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ONLINE NUTRITION COACHING: THE MAKING OF A GOOD CLIENT + COACH RELATIONSHIP
In today’s post, I’m talking all about the client + coach relationship and how to really get the most out of your work with a coach. Whether you work with one of our coaches or have worked with any sort of coach in the past or are thinking about working with a coach, understanding how you can bring your best to the table can make or break your success in reaching your goals.
8 MUST-HAVE TRADER JOE’S MACRO-FRIENDLY ITEMS FOR FLAVORFUL, HEALTHY MEALS
Focusing on making healthful nutrition changes does not have to equal making food taste boring: let’s put the idea of needing to eat boiled chicken breast and mushy vegetables in order to successfully pursue health goals to bed once and for all! On the contrary, by ensuring that we’re actually enjoying the health-promoting foods that we’re aiming to make staples in our diets, we’re far more likely to make change sustainable and, in turn, results retainable. Whether you’re looking to liven up your protein prep, make veggies more attractive to reach for or play around with new flavor profiles, here is a list of some of our favorite ways to insert flavor from Trader Joe’s.
WHAT MAKES A FOOD “BAD”? WHAT MAKES A FOOD “GOOD”?
Our relationship with food is something that has been crafted over many years of familial influence, social gatherings, and trendy “quick grab” headlines. You likely have foods categorized into groups like “breakfast, lunch, dinner”, “good and bad”, “healthy and unhealthy”. While some of these categories might be useful, others might be a barricade built in front of our own food freedom.
REVERSE DIETING: MYTHS, FACTS, AND WHAT REALLY WORKS
Reverse dieting is the practice of increasing a person’s total daily caloric intake after a period of prolonged caloric restriction (aka a diet). Reverse dieting is all the rage on the internet, with social media promoting specific “Reverse Diet Coaches” and overly complicated reverse diet protocols to follow after time in a calorie deficit.
WHY WE STRESS EAT: A PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE, NOT A WILLPOWER PROBLEM
I believe it can be really helpful to understand what our body’s physiological response to stress looks like and how it relates to food (including digging into why stress eating can feel so good). From there, we can get into a few practical exercises to help manage our physiological response to stress to help interrupt the physical urge to stress eat.
DETOXING 101: WHAT YOUR BODY ACTUALLY NEEDS TO STAY HEALTHY
If you've spent any time in the wellness space, you've probably seen many bold claims about detoxes - from juice cleanses to special supplements, influencers and "detox specialists" promise that these methods will help flush toxins, boost metabolism, and even cure diseases. But do they actually work?
INTERMITTENT FASTING & TRACKING MACROS
Intermittent fasting can be used as another tool to help manage hunger and work towards fat loss goals. Curious about what intermittent fasting even is and if it may be a helpful strategy for you? Read on!
MANAGING APPETITE WHILE BREASTFEEDING: HOW TO NAVIGATE THE NEVER-ENDING HUNGER WHEN NURSING OR PUMPING
Breastfeeding is one of the most energy-demanding stages of life, let alone motherhood! If you've found yourself constantly hungry while nursing your little one, you're not alone – this increased appetite is both normal and necessary. Let's explore how to satisfy those intense hunger cues while ensuring you're getting the nutrients both you and your baby need.
3 KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL FAT LOSS
A summary of last week’s Live Class: 3 Keys to Your Most Successful Diet. This live class wasn’t about the one secret to dieting or how to lose fat fast. Rather, it was about 3 principles that, if followed, will result in successful fat loss no matter how old you are, how active you are, or what your lifestyle is.
4-COURSE VALENTINE’S MEAL FOR 2: ASIAN STICKY CHICKEN WITH PINEAPPLE “FRIED RICE”
Feeling joy in what you eat is an important part of having a positive relationship with your food, as is enjoying a holiday meal or a date night that feels decadent. So, we created this delicious four-course meal in honor of Valentine’s Day so that you can enjoy a big meal in a way that aligns with your goals and helps you recognize that no food is good or bad.
FAT LOSS FACTS: BUSTING DIET MYTHS WHEN TRACKING MACROS
There is an overwhelming amount of nutrition and diet information available all around us. It can be difficult to wade through what is fact and what is fad, especially when the idea of what is the “best” diet is constantly changing. Today we’re simplifying the topic of fat loss with five facts that may answer some of your common diet-related questions.
PROTEIN BARS UNWRAPPED: WHAT TO LOOK FOR (AND WHAT TO AVOID) IN A MACRO-FRIENDLY PROTEIN BAR
Choosing the right “macro-friendly” protein bar can feel like spotting a snowflake in a blizzard—especially when marketing doesn't make it clear whether the product is actually a protein bar or more of a glorified candy bar. Protein bars can absolutely have a place in your daily intake, but it’s important to know what you’re really buying.
A QUICK GUIDE TO MAKING WEIGHT
If you participate in a sport with weight classes, you probably know the struggle of balancing your actual body weight and maintaining (or increasing) strength. It can be a fine line to walk, but there are strategies that can help your weight cut be a more enjoyable experience!
CREATING A DOPAMINE MENU: AN EASY TOOL FOR WHEN MOTIVATION IS LOW
One part of our nutrition goals we often overlook is the inevitable fact that, at some point, our motivation will tank. When that happens, we often believe we have to rely on only willpower or wait until motivation comes back to feel “on track,” but the reality is that motivation will wane at times and, rather than waiting for it to reappear, this is a time when we can benefit from taking simple actions that help us rebuild momentum.
NUTRITION FOR IMPROVING PERFORMANCE
We’ve talked about the importance of nutrition in regard to specific fat loss, health, and athletic performance goals before.
Today we’re going to dig a little deeper and take a closer look at what it really means to eat for performance. Whether you’re a weightlifter who competes regularly, looking to improve on last year’s CrossFit Open performance, or just someone who wants to run farther or lift heavier, you can probably benefit from focusing on tailoring your nutrition to your performance goals.
EASY SNACK RECIPE: HIGH PROTEIN PIZZA MUFFINS (GLUTEN FREE!)
This high-protein snack is something we always have baked and ready to eat at our house. My toddler loves it and I add one or two of these pizza muffins to my meal prep as a snack daily. The absolute best part: all this recipe requires is throwing all ingredients in a blender and then a muffin tin. Minimal dishes, some easy protein, and a snack that feels far more indulgent than it is!
INTERMITTENT FASTING & MACROS
I’m a “kind of” intermittent faster. What does that mean? It means that I kind of stick to a time restricted eating window but don’t stress too much about it. I find that, personally, intermittent fasting helps me control hunger throughout the day and prioritize my hydration - something I’m terrible at - and helps keep me in a good eating routine whether I’m tracking my macros or not.
Curious about what intermittent fasting even is and if it may be a helpful strategy for you? Read on!
6 COMMON MACRO TRACKING MISTAKES YOU MIGHT BE MAKING: TIPS FROM A NUTRITION COACH
Tracking your macros is a fantastic tool for understanding your food intake and making intentional choices that align with your goals. But let’s be honest—it’s not always straightforward. In time, you will be able to track macros like a pro. But mistakes happen, and that’s ok. We need to acknowledge they will be part of this experience. The goal is to learn from them and make small, sustainable improvements over time.
HOW MANY CALORIES YOU NEED FOR YOUR NUTRITION GOALS
As coaches, we care about goals. Like A LOT. We can’t create a nutrition game plan for you without a clear idea of what your goals are. More importantly, you won’t meet or even surpass your goals without a clear idea of what you’re working towards either.
Whether you already made a plan for the New Year or are still feeling a little lost, it’s never a bad time to take a step back and reevaluate your goals If you’re unsure of where to even begin, today’s post will help you create a clear and specific goal so you can have clear action plan to make them happen.
HIGH PROTEIN COMFORT FOOD RECIPE: CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
‘Tis the season for feeling both under the weather after a month or so of extra socializing and yearning for comforting foods, yet likely feeling a push from the temporal landmark that is the New Year as well. But who says comforting foods can’t also be goal-aligned? This chicken noodle soup recipe checks all the boxes when it comes to flavor, warmth, and nourishment and is sure to become a winter go-to to help boost your protein intake!
MAINTENANCE MODE FOR THE HOLIDAYS
If you have serious fat loss goals, a maintenance period is a necessary part of your fat loss journey. If you have spent considerable amount of time in a calorie deficit, you should plan on taking periodic maintenance phases to add in more calories and give your body (and brain) a little break.
3 UNDERRATED TIPS FOR A FAT LOSS PHASE: IMPROVING ADHERENCE IN YOUR CALORIE DEFICIT EASIER
When it comes to pursuing a fat loss goal, we know there are two main necessities to successful fat loss: First, consistency in a calorie deficit. Second, adequate protein intake. These two necessities are our top priority, but they don’t encompass all of the strategies that help us make these actions possible. Today, I want to talk through three of the most underrated strategies that help us achieve that consistency and feel good during a calorie deficit so that our fat loss goals don’t come at the expense of our energy, workouts, recovery, or relationship with food.
NUTRITION FOR OPTIMAL HEALTH
If your goal is to achieve optimal health, you should focus on finding balance in your diet. Optimal health means something different to each of us. To me, it means learning to find the balance needed in your diet to maintain a healthy body and build sustainable eating habits that will serve you long-term. Being lean is great, and getting strong is cool, but what good are those goals if they leave your health compromised?
WHY MINDSET MATTERS FOR YOUR NUTRITION GOALS
The rules of energy balance may seem simple on paper (with all “name brand” diets driven by hard and fast regulations operating under the same umbrella): calories in vs. calories out. Follow the guidelines, achieve results. However, without a foundational belief that we are capable of overcoming and learning from the challenges that are bound to arise in the process and are deserving of the outcomes we seek, we are bound to struggle with any real, sustainable change. A growth mindset is the key to unlocking our potential to reach any and all of our goals.
NUTRITION FOR AESTHETICS
If your goals are geared towards changing your body weight, body shape, or body composition, your focus should be on eating in a calorie deficit.
TRACKING IS A TEMPORARY TOOL: HOW TO TRANSITION AWAY FROM TRACKING MACROS AND TO INTENTIONAL EATING
In the world of nutrition, tracking food intake can be a popular tool for building awareness of our eating habits and helping us to reach more specific goals (eating within a deficit, reaching a certain bare minimum for fiber intake, or even fueling for specific athletic-based performance). But what happens when we reach our goals? Do we continue tracking forever? The answer is absolutely not. Our goal isn’t to obsessively monitor every bite but to use tracking as a temporary tool to cultivate a deeper understanding of our relationship with food.
NUTRITION FOR PERFORMANCE
If your goal is to improve strength and performance, your focus should be on eating the right amount to fuel your training and your recovery. You do not need to be an elite athlete to prioritize performance! Regardless of your level or experience, you just need to make sure your nutrition aligns with your specific goals.
WHY 75 DAY HARD IS A HARD PASS FOR ME
75 Hard is a popular program that's come to the forefront the last few years promises rapid transformations, increased mental toughness, and life-changing results, but what it misses is how extreme approaches can be counterproductive to your long-term goals. The focus on rigidity, perfectionism, and punishing routines may offer short-term wins but lead to burnout, injury, or even regression. It can be counterintuitive to your overall well-being and can just be another attempted quick fix that keeps us stuck in the cycle of restriction, punishment, and believing that change comes only when we’re miserable and doing everything “perfectly.”
NUTRITION FOR YOUR GOALS
If you want to reduce your body fat percentage, build muscle mass, reach a goal weight, or improve strength in the gym, tailoring your nutrition to your goals is absolutely essential.
HOLIDAY NUTRITION MADE EASY: 3 ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO AVOID THE ‘ALL OR NOTHING’ MENTALITY
The holiday season often means packed calendars, filled with family gatherings, work parties, and festive get-togethers. Right now, we’re in the thick of it. But how do we approach these events without feeling either deprived or overly indulgent? How do we navigate our nutrition in a way that aligns with our goals instead of calling it quits and just “starting over in January?” Let’s talk about it…