A recent chat with a client:

“Give me some insight into what your daily intake looks like – food journal style:

And would u say that’s your usual? 

Is there any particular day or times that u struggle to maintain that routine? 

Nights/weekends? 

Whats your movement like?”

Most diets present as wholesome but it’s the little behaviors – the over pours – the snacking – the dining out – the holiday meals – the weekends – the breakups – the celebrations: that all make a big impact that are difficult to bounce back from. 

What I suggest is:

– reduce fat in the easiest of places (nuts, nut butters, coconut, avocado, oil, condiments & any additional fat sources, processed snacks etc). This doesn’t mean eliminate fat. It doesn’t mean “fat free.” It means being mindful of all the places fat sources make an appearance – it’s easier to note nuts and seeds than it is oil because oil is commonly used in cooking, frying and in condiments.

– replace sweets (yes even chocolate) with fruit – the swap provides more fiber, antioxidants & less calories. Fruit is your BESTIE.

– move daily, sweat often (at least 3x weekly) and incorporate weights. I workout to Sydney Cummings on YouTube and go to infrared yoga studios to get the heat but it’s all a personal preference – brisk fast paced walks are excellent too. I’d avoid HIIT & running unless you really crave that kind of work. Higher intensity doesn’t yield lasting results unless you can sustain it (and most can’t).

– if your an omnivore, replace meat/fish with plant based sources at least 3 days out of the week using beans, tempeh, tofu, lentils on alternating days

– focus on volume! BIG salads BIG bowls of veggie soup so the other calorically dense foods like meat/dairy/fattier foods take the backseat

– befriend starches: potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice – white and brown and beans.  They’re grounding, filling and contain fewer calories than other foods. We have a lot of it backwards – the body stores extra calories from fat & protein not from carbohydrates so the more healthy wholesome carbs u eat (sweet potato, white potato, fruits, veggies) the easier it’ll be to feel full and lose the weight.

– I make a huge pot of soup weekly. Nothing other than veggies and water and spices get added to it which leaves room for add-in like legumes or a drizzle of tahini for flavor. The point is to fill your tummy’s cavity to get satiated while not overburdening your liver with fat = improved digestion.

I try and reduce decision fatigue and follow a few basic principles. 

– fiber

– fruits & veggies 

– starches 

– plant protein 

– hydration 

– sleep (& sex)

– movement 

I find that I thrive best when I consume protein in the first half of the day and starches toward the second half. But that’s me! And it’s taken a lifetime to figure it out. Do your best to eliminate the social media noise, I follow very few foodies online and most of the gym buffs I ignore.

HIGH volume eating helps us consume more food (which contributes to satiety) at lesser caloric cost. This is why stimulating flavors, seasonings etc are so key in plant based cooking.

When I started eating potatoes almost every day I noticed I started feeling full for once. The key is feeling into what your body needs/wants and continually tweaking. Feeling into your body requires pausing, waiting, not feeding every urge and allowing your senses to come into play. A big reason why I cook as much as I do is because being the one to prepare meals helps me to be a full part of the cooking/eating experience. If I order out, go to restaurants and used mostly prepackaged meals, I’m not part of the process and I don’t tend to enjoy eating as much.

I “get around dessert,” by experimenting with textures. I bypass the cookie & ice cream trap by making bowls of fruit, I’ll add tahini and honey or some gluten free pretzels, cereal or nuts for crunch. Sure I have vegan desserts, cake, cookies and ice cream every so often but it’s not a common occurrence because I know I have the resources to make something more wholesome at home (which is another reason having a stocked kitchen is great, it doesn’t need to be overflowing but having some fun odds and ends really add up in a pinch and contribute to some super fun creations).

Not everyone enjoys eating – but I do. Do you? If so, be a part of it – not less part of it.

When I work with people re. healing their relationship to food and weight loss, it ends up being more about expansiveness & creativity using very simple ingredients than counting calories or macros. Hope this helped!