Instead of taking what you hear as fact, don’t just accept it, go beyond. Look for the argument against what you’re hearing. You can learn a lot from the other side that disagrees. Become more flexible with your thinking as it will serve you better. Rigid thinking can keep you from noticing important information. Especially when you strongly believe you are right, there’s also a very possible reality, that you’re wrong.
Awaken the skeptic within you
- Does the advice you’re hearing require you to do something that doesn’t fit your lifestyle?
- Is an easy fix being offered to solve a difficult problem that doesn’t have an easy solution?
- Is there a proclaimed cure for a condition that is well-known to be incurable?
- Is there underlying fear-mongering that comes along with the advice?
- Does it seem too good to be true?
Help feed the hungry. How to make your charitable contributions count.
Photo by Alexander Mass on Unsplash I feel compelled to write about helping the less fortunate in the wake of the SNAP benefits fiasco. Access to food is a fundamental right, no matter race, gender, body size, age, or economic status. There’s no reason on…
Keep readingHow to defend yourself against Diet Culture during the holidays
I was in a big box hardware store yesterday, looking for purple and orange lights to add to my Halloween decorations. In one aisle, an oversized skeleton let out an evil laugh, while in the next aisle, Christmas music was blaring near the leftover Thanksgiving…
Keep reading
January is over. How’s the weight loss diet going?
Around this time of year, diets lose steam as old habits die hard. Once that person brings donuts into the office again all bets are off. But I get it. I’m not on a diet to lose weight, but I’ve had my share of treats…
Keep reading
How to Avoid Plugging Back into the Diet Culture this January
Here we go again! It’s that time of year when “being merry” fades into another tiresome weight loss resolution. The diet industry once more pushes the promise of losing weight and keeping it off. If you are healthy and are planning to go on another…
Keep reading
Is It Me or Was Santa Claus Put on a Diet?
I might be a buzzkill for writing this, but something seems wrong about the recent depictions of Santa. CAUTION! This post is for adults and not for little ones awaiting his arrival on Christmas Eve. You were warned. After I watched The Christmas Chronicles with…
Keep reading
How do you know you’re not dealing with a nutrition expert?
They demonize sugar. Yep, they criminalize a single nutrient source. They’re on a soapbox proclaiming that it’s ruining everyone’s health and how we should avoid it. This is silly because we all need a certain amount of sugar in the form of glucose to live.…
Keep readingCan obesity be “cured” by eating less and moving more? Here’s why It’s complicated.
I can still hear Marie Osmond in an old weight loss commercial saying, “If I can do it, you can do it,” as pictures showing her before and after weight loss splashed across the screen. In another commercial, she said, “I’d almost given up on…
Keep reading
As a Registered Dietitian, I Don’t Tell People How to Eat and Why You Shouldn’t Either.
Doing what I do for a living makes it hard to ignore the plethora of horrendous nutrition advice I hear from people around me or on social media. The hardest truth I try to accept is how my knowledge as a dietitian means nothing to…
Keep readingGLP-1 agonists promise weight loss, but what about the consequences of perpetuating the thin ideal?
Over the last few years, the medical landscape has turned completely upside-down. With all the recent hype around GLP-1 agonists, we don’t need any more proof the world’s gone mad. Semaglutides are effective for significant weight loss and may have other health benefits. Many great…
Keep readingWhy exercise and fitness goals are not sustainable for a lifetime
Since the new year, dieting and exercise commercials dominated our viewing screens. The pressure to “fix yourself” is in full swing. But the perfect exercise routine isn’t a destination to the ultimate fitness utopia. At the very least, if you’ve been active in some way…
Keep readingHow diabetes nutrition education “inadvertently” encourages disordered eating
Over 10 years ago, my mom was diagnosed with diabetes. She was referred to a diabetes educator who taught her about foods that affect blood glucose levels and those that don’t. The educator recommended a carbohydrate intake of 45 grams of carbs for meals and…
Keep readingAre you over 50 and feel like you’re losing the war on fat?
If you’re worried about weight gain, here’s what you need to know.
Keep readingDo you hate to cook? Here’s why you should get good at it anyway
You want to commit to making meals by yourself, but there’s always a reason not to. “I don’t have time,” and “I just don’t like to cook” are the top two reasons I hear why people resort to eating out. You can start by answering…
Keep readingHow to be healthy if you believe you’re overweight
We all heard about the war on fat. Every news outlet incessantly conveys to us we are heavier. Obesity is making us sicker. The plethora of diet and exercise advice tells us what to eat and what exercises to do to lose weight. It’s never-ending.…
Keep readingWhen Good Intentions Trigger Disordered Eating Behaviors. Who is at risk?
Last week my mom showed me a brochure that came in the mail a while back. The message on it was about foods that are better for your health versus foods that are not. It appeared to be written as a healthy eating piece to…
Keep readingThe caffeine anxiety connection: When caffeine is more than a pick-me-up
“The day cannot start without that first cup of java.” These words are gospel for a good number of us. To start the day, life doesn’t begin until that cup of coffee is in our hands. For others it might mean a soda or energy…
Keep readingIs Your Health at a Crossroad? Three Ways to Get on the Path Toward Improving it
While Jon was getting his annual physical, he received bad news from his doctor. It caused him to take a serious look at his life — an all-too-common scenario. While in the exam room, his doctor informed him that he has “metabolic syndrome.” Now in…
Keep readingBig Beverage Uses Your Name to Sell more Sugar Water
How many times have you stopped to search for your name among the personalized keychains hanging on one of those spinning racks? If your name isn’t a common one, you’ll soon lose interest and walk away if you don’t see it. But if it is,…
Keep readingFebruary is Heart Health Month — How Encouraging Weight Loss Can Lead to Disordered Eating
Large health organizations advocating for good health to prevent chronic illnesses like cardiovascular disease help create public awareness. Information derived from scientific research has taught us how to enjoy a better life and live longer. But what happens when advocating for health ends up promoting…
Keep readingDetox Diets Capitalize on the Idea of Cleanliness
We usually associate cleanliness with good health. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. Like our homes, we like to keep our bodies clean and free of toxins and waste. Ads for detox diets promote a similar idea for rejuvenation or to aid in weight loss. By…
Keep readingNew Year’s Resolutions: Why is There More Failure Than Success?
As our resolutions wane with the passing months, our determination gives way to disappointment. The responsibility of daily living moves our resolution lower on our to-do list. Old habits die hard. Are you finding your New Year resolutions fall by the wayside year after year?…
Keep readingThinking about avoiding Gluten? Should You Do It?
The gluten-free diet (GFD) has grown in popularity but is only medically necessary for a very small segment of the population. Diets that require people to cut out a significant variety of foods should never be recommended for people who are generally healthy. When it…
Keep readingParticipation in family dinner develops a child’s personal responsibility
As a parent, you are there for all of their “firsts” in life. From baby’s first steps to a toddler grabbing the spoon for the first time. We often underestimate how a scheduled family meal can have a great impact on a child’s life. When…
Keep readingHow does dietary fat affect our health? Does it really matter which types we eat?
There are many types of fats that can affect your health in different ways. Fat provides the highest number of calories per serving compared to protein and carbohydrates. It’s also the main nutrient blamed for weight gain. At the very basic, fat gives our bodies…
Keep readingWhen food becomes the enemy, the fear of eating too much sugar
Search online and you’ll find there’s no shortage of advice on how to avoid, eliminate and cut out the sugar in your diet. With all the good intentions, we want to be healthy, and we want the people we care about to be healthy. But…
Keep readingHow do you know you’re getting the right nutrition advice? Here’s what to look out for
As a registered dietitian, it’s hard not to notice the plethora of diet and nutrition advice that is available today, especially on TV and social media. Honestly, most of it is a bombardment of pure nonsense. Here are 3 things I watch for: Advice given…
Keep reading
Green Apple Dietitian 