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Intuitive Eating

Behind the Scenes of Intuitive Eating [2.0]

June 1, 2018 By Robyn 47 Comments

I posted a day of eats back in March that gave a “behind the scenes” look at what I was thinking/feeling as I made food choices through the day and the feedback I received was that many of you found it really helpful in your own intuitive eating journey. I often hesitate to do a “daily eats” post (after doing them for a long time) because I don’t want to sent the message that this is how you should eat. No two bodies are the same. So the way we eat, move and look will never be the same. All that to say, I hope reading about what went into making a food decision helps you in your own intuitive eating process. Or if you’re unfamiliar with intuitive eating or new to intuitive eating, I hope this is resonates with you in a way that might spur you on to learn more. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

When I first began practicing IE, food decisions required a lot more thought and attention as I figured out my body and figured out what the heck intuitive eating even meant. That’s normal in the beginning of this process. If it feels uncertain and shaky, you’re in the right place. 🙂 In the beginning it feels hyper focused as you learn this new skill. Over time though, the decision making on what to eat becomes more subconscious and intuitive, where now years later it might take me 30 seconds to figure out what to eat. If it feels hyper focused for you right now, that’s okay. You’re right where you need to be in your journey.

Let’s begin.

Lately, I’ve been waking up,  eating something and then most mornings going outside for some fresh air. The mornings have been so beautiful here. At least most mornings. It’s not hot yet, the breeze is cool and not many people are out. I stroll the streets, listen to music, do some praying and try to clear my mind –> key work is try. This doesn’t happen every morning, but I’m realizing when it does I feel way less frazzled going into the day. So yesterday I ate a banana, drank some coffee and headed out on a stroll. Sometimes I might eat yogurt. This isn’t a “ohhh, I’m craving that” food decision – it’s just more habitual to get something in my stomach. A banana or yogurt are convenient and enough to tide me over for 30-45 minutes.

While I was walking I had a mega craving for an egg and cheese sandwich. With the weather getting warmer, I feel like that’s thrown off my morning appetite. Sometimes all I want is a bowl of cereal, but that never keeps me full for long. Today, I had a craving so I hopped on it. I wasn’t craving anything sweet and all I wanted was savory. I almost stopped to pick up an egg sandwich because that’s really convenient, but I knew we had eggs and really good cheddar at home so on my walk back I picked up a bagel from the local coffee shop for $1.60 and headed home to whip up a breakfast sandwich.

I was really hungry and hunger hit me fast so I knew I needed this to be hearty. So I toasted up the bagel, scrambled a couple eggs because I don’t like runny yolks when I’m trying to eat a sandwich and grated lots of sharp cheddar. I wanted it to be really cheesy. And then since I was really craving savory, I buttered the bagel when it was done toasting and sprinkled on lots of TJs everything seasoning. HIGHLY recommend buttering the bagel – it made this egg sandwich 100x better. I think they do that at restaurants which is why egg sandwiches are so much better eaten out…maybe? Bagel = carbs. Eggs + cheese = protein + fat. Butter = fat. As I was eating this I got about 80% of the way through and felt myself feeling full but it was so freaking good that I wanted to finish it. Finishing the sandwich left me a teensy bit over optimal fullness, but that’s fine – I knew that meant I probably wouldn’t need a morning snack.

Breakfast held me over for a good 4 1/2 hours and then I took a break from seeing clients for lunch. We are low on groceries this week so meals have been a little unconventional. This is a situation where I’m probably not going to have the most satisfying food experience and that’s okay. Intuitive eating isn’t about always having the most epic meal. The cool part is that with IE, the next time you eat you get to having whatever you’re craving so one meal isn’t the end all be all. When I thought about what sounded good – the options where a salad with rotisserie chicken, cheddar, veggies, almonds, cranberries and dressing or eggs + cheese with salad. I didn’t want a big salad. Usually I don’t crave the same thing twice in a day, but yesterday I did so I rolled with it. If you’re someone who thinks you can’t eat the same foods twice in a day (common foods I hear are peanut butter, bread, pasta, cheese, etc) I’m going to encourage you to challenge that thought. What will happen if you do? Where do you think that belief originated from? What makes that belief true or untrue?

I scrambled up a couple eggs with sharp cheddar and made a really basic “salad” which was mixed greens + olive oil + balsamic + sea salt. Plus strawberries for some sweet flavor.

I knew that lunch wouldn’t be enough. It had a good amount of protein + fat from the eggs, cheese and olive oil but was lacking in the carb department. A few strawberries doesn’t cut it. And for me, I find that having fruit as a carb source in a meal usually doesn’t satisfy me. I need a potato or a grain. After eating it I was probably a six on the fullness scale and only like 70% satisfied. I had a lot of writing to do that afternoon and whenever I have a lot of writing to do I like to munch on something. Popcorn it was. Salty + savory + carby which is exactly what I was craving. I ate this bag of popcorn over the course of a hour or so, minus the few handfuls Nick stole when he smelled it from my office.

If I eat a solid lunch, I usually don’t get hungry or think about food for a good 4ish hours. If you find yourself still thinking about food after eating a meal where you feel full, take a look back and think about how satisfied you were. Or did you feel a bloated type of full from a lot of veggies/fiber or a sense of satiation from a well rounded meal with all the macronutrients? Often too, if you’ve been restricting food (even slight restriction) and not eating enough, your mind can often feel hungry even if you feel like you’re nice and truly full. That’s okay. In the journey towards becoming an intuitive eater, the body heals before the mind does.

When I started to feel distracted with my work, I knew that was a sign of hunger and then my stomach felt empty. It was in the high 80s yesterday so cold + creamy is what I was craving. I grabbed a Siggi’s triple cream yogurt from the fridge.

And then snacked on some dried mango in between the Thursday Instagram live Q&As I do and the Q&A sessions I do for my online course. In the afternoon, unless I have a good 3 hours before dinner I don’t like to get “meal full” – so I usually snack in a way that keeps hunger at bay, but I also don’t feel full and satisfied like I would after a meal. The yogurt is made with cream and whole milk so it has a good amount of fat + protein to hold me over. I usually wouldn’t eat the mango by itself unless I was eating a meal in 30 minutes or so because although mango is super tasty and a good source of quick energy from the simple carbohydrates (my brain felt like it was dragging a bit yesterday so I thought some simple carbs would give me a little jolt ha) it’s not going to really satisfy hunger for long. But pairing it with fat + protein, this snack held me over until dinner without getting me too full.

This week I made spaghetti with meat sauce for dinner so we reheated those leftovers. All I did was brown a pound of ground beef that I added a jar of marinara to and then doctored it up with italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and a hefty spoonful of brown sugar. My mom use to add brown sugar to meat sauce and it makes it extra tasty. We ate the sauce over whole wheat noodles with parmesan and had a super simple salad on the side – romaine, cucumbers, parmesan and greek dressing.

Meal planning and wanting to eat intuitively isn’t perfect. I wrote a post on how I go about that here. I really enjoy the convenience of having something already made, but that doesn’t mean that it’s going to be 100% what I’m craving. This was probably 75% of what I was craving. To feel satisfied, I eat a nighttime snack that is 100% what I’m craving. I was pretty hungry before eating dinner (probably a 3ish on the hunger/fullness scale) and afterward was about a 7ish. Sometimes I overshoot at dinner and end up closer to an 8, but most of the time I try to be mindful and get to comfortable fullness. I say that because intuitive eating isn’t about getting it right all the time. That’s impossible. It’s about doing the best you can to listen to, and therefore care for your body.

Usually about an hour or two after dinner is when I’ll have a snack. Usually it’s ice cream or a baked good or something like that. I’m not necessarily hungry for this snack but it serves two purposes 1) satisfaction and 2) tops me off so I don’t wake up in the middle of the night hungry or wake up in the morning starving. I hate waking up and feeling like “I need a hearty breakfast right this second!” because I like to drink coffee and go on a walk before breakfast.

I most often eat ice cream. I use to feel insane around ice cream. It was one of those foods that I felt like I had no control around. It took a lot of time and plenty of times where I ate too much ice cream, but years later I find that incorporating it regularly into my eating has made me feel totally competent around ice cream – for me, ice cream now it the equivalent to a salad. I can say no or yes and eat it whenever. But that was a long time in the making so I hope that encourages you to stick with this journey. Sometimes I eat Breyer’s, sometimes I eat this TJs coconut milk, sometimes I eat Ben and Jerry’s and sometimes I eat Nada Moo. We keep a variety on hand in the freezer.

Remember, intuitive eating certainly isn’t perfect, it doesn’t look the same for everyone, and it’s an ongoing process of learning to care for your body in different seasons of life and under different circumstances.

I’d love to hear in the comments where you’re at with intuitive eating (maybe you’re like, Robyn what the heck is intuitive eating?) and what you’re learning. Happy weekend!


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Filed Under: Intuitive Eating

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Comments

  1. Becca says

    June 1, 2018 at 9:27 am

    Hi Robyn,

    I have been reading your blog for a long time now and have found it so helpful in my ongoing recovery from anorexia. I’m in a good place now but recently was a bit thrown by a dentist visit where the dentist told me I should stop eating snacks because snacks increase the acid in your mouth and aggravate tooth decay.

    I’ve always been a grazer and feel best when I eat little and often rather than 3 big meals, and in addition to this I’ve kept loosely to my old meal plan from ED treatment which includes 2-3 snacks a day. Now though, I’m feeling really guilty about snacking and thinking I should stop… could you tell me your thoughts on balancing the dentists’ advice with what I know is good for other aspects of my health, physical and mental – aka IE and frequent snacks?

    Thank you!!

    Reply
    • Lana says

      July 8, 2018 at 2:04 pm

      Sometimes well meaning advice like that can be really triggering. Ive always had teeth that are prone to decay. Regardless of how or what I ate. If you are concerned about food affecting your teeth, just swish some water in your mouth after eating. Done 🙂

      Reply
  2. Genevieve says

    June 1, 2018 at 10:09 am

    I think one of the things I struggle with most is that, being early on in learning to eat more intuitively without restriction, I often have decision fatigue from trying to choose something to eat. I sometimes get overwhelmed by the options and can’t discern what I’m actually craving and need in that moment. Do you have any advice for this?

    Reply
    • Caitlyn says

      June 1, 2018 at 11:11 am

      Hey Genevieve,
      I struggle with the same issue you do. Please take my answer with a grain of salt, as I am not a professional, but I found having a few options for each meal to be immensely helpful. For instance, I usually have 3-4 meal ideas for breakfast and depending on what I’m doing that day, how hungry I am, how much time I have ect, I’ll choose one of my meal options to eat. I have found that immensely helpful. I can save my decision making for when I’m eating out or if I’m food shopping. I sincerely believe life is more than food (the whole point of IE!!) and having these meal options ensures that I’m getting the nutrients I need, honoring my cravings in the moment, but not wasting a lot of energy (and anxiety!) over the meal.

      I am an athlete so I can’t always honor my fullness and hunger cues, so maybe this approach totally goes against IE philosophy. But, it’s helped me a lot and ensure I don’t backslide into disordered behaviors.

      Reply
    • Rachel says

      June 2, 2018 at 12:42 am

      Hi Genevieve,
      I too am not a professional, but have definitely struggled with that in the past. I still do sometimes, but nowhere near as often. Now I might have that feeling once a month or so. Firstly, I found it just takes time. Lots and lots of time learning to listen to your body gently and forgiving yourself when you get overwhelmed. Next, I found it handy to experiment with finding foods that I knew would satisfy me and I could default to them when I felt too frazzled to make a decision. Interestingly, some of those ‘go-to’ meals and snacks were hugely challenging, but hey, nothing like repetition to overcome that guilt and fear!
      Don’t worry too much about it, I think that’s a really normal thing to feel, and time and practice are key.

      Reply
      • Robyn says

        June 4, 2018 at 10:32 am

        I think this is great insight Rachel – having a few “default” meal options when you feel your brain spiraling into decision fatigue

        Reply
  3. Melissa says

    June 1, 2018 at 10:54 am

    This all looks amazing! I’m curious- have you done a post on coffee yet? I hear so much negative stuff about caffeine- how it whacks out your hormones and stuff- and since I’m trying to “heal my hormones” right now I’d love to hear your thoughts on drinking it, especially on an empty stomach in the morning. Thanks!!!

    Reply
    • Shana Powell says

      June 1, 2018 at 1:47 pm

      I don’t read studies about coffee/caffeine since they seem to conflict with each other so much, but I can offer some anecdotal advice. My hormones were disrupted for many years and I did not need to alter my caffeine intake to restore them. I have almost always had 12-16 ounces of coffee per day (starting on an empty stomach) and have not had any negative side effects. My body lets me know when I have too much caffeine by becoming anxious and jittery. I also continued this amount of caffeine intake through two pregnancies and nursing with no side effects. You can probably just experiment with what works for you, but unless your body tells you different, you’re probably not causing any harm by having caffeine!

      Reply
  4. Mary says

    June 1, 2018 at 11:38 am

    I read this post before breakfast and instantly became starving lol. Just ran out to Trader Joe’s for supplies and made the egg/cheese on one of their PRETZEL bagels…umm…yeah. Whoa.

    Thanks Robyn, have a great weekend!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 12:37 pm

      pretzel bagels!!!! sounds amazing!

      Reply
  5. Joelle says

    June 1, 2018 at 2:20 pm

    So many amazing points in here. Though I have been following your posts for a while it feels like I am still always making more realizations and that there is still a lot of intuition left to be gained. Your point about having specific foods twice in a day is definitely one of those things that would have terrified me a year ago! Now I have been working on finding that line of satiation before getting too full, and I haven’t stopped to look at bloated full vs satiated full. I definitely find myself with hunger cues 2 ish hours after many meals, even though my meals leave me full. Definitely a next step to help me move forward!

    Thanks for all your great work!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 12:37 pm

      glad this post gave you some points to ponder and process through Joelle!

      Reply
  6. Carly Thunberg says

    June 1, 2018 at 3:02 pm

    So much amazing information on this blog! I just recently started following you and I can say that your intuitive eating posts have helped me so much. I got into blogging (site: fuelingforsoul.com) because of the struggles I have had with recovering from anorexia bulimia. Seeing what an RD is able to eat along with thought processes has encouraged me to add fear foods back into meal plan. I haven’t ate “intuitively” for so long I don’t even know where to start sometimes so thanks again!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 12:36 pm

      so glad this was encouraging for you Carly!!

      Reply
  7. Nancy says

    June 1, 2018 at 3:06 pm

    I was thinking about you and the IE philosophies you share yesterday when I had an amazing adventure paddle boarding with my college age kids. Afterwards they wanted to go to a burger place that is iconic in the city where we live. I would typically choose a salad with added protein or find a grilled chicken option but you always suggest we enjoy the moment so I got the burger and shared the truffle fries with my kids. I havent eaten a commercial burger or french fry in years. We sat outside and ate our burgers and I left comfortable and just so happy to have that time with my kids. Intuitive eating at its best right there. Huge thank you for helping me get there.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 12:36 pm

      this made my day to hear your victory Nancy! What an example of eating in a way that enhances and experience!

      Reply
  8. Robin says

    June 1, 2018 at 5:10 pm

    These kinds of posts are very helpful! One area I struggle with is routine. Maybe at first I genuinely want ice cream every night but at a certain point it becomes unclear if I still do or it’s become an action based on habit/routine. Certain foods will always sound good when offered/available but that doesn’t mean I’m craving it, you know?

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 12:35 pm

      yes I hear you – there is so much nuance with IE. For me ice cream is a bit routine and I find it comforting and satisfying – but there are days I don’t want ice cream and instead reach for dried fruit, a cookie, sour candy etc. It’s all so flexible!

      Reply
  9. Haley says

    June 1, 2018 at 5:10 pm

    LOVED this post! I found this extremely helpful as I navigate my own IE journey. More of these posts please!

    Reply
  10. Abby says

    June 1, 2018 at 5:13 pm

    These are some of my favorite posts! I love how you talk about your thought process behind your choices (and it’s a thought process of freedom and not restriction). It encourages me to continually re-think some of my self-imposed food rules and eat intuitively. Keep these “day in the life” posts up!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 12:34 pm

      glad these are helpful for you Abby!!

      Reply
  11. Emily Swanson says

    June 1, 2018 at 6:12 pm

    I absolutely love how you talk about the hunger/fullness scale, because I appreciate you encouraging us that fullness is GOOD and it’s not a bad thing. I love that you are at that place where you don’t beat yourself up about being overly full and you just wait till the next meal, which might be later or earlier. The flexibility of intuitive eating truly is SO freeing; it’s scary but freeing!!! These posts are amazing Robyn!

    Reply
  12. Savanna Burnette says

    June 1, 2018 at 6:34 pm

    I love these posts! I like the reinforcement that IE isn’t all about meditating on what food would be the best any time you eat because obsessing over it is no different than the “mindfulness diet.” I do have a quick question though. I have been a vegetarian for around 12 years( I have family in the meat industry and my decision was not based on restriction but from being affected mentally by what I saw. I don’t mean to be triggering or offensive to anyone if this is!) I have always been a hearty eater and used to eat huge salads (with lots of fats and carbs) for lunch because I craved them. Lately though I have been becoming very bloated and uncomfortable like sick to my stomach after a salad of raw vegetables. I know some dietitians do not agree with vegetarianism for fear of restrictive habits but if that’s not the case at all with me, what could be underlying issues with gas/bloating/ gastric issues that become painful with this now?

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 12:34 pm

      Hi Savanna – I will never be able to do GI issues justice via comments but I do think there are a few things to consider that I hope are helpful! Is the quantity of raw veggies too much for your digestive system? Is there enough variety in your day to day? Those are a couple things to think about that might be helpful!

      Reply
  13. Ann says

    June 1, 2018 at 10:06 pm

    I love that you talk about fears of eating the same food twice in one day. I also had fears about eating two different types of food in one day. I used to think that if I’d already had 2 tbsp. of nut butter I couldn’t have more, or I couldn’t have cheese on a salad at lunch because I’d eaten a half of an avocado with breakfast and it was too much fat. I thought I couldn’t eat beef and coconut on the same day because of the saturated fat. So glad I have ditched those rules. They made eating feel impossible and so stressful! Happy to report that I had eggs, cheese, butter, AND coconut milk ice cream today and I have no regrets.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 10:33 am

      so happy for you Ann and these big steps forward for you Ann!

      Reply
  14. Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says

    June 1, 2018 at 10:58 pm

    As always, I so appreciate learning from you and your posts on intuitive eating! I have grown so much personally and professionally in the past 9+ months…which is so helpful with my own patients/clients as an RD!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 10:33 am

      So glad to hear that Audra!

      Reply
  15. Annie says

    June 1, 2018 at 11:07 pm

    Ice-cream is one of the hardest foods for me and one of the few that I can’t seem to Legalize no matter how hard I try! It always seems to be associated with restriction and guilt and binging. A tub nothing! Any tips for starting out on this particular food?!

    Reply
    • Andrea says

      June 3, 2018 at 2:41 pm

      Maybe start with stuff that is portioned for you? Like ice cream sandwiches, or Ben & Jerry’s sell containers smaller than pints with one serving. Flavors are limited, but the ones they have are tasty! Once you have a handle on eating those without guilt, move on to pints.

      Reply
      • Annie says

        June 4, 2018 at 8:48 pm

        Thanks Andrea, I had never thought of that but actually it makes a lot of sense! I believe, for some strange reason, that I am scared of the pint!

        Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 10:32 am

      that would totally depend on your personal circumstances – I talked through this in my Q&A Thursdays last week so come back and ask again!

      Reply
  16. Nancy says

    June 2, 2018 at 2:49 pm

    Thank you for another walk- through a day of intuitive eating. It is so very helpful to me in this new journey .
    Even the timing and references to rating your hunger clarify issues that I wonder about these days, as I am learning.
    Please continue to provide this type of post- so many of us need the specifics of your thoughts as we learn to eat intuitively and to let go of a restrictive type of eating.
    What a blessing you are!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 10:31 am

      I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed these posts Nancy!!

      Reply
  17. Allison says

    June 2, 2018 at 3:53 pm

    Yes to sugar in meat sauce!!! Makes it soooo delicious! Glad to hear we’re not the only ones that do this!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 10:31 am

      yes yes yes! momma’s secret 🙂

      Reply
  18. Nicole @ Laughing My Abs Off says

    June 2, 2018 at 10:48 pm

    Oh man that egg sandwich! Unfffff! Thank you for this post; I found it super relatable actually. I also do the thing where I’m like okay I’m full, but def not satisfied, oh right that’s cause I had no carbs, okay lemme grab a few handfuls of granola. I love that intuitive eating is both about listening to your body’s hunger cues but also mentally understanding what it needs, which does come with practice.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 10:30 am

      yes! mind and body knowledge bridged together

      Reply
  19. Andrea says

    June 3, 2018 at 6:48 am

    Thanks for a great post! One thing I have noticed is that sometimes I eat to fullness/satisfaction and I don’t finish the plate. This doesn’t happen all the time but when I do, I do hear my ED voice almost priding that I didn’t eat the whole thing. I just try to acknowledge that it’s a thought and move on. Just wondering if you or anyone has some advice. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 10:30 am

      I think that can be normal to hear that voice – can you dig in and explore what feels prideful about that? Does that resonate with your healthy self? If not, how can you reframe that?

      Reply
  20. Jenn says

    June 3, 2018 at 7:29 am

    Love these posts. They show what real life IE is really like. Many times I see ED sneaking into peoples’ IE journey by convincing them that IE is eating perfectly in tune with their cravings etc. Love your blog!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 4, 2018 at 10:29 am

      yes agree with you here Jenn, it can certainly be twisted into a diet like way of eating.
      Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  21. A says

    June 4, 2018 at 12:18 pm

    Love the post, very informative and helpful!

    In the post you said “Often too, if you’ve been restricting food (even slight restriction) and not eating enough, your mind can often feel hungry even if you feel like you’re nice and truly full.”
    I was wondering if in these cases, would you need to realize that it’s just your mind talking, and to focus on your actual physical hunger instead of listening to your mind? Would the correct step in this situation be to be aware that you are “[physically] nice and truly full” and not continue eating?

    It’s definitely difficult sorting through physical and mental cues after restricted eating.

    Reply
  22. Rebecca says

    June 4, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    I love that you shared this! I am a dietetic intern and one thing I have found is that people think RD’s eat “healthy” all the time. The funny thing is that I love food and don’t ever want to restrict what I eat. I guess I’ve learned intuitive eating although I never thought about it until recently. Thanks for sharing this information, it’s a refreshing change!

    Reply
  23. Lizzie says

    June 9, 2018 at 3:48 am

    Hi Robyn,

    I love this! I would love for you to do a post on how to actually identify if you are undereating/still restricting. I’m not sure I am – I have my periods back but cycles are quite long (33 days) – I still suspect that I may be undereating and not quite at my set point.

    Thanks!

    Reply
  24. Amber @ Bloom Nutrition Therapy says

    June 11, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    I love this new style of WIAD! It’s WIADI now! Also, I just wanted to let you know those original posts you had about what you ate in a day helped me so much early on in my journey. I can understand why you’re hesitant now about posting a running tally of what you ate with no explanation, giving the non diet approach. However, when I first stumbled on your blog, I was very much wrapped up in a 1200 calorie a day mindset. I was AMAZED at how much you were eating and your message to eat more, not less. It was the first spark in my journey to intuitive eating and trying to figure out why you “could” eat so much more than me? It really opened my eyes into how much I was depriving myself and how much better my body could run with more energy. 🙂 I wanted to let you know it helped me, even though perhaps I know now that isn’t quite your style. I like the new WIADI even more!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. BEHIND THE SCENES OF INTUITIVE EATING – Sweets Wellness says:
    June 28, 2018 at 1:46 am

    […] I’ve seen multiple requests for more of these “behind the scenes” of intuitive eating posts – ask and you shall receive! I’ll try to do these once a month going forward. These posts […]

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A non-diet dietitian and nurse practitioner helping women find peace with food, accept their natural body size and heal from hormonal issues and period problems.

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A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years o A little way I’m learning to enjoy these years of getting to spend so much time with my kids: aka another way I’m discovering some pockets of peace so my heart & mind & soul don’t crumble under the reality of dependent & emotionally dysregulated tiny humans.  About once a week we go somewhere for baked goods. We drive or walk, buy something buttery & then find a beautiful, relatively quiet outdoor spot where the boys can romp and I can sit and think my thoughts while I watch them play. This past week we were found ourselves at the Wool Factory where the boys threw rocks & whatever else off the bridge while I ate 90% of this almond 🥐 from @coucourachou that will blow your mind. Boys ate the other 10% bc they were busy playing and didn’t ask for more quickly enough 😜  I’m finding *for me* playgrounds have a time & place but they aren’t where I enjoy motherhood & my two toddlers the most. Baked goods & a pretty outdoor spot without high drops my 15 month old could launch himself off of…I’m here for it.
I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the I brought this bag of snacks along when I took the boys to hike out at one of our favorite spots last week and when I ripped it open I was regretting my choice to share them with my kids. @baresnacks randomly sent me a box of snacks and I usually eat free food we receive or give it to a friend/neighbor and move on. But I felt it my duty to tell you about these bc they are THAT GOOD. I’m not getting paid and this isn’t sponsored - I was just shocked at how tasty these were and felt you needed to know. We ate them with some buttery roasted nuts and the combo was 👌🏻 but they are good just on their own.  The boys climbed rocks and swam in the reservoir - leave it to my almost 3 year old to want to strip down naked and fully submerge himself in chilly water on a sixty degree morning. “Mama can I get super nakey?” Sure baby. Sure. This is your childhood.
It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of It’s a hard sell to get me to accept an offer of extended alone time away from the babies to just be. And that isn’t something that’s best for me, it’s an area I gotta grow in. So this afternoon when Nick pushed me out the door and was like - get out of here plzzzz - I walked to my favorite cafe and ordered a thick pastrami sandwich and sat there for a good LONG while before taking a long, peaceful walk in the rain to wrap up the afternoon. Note to self: stop being such a control freak and go be by yourself sometimes.
a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face a girlfriend brought me a 🍪 the size of my face from @mariebettecafe this morning when she came to get her toddler who played with us all morning and it is v good. even better when paired with an iced latte 😍
#AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing a #AlignPartner I left off a few weeks ago sharing about how taking @alignprobiotic regularly has improved my digestive regularity.  And I’m still taking them! I’ve permanently added Align 24/7 Digestive Support* into the roundup of supplements I take before bed (prenatal, vitamin D, choline & DHA - all which help keep me healthy while breastfeeding) so I can keep seeing the benefits.  Just because you see benefits, doesn’t mean you should stop taking your probiotic. Keep taking Align daily (under the supervision and recommendation of your health care provider of course) to keep seeing the benefits!  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - one of my favorite parts of Align probiotics is that they don’t need refrigeration AND they come in a convenient little blister pack that has the days labeled. It’s the little things people! #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoo I realized it was going to be a long, hot afternoon (91 and muggy in MAY 🤯) when a toddler nap was refused and a baby nap was cut wildly short ....so my tired mom brain pulled out two plastic storage bins, filled them up with soap & hose water and striped ‘em down naked in the yard. Two hours later, it was almost time for an early dinner and I had magically been able to sit for most of that time and we already had baths checked off the list. 👍🏻 I’m archiving this idea for my future self, hope it helps another tired mama out.
#AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about #AlignPartner I left off a month ago sharing about getting better at doing the basics to care for myself which included taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic regularly.  Probiotics take time to work so I wanted to give it a full month to see the full effects of @alignprobiotic. So here are my honest thoughts: it took a few weeks to notice any differences, but near the end of the month I did notice some changes in my digestive balance - even while traveling! I’m not someone who experiences occasional gas, bloating or abdominal discomfort frequently enough to notice a difference, so I don’t feel like I can comment on how well Align works for those benefits.  All in all though, taking @alignprobiotic was a positive experience and I really appreciated how the capsules don’t need to be stored in the fridge, making it convenient to take them with me anywhere #MyAlignGuutJourney #guthealth  *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Where we will spend a good majority of our summer. Because the swampy VA summer has already begun (it’s in the low 90s today 🥵 lord help) and creeks are our retreat - not only from the heat but also from the noisy world. I need this just (if not more) than they do! We’ll be at the splash pads and pools too, but the quietness of the creek...my mental health is so about it. And it’s hours of play for them! Win win.  A couple things to note: this scene also included a few toddler reminders on finding another direction to throw rocks instead of at his brother - so not all is serene 🤪 and also, yes I am now that mom who buys the same clothing for both kids bc it keeps things simple & i think i kinda like it too 🤷🏻‍♀️
Things I love about midwifery among many: the appo Things I love about midwifery among many: the appointments, no matter how long, feel so unhurried. 
Just walked in from an appointment with my midwife because I was due for a Pap test + an overall wellness visit. My last pap was during my first trimester with Cal which feels like a jillion years ago, but it’s only actually been three years. Life changes so fast! Pre-baby life feels like a whole other life.  I’m wayyyy overdue for a visit to my PCP bc I’ve been under OBGYN or midwifery care for the majority of the past three years while having babies, but I am pretty good with keeping up with my paps. It seems women often think they need pap and/or HPV testing way more frequently than they do (and providers sometimes perform these tests more frequently than necessary - remember more testing doesn’t always mean better outcomes!)  So if you need it, here’s a quick little reminder on this chilly spring Friday afternoon on how often you need this testing (these are the recommendations from ACOG)  Women aged 21–29 years should have a Pap test alone every 3 years. HPV testing is not recommended.  Women aged 30–65 years should have a Pap test and an HPV test (aka co-testing) every 5 years (preferred). It also is acceptable to have a Pap test alone every 3 years.  If you get abnormal results, this testing frequency could change - but for healthy women with normal results, you actually don’t need testing as frequently as you might think. Which is great news for those of you who hate the speculum.  Ok, off to finish up some things on the to-do list (including cleaning this kitchen) during nap time and then come 5 o’clock, crack an IPA with our neighbors 🍻
#AlignPartner Over the past seven months since bec #AlignPartner Over the past seven months since becoming a mom of two, caring for myself has gotten shoved to the back burner. And it's been a challenge to make it a priority. My routine-resistant personality has upsides and downsides when it comes to motherhood. So I'm starting small this year with a consistent bedtime routine that includes taking my supplements and @alignprobiotic and hoping as that becomes consistent, my mornings will naturally shift too.  In short my bedtime currently goes like this….jammies & face care when putting the babies to bed. Before I go to bed (anytime between 9pm and 12am...) I’ll pump, take my supplements and fill my water. Then I go upstairs and brush my teeth. And then get in bed. The kicker: 70% of the time I find myself finishing up tasks on my phone IN BED. I hate this habit.  Back to supplements. This is something I have been able to stick with. On top of fish oil, my prenatal, choline and vitamin D, I recently added @AlignProbiotic 24/7 Digestive Support*§ to see if it helps with abdominal discomfort and regularity because when I don’t drink coffee or am traveling that can get thrown off.  I’ll be taking it every day for the next 28 days since it takes TIME for our bodies to adjust to probiotics - and I'll be taking you guys along with me as I share my honest thoughts. Many people think if they don’t see changes within the first 7-10 days then the probiotic isn’t working, but that’s not the case. I’m giving myself more than just a week or two and instead a full month to see the full benefits. I’ll keep you posted over the next month. Check out my stories to learn more! #MyAlignGutJourney #guthealth
 
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care f We had an AFTERNOON today. Toddler didn’t care for a nap. Putting baby down was harder than I wanted it to be. Miraculously, I had a moment of clarity as I was covered in tiny humans and decided I wasn’t doing the nap battle thing a on 60 degree, gorgeous, sunny spring day 🙅🏻‍♀️ so I piled both babies into the car half naked, opened the sun roof, put on white noise for them and an audio book for me and drank a kombucha as I drove a meal to a postpartum mama. Thirty five minutes later we had a sleeping baby and a toddler who at least had a rest. Baby transferred without waking HALLELUJAH and although my toddler didn’t nap today (lord help) at least we got soaked in breezy sunshine 😎🤘🏻💆🏻‍♀️
We veered from our usual Friday night homemade piz We veered from our usual Friday night homemade pizza (minus the dough, we leave that to @albemarlebakingco) because we are eating pizza tomorrow with some friends - instead I called my mom and asked her how she makes her chicken fingers and we fried up a big ole batch of chicken nugs 🙌🏻🤤 along with a sheet pan full of sweet potato fries and a simple arugula salad dressed with parmesean, olive oil and s&p. Oh and my moms honey mustard recipe for dipping. It’s SO DANG GOOD.  Over the past 6ish months we’ve been practicing (and practicing and practicing bc it doesn’t come naturally) unplugging from technology and slowing down and resting and just being for one day a week. Some call it Shabbat. Some call it Sabbath. Maybe you call it something different. All I know is IT IS SO GOOD FOR MY WEARY SOUL and the day I look forward to ALL WEEK. Sundown on Friday to sundown Saturday. Nothing but rest. For us that means hiking (or something outside) and napping and reading and being with friends and eating really good food. And drinking some really good wine or craft beer. Sometimes whiskey. 😛  And because I know I’ll get asked about the chicken finger recipe and also because it’s too good not to share and Momma Coale said I could, here ya go:  Cut chicken breast into thin strips or small pieces (I prefer nug size bc the breading to chicken ratio is perfection). Salt and pepper those babies really well. Then dredge them in all purpose flour, then egg, then panko - just like you would bread anything else. Then fry them up in a light oil - I use avocado oil because that’s our everyday oil. You could also use canola or peanut oil. Just fill a pan with an inch or so of oil on medium high heat. They only take 2-3 minutes per side. You can always temp them to make sure they are at least 165 degrees F to really make sure they are done. Dunk in all the sauces and enjoy!  Happy weekend!

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