Ditch diets, nourish your body, calm your mind

25/02/2026

If I had magic fairy dust I would find a way to use it to alleviate suffering.

When I wrote these messages to a client I thought, "maybe that's the magic fairy dust."

I don't have magic fairy dust but I do have conversations with people every day who are suffering in their experience with food. They tell me they've struggled with their weight their whole lives or they used to be an athlete and now they're starting medication for blood sugar management or work got really stressful and self care went on the backburner or the task of making decisions about food is too daunting. And they're confused about what's "healthy" and what they should or shouldn't eat.

Nutrition is complicated and food planning, grocery shopping, prep, clean up is A LOT of work.

But the message i wrote in these screenshots describes a worthwhile starting point. True- it is the most distilled version of this explanation, but I believe that if everyone understood these concepts and practiced them, our collective health would improve and suffering would decrease noticeably.

It's not about tracking
Weighing
Measuring
Restricting
Discipline
Willpower

It's about regulating your nervous system and giving your brain and body the fuel needed to perform basic tasks.

It's also about letting go of the idea that someone else has figured it out for you- maybe there isn't a plan or program or protocol for you to adhere to. Maybe those have distracted you from learning what you need and how to meet those needs.

Here's the hardest part for many people: it's about letting go of the idea that your weight and appearance are something for you to control, to obsess about, to be stuck in spiral of all-or-nothing diets and activity routines. For many, many, many people pursuing a smaller body fuels the cycle of nervous system dysregulation and overeating. And as time goes on other side effects are diminished self worth, depression, and negative physical health.

✨️It is possible to break the cycle. I can help.✨️

My inbox is open! Ask me anything.

24/02/2026

"You look happier."

Thanks! I stopped blow drying my hair.

I stopped being so hard on myself.

I stopped searching for validation.

I stopped assuming I could read minds.

I stopped centering the male gaze.

What's making you happier these days?

15/02/2026

Here's an unfiltered, unedited photo.

I'm wearing makeup, but i haven't dyed my hair. These are my gray hairs. There aren't a lot and they aren't very long yet, but I decided not to pull them out.

I've never had cosmetic procedures. These are my forehead wrinkles.

Never got that nose job to straighten it out, even after that first appt with a new primary care doc who squinted and turned his head to the side and said, "so you didn't want to fix your nose after you broke it?" and I looked back at him, confused. "I don't know if I ever broke my nose."

I might have when I was a goalie for my soccer team and I got kicked in the face. Or when I tried to break up a fight in college and a guy accidentally thrashed his head into my nose.

But in that moment, in front of a man i'd never met before who was essentially tasked with authorizing a new set of bloodwork to complete an annual check-up, I felt embarrassed and I didn't want him to look at me anymore.

It was a reminder that people do evaluate the appearance of others and it's difficult to be faced with the idea that we should look different or that we should change our appearance.
. . . . .

I was going through my camera roll and found this from a couple of weeks ago and this picture struck me because 5 or 10 years ago i would have deleted it. In that time I've been through a lot. This face, this body, this strength, this endurance got me through a lot. I feel gratitude and peace with my appearance and who I am.

I'll celebrate my 40th birthday this year and I can't help but think about how rare it is to see a woman's natural appearance.
Natural aging.
Unedited photos.
I don't have anything against anyone who changes their physical appearance or edits their images, but i do think it's important that people know what an aging person looks like instead of only seeing people and images that have been edited. And who knows, maybe i'll decide someday to change my appearance but in the meantime I'm accepting that this is the hair, the skin, the face, the nose, the body that i'm in and i feel so much appreciation for this body.

12/09/2025

Earlier this week a client described a recent meal and added, "no recipe, just vibes."

That's exactly what came to mind as I scraped peanut butter onto an apple slice.

No need for measuring, weighing, tracking, monitoring. My clients have been there and done that. If it was helpful it would have helped by now. Being hypervigilant about food tends to backfire.

That's why I don't teach my clients to diet. They learn how to eat.

Want to join my fall group coaching cohort? Message me to get all the details!

22/08/2025

One of the most compelling pieces of nutrition misinformation I hear all the time is "bread is bad for you." 😳

If it's my client saying it, i'll get curious:

Do you digest bread easily, without pain or bloating or diarrhea?

Is it still before the bread's expiration date?

Does it taste good to you?

If you answered yes to all of these, it doesn't sound to me like it's bad for you.

Labeling any single food as "bad" or unhealthy is an oversimplification- it doesn't take into account how you're including it in your pattern of eating over the course of a day let alone weeks and months and years.

So if you like it, it's not moldy and expired, and you don't experience negative consequences from eating it, but you're afraid of eating bread, lets chat!

Remember: your brain requires carbohydrate to function. Bread is friend.

Pictured with-
Turkey
Mayo
Sweet and spicy mustard
Avocado
Tomato
Sharp cheddar

And some pickles on the side!

Message me to learn more about how you can include your favorite foods in your personal best pattern of eating!

26/07/2025

Bacon
Egg
Sausage
Cheese
Brioche

Not only was this breakfast sandwich delicious,
But also there was no guilt.

No bargaining about what would be done to make up for what was eaten.

No self hatred
Or beating myself up.

That's food freedom. And it's hard work but it's possible
when you shed the rules and restriction,
drop the guilt, shame and calorie calculus.

I'm a registered dietitian and my approach supports undieting so you can learn how to eat in a way that helps your health and brings you peace- for the long-term!

If you're done with dieting but not quite sure what that looks like for you, message me! I'm happy to answer your questions.

18/07/2025

Just a quick reminder that imposing rules, restriction and regimen tends to backfire when it comes to food and eating.

Eating meals and snacks throughout the day helps with maintaining steady blood sugar levels, which contributes to sustained energy and focus.

Here's the snack i had at my desk this morning - crackers, nuts and dried fruit!

Have you received my Snack Brainstorming Guide yet? If not, message me and i'll send you the link!

11/07/2025

Yogurt, raisin bran crunch, & blueberries

This breakfast-y lunch is packed with fiber and protein to help me power through my afternoon appointments 🙌

Usually I have leftovers for lunch but this week has been unusual after being out of town for several days. Throwing together a mix-and-match meal like this makes it easy for me to fuel up with foods I like. 🫐

No rules and no need for willpower or guilt- that's fad-free eating!

↪️Message me FAD FREE to get my free Snack Planning Guide packed with lots of ideas to help you mix and match your own options that are delicious, convenient and satisfying!

28/06/2025

Prepping the lettuce and radish ahead of time makes it super easy to pull this together for a big salad dinner.

I love this salad because it's delicious, convenient and satisfying- no dupes, substitutions or food fads here!

What's in your dinner rotation these days?

14/06/2025

Here's another example of a snack that includes carbohydrate, protein, and fat to help with satisfying hunger and staying satisfied.

No fads
No stress
Quick & easy

Want my full guide for snack planning? Comment "Fad Free!"

🍇🧀

06/06/2025

Here's a snack I put together *without*

weighing
measuring
tracking
obsessing
worrying
guilt

Choosing food I like helps my brain get the message that i'm doing more than just surviving- I'm safe, comfortable and fed.

Since these food went straight from their packages to the snack bowls, I was able to eat between appointments at a relaxed pace.

There's some carbohydrate (honey mustard pretzels, sweet heat pickels) as well as fat and protein (cashews). Eating calories from all 3 of the macronutrients helps to satisfy hunger and stay satisfied for a few hours.

When I'm set up with food that's delicious, convenient, and satisfying, eating happens easily as I go about my day. I'm fueled, nourished, alert- not fretting about whether I followed rules, not attempting to change my body.

That's fad-free eating.

Want my guide to snacks that are delicious, convenient and satisfying? Message me and I'll send it to you!

25/05/2025

My most recent blog post is all about saving money on food costs! Check it out and share your own tip or let me know which tip you'll try!

Registered dietitian Catherine Howard shares her top 10 tips for reducing food costs.