HÄLSA Nutrition - Maria Adams

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HÄLSA Nutrition - Maria Adams

Nutrition counseling with an intuitive eating approach + nourishing recipes.

I am a Registered Dietitian who is passionate about helping families ditch diet culture and learn to nourish with confidence and joy. Hälsa Nutrition offers individualized nutrition counseling services as well as freelance writing and recipe development services. Check out my blog and website at halsanutrition.com and message me to set up a consult.

09/09/2026

You may have heard that you shouldn't eat at night. This is not true. If you are hungry or craving a snack, you should have one! A balanced little snack before bed can actually help promote sleep. (If you aren't hungry, no need to have a snack!)

Skip the high-sugar foods and choose a snack with complex carbs (e.g., whole grains or fruit) and fat or protein.

Here are some ideas:

whole-grain cereal (e.g., Cheerios or Wheaties) and milk
handful of cashews + banana
plain Greek/Skyr yogurt with a drizzle of honey
whole wheat toast with almond butter and sliced banana
apple slices with peanut butter
plain yogurt or milk + granola (and a few berries if desired)
glass of milk (soy or dairy) + graham crackers
rice crackers and hummus
oatmeal with a splash of milk, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and some berries

Want more personalized nutrition support? Consider virtual nutrition counseling. I see clients in MA and some other states. I accept several health insurance plans, so you may pay $0 out of pocket.

Enjoy that bedtime snack! ♡

~Maria

09/03/2026

And just like that, we went from the 4th of July to September. 🚌 Over the next several weeks, I will share back-to-school nutrition tips and reminders for the whole family. Given that I just sent my youngest to college 😢, there will likely be some tips for college students in there too!

To get us started, here are 5 essentials for promoting healthy eating habits and overall well-being. (And in my opinion, these are helpful for people of all ages!)

1. Make time for breakfast.
Eating breakfast helps kids have energy to focus and learn in school and promotes healthy eating habits.
Choose a balanced breakfast with protein, carbs, and fat, and include fruit when possible, but even a glass of milk or a banana is better than no breakfast.
PS - Even if you are not hungry at breakfast, you can get your body used to it with practice.

2. Eat lunch.
As a dietitian, I see many kids and teens skipping lunch. Ask your child about lunch.
Just like breakfast, eating lunch is important for promoting optimal energy, healthy eating habits, and overall health.

3. Plan an after-school snack.
Snacks help bridge the gaps between meals.
Whether your child is coming straight home after school or staying after for activities or sports, plan on an after-school snack. (And while you’re at it, plan on one for yourself too!)

4. Family dinner.
When possible, eat dinner together as a family. Ideally, cook one dinner for all.
Studies show that eating together as a family has numerous benefits. Eat together as much as possible; if dinner is tough, try a family breakfast.

5. The 3-4 hour guideline.
In general, kids and adults should plan to eat every 3-4 hours. For some, including athletes, it may be closer to every 2-3 hours.
Map out your child’s day or talk to your teen about their fueling plan. Most kids need 3 meals and 2-3 snacks per day. A bedtime snack can be helpful for many.

Feeling overwhelmed?

Start by focusing on one goal.

You’ve got this! And remember, it’s about “most of the time” habits, not perfection!

Comment below: Which of these tips is helpful or challenging for you?

♡,
Maria

For more support, go to halsanutrition.com

07/03/2026

Happy 4th of July! 🎆 🇺🇸

The healthiest thing you can do this weekend might not be what's on your plate. It might be:

• Saying yes to your favorite barbecue foods.
• Eating until you're comfortably satisfied.
• Enjoying dessert without guilt.
• Being present with family and friends instead of counting calories.

Food is more than fuel—it connects us, celebrates traditions, and creates memories. ♡

03/30/2026

When it comes to hunger, we usually think of physical (biological) hunger, but sometimes we eat for other reasons.

Learning to recognize why you are eating or feeling hungry -- and doing so with curiosity, not judgment -- is part of becoming an intuitive eater.

Here are some of the different ways we can categorize hunger:

1 - PHYSICAL (BIOLOGICAL) - experiencing physical signs of hunger such as stomach growling, irritability, difficulty concentrating, or thinking about food; symptoms vary in intensity depending on hunger level

2 - PRACTICAL HUNGER - also known as the "planning ahead hunger"; eating now because you know you can't later

3 - EMOTIONAL HUNGER - eating to quench uncomfortable feelings (such as loneliness, sadness, stress, boredom, or anger)

4 - TASTE HUNGER - a desire to eat simply because it looks or sounds good or because the occasion (e.g., celebration, special event) calls for it

5 - EXPERIENCE SHARING HUNGER- wanting to eat because you are out with friends and everyone else is eating or buying food and drinks to enjoy

5 - ENERGY SEEKING HUNGER - seeking out a snack because you are tired (e.g., from inadequate sleep or rest) and hope that it might give you more energy

Bottom line: We all eat for reasons other than physical hunger, and that's ok! After all, food is much more than nutrition; it's comfort, it's love, it's social, it's safety. But becoming more aware of your habits and patterns can help bring more balance to your life. 🤍

Adapted from "Intuitive Eating, 4th Edition" by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch and "The Intuitive Eating Workbook for Teens" by Elyse Resch

03/26/2026

Reminder: Contrary to what you might hear on social media, you have unconditional permission to eat.

Instead of restricting foods or amounts, focus on what you can add to make a meal or snack more balanced and satisfying.

Trust your body. Listen to your hunger and fullness cues. Honor your cravings. Eat without guilt or judgment. ♡

03/23/2026

This Wednesday, March 25 is Waffle Day in Sweden. 🇸🇪A day I think we should celebrate everywhere! After all, how could you not feel joy eating a lovely, delicious waffle? 🩷

Classic Swedish waffles are served with lingonberry jam (or another berry jam) and whipped cream. While I love a classic jam-topped waffle, I usually top it with berries, sliced bananas, and a little whipped cream. Nuts and a drizzle of local maple syrup are also great.

I have several waffle recipes on my website, including one that is gluten-free and uses oat flour and one for carrot waffles that would be perfect for Easter. (All include whole grains because I just can’t help myself!) Here is my go-to whole-grain spelt waffle recipe:

Spelt Waffles

1 1/2 cups kefir or buttermilk
1/2 cup oat or almond milk (or use all kefir)
1/4 cup melted butter
3 large eggs
2 cups spelt flour (or use 1 cup spelt/whole wheat and 1 cup oat or white flour)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat waffle maker.
2. Whisk together kefir, milk, melted butter and eggs.
3. In another bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Pour in the liquid ingredients and stir to combine.
4. Grease waffle maker according to manufacturer directions. (I usually use a little butter or cooking spray.) Ladle out a small scoop of batter and cook until golden and crispy on outside.
5. Enjoy immediately with favorite toppings! Freeze any leftover waffles.

02/27/2026

Wondering if your relationship with food and exercise could use some help? Trust your intuition. When in doubt, seek professional health. As mentioned in yesterday's post, it's a myth that you need to be "sick enough" to get support. You deserve to live your fullest life without those eating disorder thoughts and behaviors dominating your headspace.

Here are 5 signs your relationship with food and exercise may not be healthy:

1. You exercise to burn off what you ate.

If movement feels like punishment…
If you have to work out no matter how tired, sick, or injured you are…
That’s not healthy.

Healing looks like:
Moving when you want to
Choosing activities you enjoy
Resting without guilt

2. You're always dieting or tracking.

Calories. Macros. Body fat %.

Your body is not a robot or math problem. It already knows when it’s:
Hungry.
Full/Satisfied.
Tired.
Ready to move.

Practice healthy habits that bring you joy and tune into what your body is telling you!

3. You avoid certain foods because they are “bad."

Common fears:
“I’ll gain weight.”
“This food will ruin my health.”

Truth:
Weight is complex & highly genetic. Health is influenced by far more than food and weight.

An eating disorder will harm your health far more than any single food ever could.

4. You only eat "healthy" or "clean" foods.

This may be orthorexia — an unhealthy obsession with eating “clean.”

It’s often praised, but it’s disordered. Eating should be flexible, not rigid.

In addition, health is not:
A moral obligation
A measure of worth
Completely within our control

You are worthy regardless of what you eat or how “healthy” you are.

5. Thoughts of food, exercise, and body image dominate your mind.

You deserve more headspace than that.

Getting help can give you back:
Time
Emotional capacity
Space for hobbies, learning, and loved ones

In addition, eating enough food will give you back your energy and support mental well-being!

Source: https://anad.org/sick-enough-dont-let-your-eating-disorder-dissuade-you-from-getting-help-2/

02/26/2026

⭐️Eating disorders don’t have a look. They can affect anyone, regardless of body size (less than 6% of those affected are medically underweight), age, s*x, gender, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

⭐️About 1 in 10 Americans will be diagnosed with an eating disorder in their lifetime, but many more go undiagnosed. In addition, “disordered eating” affects the majority of our population.

⭐️You may think that you are not “sick enough” to seek help for your eating, exercise, or body image issues, but that is a myth. Whether you have a “clinical eating disorder” or “mild” disordered eating, you deserve help.

If you or someone you know has an eating disorder and is in need of help, contact the National Alliance for Eating Disorders’ helpline at 866-662-1235 or the ANAD helpline at 888-375-7767.

02/09/2026

We all have food police thoughts — it's pretty hard not to in the culture we live in. Since childhood, we have heard messages about what we should or shouldn't eat. These days, it seems worse than ever, leaving us feeling anxious about eating pretty much everything!

The "Challenge the Food Police" principle of intuitive eating helps us recognize these negative thoughts and learn to quiet them so they no longer dominate our headspace. Meditation is another tool that can be really helpful and works nicely in conjunction with intuitive eating.

I also highly recommend the books "Intuitive Eating" and "How to Raise an Intuitive Eater" as resources to help you improve your relationship with food. For extra support, book a 1:1 virtual session with me. Go to halsanutrition.com to learn more.

#. .

02/06/2026

Can you be an intuitive eater as an athlete? Yes, however, part of being an intuitive eater is being able to tune into what your body is communicating and respond accordingly based on your learned wisdom. (Our wisdom comes both through practice and learned knowledge, e.g., information such as this).

For example, it may be hard to eat after intense exercise or after exercise in hot weather--but as an intuitive eater, you recognize what is going on and know that you still have to eat. This is part of gentle nutrition.

The stress/anxiety of competition can also disrupt hunger and fullness cues. It’s hard to eat when your body is in fight or flight mode! Remember that you still need to eat something. Try to manage stress/anxiety through practices such as breathing exercises, listening to music, or coloring.

This can also be applied to other areas of your life. For example, maybe you have social anxiety and find it hard to eat lunch in the cafeteria. Tune into what you are experiencing. Learn how to manage it. And remember that you still need to eat lunch. Choose something easy to eat and keep working at it! You've got this! Sincerely, Someone who has been there!

Address

Marblehead, MA
01945

Website

http://www.halsanutrition.com/

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