison Podcasts: Comfort Food Nourishing Women Podcast Body Kindness The Body Image Podcast Nutrition Redefined *Listening to various podcasts is a great way to find out about different courses that providers are offering. Instagram Accounts (There are hundreds, but here is a starting point) @nicolecruzrd @bodyimagewithbri @beauty_redefined @morganskatzrdn (Me!) @moreloveorg With all of this said, please know that even if you are a perfect example of positive body image it is still possible for your child to struggle in this area, and that would not mean that you did anything wrong. Reducing exposure to diet culture entirely is near impossible. Thank you for being here. I hope you feel inspired. You are amazing! You can do this! 1. Children, Teens, Media, and Body Image: Common Sense Media. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research/children-teens-media-and-body-image. Published January 21, 2015. Accessed September 2020. I WORK 1:1 WITH CLIENT WHO ARE TRAPPED IN DIET CULTURE AND WANT OUT, want to improve their relationship with food, OR WANT SUPPORT RAISING THEIR CHILDREN TO HAVE A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP WITH FOOD. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN WORKING TOGETHER SEND ME AN EMAIL AT [email protected] |