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Hormones, Intuitive Eating

5 Thoughts

June 11, 2018 By Robyn 26 Comments

1. The new RLWH dietitian

I mentioned that I had lunch with an RD last week in Friday’s post and she has now officially joined our team! You’ll hear more from Crystal in an upcoming blog post here in the next few weeks. She will also begin taking new clients in about 4-6 weeks. She studied at Simmons College and also did her dietetic internship there which focused on intuitive eating and eating disorders. She’s also been under the wing of Marci Evans for a good while. If you don’t know Marci, know that she is a must know RD in the eating disorder world and an incredible teacher. I’m really looking forward to what unfolds for Real Life Women’s Health in the near future and am really thankful Crystal is joining us!

2. Why Not Belonging to a Gym Has Been Good For Me 

self care

I tried out several gyms and fitness studios during our first few months in Boston. I haven’t had any sort of gym membership since March or so of last year. We had a small, no frills gym in our apartment building in New York that I would use from time to time for weights or when it was raining, but I mostly ran/walked outside or did barre3 online. When we moved to Boston, gyms and fitness studios were a touch cheaper and I took advantage of new student specials and trial periods to check some out. I joined a gym in January knowing that I had 30 days to back out and ended up backing out after a few weeks. And then all the studios I tried were great, but I just don’t like doing the same thing all the time which is what justifies a monthly membership – I thought about individual classes but only a handful add up to the same as the monthly membership.

I’ve realized that I feel pressure to exercise when I know I’m paying for it…if that makes sense? I feel like I have to get my “money’s worth” and so for me, it creates a lot of outside noise. I’ve learned that I like to move as frequently or infrequently as I like and at anytime of the day that works for me – not just when the class starts/ends – and without the pressure of knowing I’m paying $$. So I just threw in the towel and was like, I don’t think this is going to work for me. I like walking, running, jogging and biking outside. And I like Barre3 online classes and the occasional Fitness Blender circuit I can do at home or outside in a park. I do love yoga and I love the YogaWorks studio here in Boston – my favorite by far! I did 2 unlimited weeks there for a new student special and found I don’t want to do yoga that much to justify a membership so instead I drop into their $5 community classes if I’m feeling like yoga and those are great. For me, not having a membership has allowed me to exercise in a more intuitive way. That’s just my experience, but it took me a while to actually realize that. There are occassional days where I feel like going to a gym and lifting weights and getting on the elliptical, but not often enough to justify a membership. I would love to hear your thoughts or your experience in the comments on this!

3. Newest Podcast

I got to meet Paige in person for the first time back in March at the MEDA conference and we became fast friends. When she invited me on her podcast I quickly said yes. I really enjoyed doing this podcast because we talked about things I haven’t talked about on other podcasts. I talk about hormones frequently on podcasts, but Paige asked me questions that I haven’t been asked before and it was really fun for us to converse together around those questions. If you’re looking for a good listen this weekend, I hope you enjoy this episode!

4. Favorite Recipe Blog

Momma Coale actually introduced me to Damn Delicious blog and I love it. Her recipes don’t have any dietary labels, calorie counts or anything like that – she just makes really good food that any person could prepare. I’ve only made a handful of recipes from this site, but I’ve never made one that I didn’t love. Scrolling through her recipe index gets me excited about cooking and food and I’m into food blogs like that.

5. Start of our next IE group

Our first intuitive eating support group is well under way and has been an amazing experience for Liz, myself and the women participating so we have decided to start another group on June 28th! You can read more about the details of the group here, but for 10 weeks the group meets via video at 7:15pm EST | 4:15pm PST on Thursdays.

Liz, our therapist, facilitates the group and I’ve gotten to join as a listener. I led groups during my first couple years as an RD, but haven’t done any group work since so this is not my expertise. Liz on the other hand leads these groups on an ongoing basis and from my experience in the group, you can tell this is her cup of tea. I have the privilege of working 1:1 with really brave and incredible women everyday and I love that work. The women in this IE support group are no different. It was so cool to hear them processing their experiences, what they’re learning and challenges they are facing with Liz and the group and for Liz and the other women to be able to dialogue through that with them and provide support, empathy, encouragement and advice. Not feeling alone in your journey is so powerful and I really enjoyed being able to witness the positive effect of a safe community and group support. You can read more about the benefits of making changes in a group setting here if this resonates with you. And if you’d like to join our next group, email us at [email protected] and we’d be happy to answer any questions and get you started. There are limited spots and our next group won’t start until the fall, so if you’re thinking about the group I’d encourage you to follow your gut 🙂


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Filed Under: Hormones, Intuitive Eating

« What I Ate This Week
Understanding PCOS Part 2: Lifestyle Changes That Don’t Include Dieting »

Comments

  1. Halley says

    June 11, 2018 at 8:42 am

    This was a breath of fresh air today! Thank you!!! 😊😊

    Reply
  2. Bre says

    June 11, 2018 at 9:27 am

    I have a gym membership, but it really works for me. At first I was calculating how many times I would need to go in a month to get my money’s worth because I hate spending money, but now I love it. I don’t recommend the gym to all my clients, but for me it really works. These are the reasons it works me: I have a toddler, work as an RD full time and my husband is in a doctoral program for physical therapy full time, and I’m getting a masters in human nutrition part time. This all boils down to my time is limited!! By the end of the day I have no desire to workout as I really miss it.I used to wake up early and workout quietly in my living room, but it is hard to jump quietly to keep your child asleep. haha So I go to the gym early in the morning. I found that I love to lift weights.It makes me feel good! They gym provides me with all the weights I could ever want to lift. Now that I really enjoy going and found my groove of what i like and dislike doing there, it is always refreshing! I’ve also made some gym pals from seeing the same people each day which provides extra encouragement.

    I also love damn delicious. I could stare at that website all day!! The food always looks amazing.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 12, 2018 at 8:54 pm

      The gym definitely works for some! And there are some days where I do wish I had somewhere to go and move. Having a place to exercise outside of the house can be so great!

      Reply
  3. Katie says

    June 11, 2018 at 9:39 am

    I feel the SAME way (re: gym memberships!). I’ve belonged to gyms off and on in the past 2 years and any time I’m paying for a membership, I start feeling anxiety about going to the gym/going enough. It felt like a moral decision to go or not go. Finally I realized there is almost no part of me that enjoys formal exercise at a gym and just made myself stop thinking about joining a gym. I get movement by working with our livestock, going on walks, and doing specific yoga/stretching exercises. It feels much more intuitive 🙂

    Reply
  4. Ashley D. says

    June 11, 2018 at 10:39 am

    I’ve always felt a lot of pressure when getting a gym membership too. It is dangerous because in the past I would feel guilty and less of a person if I wasn’t taking advantage of my gym membership. Also want to just bring to your attention that damn delicious does sometimes have diet talk in the blog posts before getting to the recipes… but the food always looks amazing!!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 12, 2018 at 8:53 pm

      Oh man, I haven’t come across that but I’m new to the blog.

      Reply
  5. Laura says

    June 11, 2018 at 11:00 am

    I found Classpass worked really well for me because I could go to a yoga class one week and a spin class the next. They also have options where you can just go to a gym and lift weights. Not sure how much it is in Boston, but it’s a pretty good deal in Dallas.

    Reply
  6. Elizabeth says

    June 11, 2018 at 11:06 am

    I’ve cooked from the Damn Delicious blog for years and love it! Her cookbook is also beautiful….any time I need some meal planning inspiration I flip through It!

    Reply
  7. Amber @ Bloom Nutrition Therapy says

    June 11, 2018 at 11:31 am

    I also dropped out of my gym at the beginning of the year and I feel like it’s been the BEST decision. It was stressing me out thinking I ‘needed’ to go to the gym after work some days (even when I was exhausted) just to get my money’s worth. Instead, I’ve been enjoying walks around my neighborhood while listening to podcast and going for a longer run on Fridays when I’m less busy and stressed. I’ve also been connecting with our $5 independent classes in the community. I find I enjoy a group workout about every other week, but to even expect every week is unrealistic. Yay for another podcast episode! I may or may not search just for your name (and some other professionals I like) in the podcast library routinely just to see if there’s anything new! I know what I”ll be listening to on my walk this evening!

    Reply
  8. Megan @ A Continual Feast says

    June 11, 2018 at 12:32 pm

    I totally agree about that gym thing and find that doing other movements feel more intuitive for me! Also excited to check out hat podcast- just downloaded it!

    Reply
  9. Grace says

    June 11, 2018 at 12:42 pm

    My parents raised me to be very frugal so the idea of wasting money on a membership I don’t use causes some anxiety. I found a studio in my town that offers 4 class/month packages (not a membership that keeps you enrolled each month) and punch passes that are good for a year. Now I feel like I can go when I truly feel like kickboxing or weight training, not out of guilt or obligation.

    While I do enjoy weight lifting sometimes, I more consistently want to ride my bike, walk or kayak. Thank you so much for introducing me to gentle and mindful movement.

    Reply
  10. Alexandra Agasar says

    June 11, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    I love that! I was just talking to my roommate how Class Pass was the least intuitive thing for me. Planning to take a Friday class on a Sunday because I had to use up credits…. Ended up dropping the membership because so far, I haven’t been able to predict the future haha. Thank you for putting it out there!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 12, 2018 at 8:53 pm

      That was my big thing with Class Pass too, the cancellation fees!!

      Reply
  11. Jessica says

    June 11, 2018 at 6:44 pm

    I hope you also follow her on Instagram… her stories about her dog are always adorable!

    Reply
  12. Laura Repasky says

    June 11, 2018 at 7:22 pm

    I can understand your feeling towards the gym. Sometimes the atmosphere isn’t for everyone either. I like going to the gym in the winter months, but come summer I like to do my workouts outside and I usually start training for some sort of running race! I have found that at-home workouts are really nice! I follow Yoga with Adrienne on Youtube and have a Beachbody on Demand subscription. Beachbody is a great source for workout videos; so much variety and you can do them anywhere!!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 12, 2018 at 8:52 pm

      If I could find something affordable month to month I would love to have a gym available for the cold winter days when I do crave getting on the elliptical or lifting weights inside – I hear you on winter vs summer!

      Reply
  13. Ju says

    June 11, 2018 at 7:38 pm

    I love #2. I stopped going to a gym and paying $1000+ each year and I haven’t gotten out of shape. In fact, I might be in better shape! I started to exercise more intuitively and let go of “having to go.”

    Reply
  14. Andrea Gubert says

    June 11, 2018 at 7:43 pm

    I just love these posts! Keeps me focused on what’s important. I do not have a gym membership – I hate the travel + prep time it adds to work outs. I like to just get it done in thirty minutes and move on! I struggle with finding an activity I intuitively enjoy – I know when I engage in mod-high intensity cardio, my anxiety, energy, and sleep benefit. But I don’t enjoy it while I’m doing it. Maybe I’m just a lazy person but laying on the couch trumps workouts every time so it always feels forced.

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 12, 2018 at 8:51 pm

      It can be hard to find exercise you enjoy – I hear you! I’d encourage you to think outside of the traditional “exercise box” – what about biking outside or dancing or rock climbing with friends or even carrying groceries or cleaning your house – that is all movement!

      Reply
  15. Brittany Audra @ Audra's Appetite says

    June 11, 2018 at 10:38 pm

    I definitely relate on the gym membership! I actually haven’t been to a gym regularly since college (when it was included with tuition)…I love the freedom and flexibility of running, walking, and biking outside instead! I hate exercise when I’m in a gym, but LOVE being outdoors 🙂

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 12, 2018 at 8:50 pm

      Totally with you Audra and LOVE being outdoors too – especially now that the weather is warm!

      Reply
  16. Tailar says

    June 12, 2018 at 12:28 pm

    I totally love your thought on nixing the gym memberships! It is so much more freeing and feels a lot more natural/intuitive to just move in whatever way you want whenever you want to/can and not be tied to a gym or studio! Also saves ya money 😉

    Reply
  17. Joyce says

    June 12, 2018 at 1:19 pm

    I’m going to have to check out the Damn Delicious blog! I love blogs that have great recipes that don’t give calorie counts. Eat, Live, Run is another one of my favorites.
    I’m really fortunate that I work for a university and can go to the university rec center for about $150 a year. It makes it really nice to go to classes when I feel like it but not feel like I’m wasting money if I don’t go. I do occasionally end up working out next to my own students, which can be weird, so maybe I’ll consider something else after a while. For now though, it’s a great deal!

    Reply
    • Robyn says

      June 12, 2018 at 8:50 pm

      I totally miss college rec centers! If I could pay $10-$20/month that would be great!

      Reply
  18. Emily Swanson says

    June 13, 2018 at 1:48 am

    I really agree 100% with not having a regular gym membership. Right now I’m doing Crossfit classes twice(ish) a week, but I truly want to do them. I don’t feel like I HAVE to work out like I did when I had a gym membership for a short time.

    Reply
  19. Nicole @ Laughing My Abs Off says

    June 14, 2018 at 12:39 am

    Can’t wait to listen to the podcast! Aw man I used to use Damn Delicious for recipes ALL THE TIME! I totally forgot about it; funny how that happens haha. But yes her recipes really are great. I feel totally similarly to you with workout classes. That’s why I always preferred doing workouts at home via videos.

    Reply

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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.
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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.
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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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