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adolescent.nutritionist

Eating at night isn't a bad thing! In fact, Kids a

Eating at night isn't a bad thing! In fact, Kids and teens generally need a snack between dinner and bed- especially if there's a longer than 2 hour break between them.

So much growth and development occurs while sleeping, that eating beforehand can be really important. Plus, the body doesn't shut down at any point of the night, so it still needs fuel regardless of some cut off time diet culture has told us to stop eating at.

Snacks should contain carbs, fat, and/or protein and like all eating opportunities, be tasty and satisfying.

These are some of my go to snack ideas. What do your adolescents eat at night? Comment below 👇 and follow @adolescent.nutritionist for more tips on raising adolescents with a good relationship with food and body 💖

I found a package of my favorite cookies in the ba

I found a package of my favorite cookies in the back of my pantry the other day.
There were 2 left. And they were stale.

The goal of your adolescent having a good relationship with food is NOT food waste.
Rather, it's your adolescent feeling in control of their food intake versus food controlling them.

Food controlling them would like:
constantly thinking about food
eating food whenever it's available
needing to finish what's on their plate/ table/ package

When your adolescent feels in control around food, they decide whether or not they're hungry and if that food is one that will satiate and satisfy them.

Food leftovers and unfinished packages MAY be a result of this! And that's okay. We're not garbage cans, AND we don't need to feel guilty for wasting food.

Learning to recognize and honor their needs is a really important skill for kids and teens to learn and practice.

**** Important note here is that disordered eating may show up as "control around food". If your adolescent never finishes food or is avoiding specific categories or types of food, these may be warning signs of concern and shouldn't be ignored nor praised ****

If you are concerned about your adolescent's eating habits and beliefs, schedule a Discovery Call linked in bio. I work with parents and adolescents to empower you to raise nourished adolescents with a good relationship with food and body, who eat free of guilt and shame 💖

Food and exercise can take over adolescents' life!

Food and exercise can take over adolescents' life!

When she's not eating enough, her brain focuses on food in the hopes of her eating more
When he's obsessed with working out he doesn't have time for other interests
Without sufficient nourishment they don't have energy to do the things they want
If he's restricting his intake of specific foods, he's likely not hanging out with his friends when they go out

When your adolescent learns to eat relaliably and appropriately for her body she can regain her life! Find interests she never knew about and connect more fully with friends and family.

Restriction makes adolescents' life all about food. Allowing back all the foods can lead to a fuller more satisfying life.

Schedule a Discovery Call *linked in bio* if your adolescent is struggling with their relationship with food or movement. And follow @adolescent.nutritionist for more info and tips on raising adolescents with a good relationship with food free of guilt and shame 💖

A mom asked in a recent QA box what to do when som

A mom asked in a recent QA box what to do when someone comments on your adolescent's appetite?

This is unfortunately a common situation, as people use food restriction, weight, and diet talk as a way to connect (and show their concern).

Your response will depend on:
1. your relationship with the person commenting
2. your energy level

One thing I tell my clients very often is the importance of keeping themselves SAFE. And that includes recognizing when they're in a losing battle and there's no point in continuing a conversation where they're in the defense.

As a parent you need to protect your adolescent from negative comments, but you also need to protect your own energy!
So you can keep your explanation brief when explaining to this person.
"We trust our kids to eat the amount that their body needs. We want to avoid the problems that come up when parents police their children's food intake."
If you have more in you, "bodies come in all sizes and shapes, and weight isn't a reflection of health. We support and encourage body diversity"

Remember that the person making these comments is as much a victim of diet culture, and shouldn't be shamed for their comments.
But at the same time, especially if your adolescent heard the conversation, you can't ignore the comments, and need to discuss with your kids why they are problematic and how to understand why someone may comment on another's food.

If you are concerned about your adolescent's body image or eating habits and beliefs, schedule a Discovery Call *linked in bio*. I work with parents and adolescents to empower you to raise nourished adolescents with a good relationship with food and body, who eat free of guilt and shame 💖

Snacks are an important part of an adolescent's nu

Snacks are an important part of an adolescent's nutrition intake!

👍 Snacks keep energy stable between meals
👍 Sharing snacks with friends makes eating a social activity
👍 Snacks are often easier to transport and eat than traditional meals
👍 They're not "empty calories". Snacks provide carbohydrates, protein, and/or fat along with the overall calories they provide for fuel
👍 They're low energy to prepare!

"Snacks" are food just like any other, and are a totally valid way to eat. We can take away the shame associated with eating them by calling the food by its name (popsicle, cheese string, chips), and normalizing eating them as nourishing!

What's your current go-to "snack" food? Tell me in the comments and Follow @adolescent.nutritionist for more tips for raising adolescents with a good relationship with ALL food and body💖

Adolescence is one of the life stages where growth

Adolescence is one of the life stages where growth and body changes are expected.
(Some other times are toddlerhood, pregnancy, and eating disorder recovery)

And while it is normal and necessary, it can also be uncomfortable for your adolescent seeing his body change from where he's been used to seeing it, into a whole new being.

Your adolescent needs your support to navigate these changes and come out with a positive body image!

👕 Buy her clothes that fit her changing body - without her feeling shame about her body
⛹️‍♀️Encourage continued activity in areas they love. Many adolescents, especially girls, stop the sports and activities at puberty that they've previously enjoyed because of their changing body
📺 Support body diversity in the home with the books, magazines, art, and media you have available
📱Discuss creating a supportive social media where adolescents follow people who don't use filters or photoshop their bodies, AND they don't either!
👙Let them see you embracing your body - wear the revealing clothing, be in the pictures, eat the food you crave

Adolescence is a difficult time period for many kids! If you are concerned about your adolescent's body image or eating habits and beliefs, schedule a Discovery Call *linked in bio*. I work with parents and adolescents to empower you to raise nourished adolescents with a good relationship with food and body, who eat free of guilt and shame 💖

Weight loss is not something adolescents should ev

Weight loss is not something adolescents should ever be pursuing!!

🚫 Dieting is the number one predictor for developing an eating disorder

🚫 Restriction limits the nutrients and calories adolescents eat, which can negatively affect their growth and development

🚫 Diets and food restriction leads to overthinking and obsessions with food. And adolescents have so many more important things to think and obsess about!!

If you're trying to improve your adolescent's health and wellbeing, a weight loss diet is NOT the way to do so. Looking at health supporting behavior and habits IS. If you're struggling to support your adolescent's healthy eating habits and want more guidance on how to do so free of restriction, shame, and guilt, follow @adolescent.nutritionist and book a Discovery Call - linked in bio - to gain the knowledge and confidence to do so 💖

"Freshman 15" is something teens absorb and fear a

"Freshman 15" is something teens absorb and fear about the start of college/university.

There are so many unknowns and reasons for stress or anxiety around the start of school that weight gain shouldn't have to be part of it.

Weight gain at college needs to be normalized, because it's super likely to occur!

✔️The increased stress of being away from home, settling into a new environment and starting school all can lead to weight gain (that's a physiological response to stress)

✔️Having more freedom around food choices can lead to eating differently than at home and resultant weight gain

✔️The body is still developing and growing! Although puberty is usually over by college, the body continues shifting and changing (Bone and brain development continue around mid-20s!). There may be weight gain, or there may be weight shifts and body changes. This is to be expected.
Side note *bodies will continue shifting throughout life as we continue aging*

Let's stop fear mongering about weight gain and help our teens and young adults confidently adjust to this next stage of life.

If you are concerned about your adolescent's eating habits and beliefs, schedule a Discovery Call linked in bio. I work with parents and adolescents to empower you to raise nourished adolescents with a good relationship with food and body, who eat free of guilt and shame 💖

Packing school lunch often brings along stress and

Packing school lunch often brings along stress and overwhelm about WHAT to pack 🤨🤯

Many of my clients are particular about the food they're willing to bring:
👬 wanting to fit in with their peers
🍝 hoping the food is the right texture and taste they're familiar with
⏰ ensuring they have enough time to eat it

It's also important to bring enough food to last the day and provide sustainable energy through filling and satisfying options.

My free lunch guide has lunch options PLUS snacks to include to round out your adolescent's school lunch that meets all these requirements 💃

Get it now linked in bio!! (no email sign-up needed 😊)

If you're struggling to raise your adolescent without dieting messages, or are concerned about their eating habits and beliefs, schedule a Discovery Call linked in bio. I work with parents and adolescents to empower you to raise nourished adolescents with a good relationship with food and body, who eat free of guilt and shame 💖

A common issue I see with my adolescent clients is

A common issue I see with my adolescent clients is having separated parents with differing approaches to food. While it's super helpful to have parents on the same page and supporting the same message, that's not always possible.

If you're a parent trying to raise your children & teens with a good relationship with food, and your co-parent is stuck in diet culture, here are some things you can do:
**Read the full blog post linked in bio and stories for more detail**

1. Have a conversation with your co-parent. Explain your goals and values of raising diet-free kids with a good relationship with food and body

2. Talk your child!
Keep this one judgement-free to maintain their relationship with their parent and keep it age appropriate.

3. Meal plan, grocery shop, or send over food as appropriate to fill any gaps in what your adolescent is eating

4. Make your home a safe space.
At the end of the day, this is the most important thing you can do.
Model what healthy eating and living looks like, support and encourage body diversity, and keep the lines of communication open so you can continue educating and protecting against diet culture.

If you're struggling to raise your adolescent without dieting messages, or are concerned about their eating habits and beliefs, schedule a Discovery Call linked in bio. I work with parents and adolescents to empower you to raise nourished adolescents with a good relationship with food and body, who eat free of guilt and shame 💖

Parenting adolescents is hard! You don't have to m

Parenting adolescents is hard! You don't have to make it harder by worrying about and micromanaging your adolescent's food intake or weight (unless there's medical necessity of course)

Working with me you'll feel empowered to feed your family in ways that feel simple and stress free, without the constant fear that you're "messing up".

If you're struggling with how to address your adolescent's eating behaviors or are worried about WHAT they're eating, schedule a Discovery Call *linked in bio* and feel confident raising adolescents with a good relationship with food and body 💖

A client has been working on improving her body im

A client has been working on improving her body image and feeling more comfortable in her changing body. We discussed how exposing herself to people in more diverse body types can help her slowly become more accepting of her own diverse body.

One key point when doing this is to see these people NEUTRALLY & JUDGEMENT FREE
It doesn't help to look at people critically, or categorize flaws, laugh at or stigmatize them.

That's not acceptance and won't help your adolescents move towards body acceptance.

Noticing those stigmatizing beliefs may be the first step of moving towards acceptance.
Weight stigma is unfortunately way too normalized. Noticing it, calling it out, and neutralizing it can be key towards better body acceptance for all.

If you're concerned with your adolescent's body beliefs, or are struggling with feeding your adolescent to fuel their growth, schedule a free call today (link in bio)! I work with parents and adolescents to empower you to raise nourished adolescents with a good relationship with food and body, who eat free of guilt and shame 💖

When working with adolescents to expand their diet

When working with adolescents to expand their diets, I let them guide which foods they try next.

Whether it's food they've never tried but been curious about, or food they had cut out of their diets and are ready to reintroduce, they decide which foods they're ready for and which are too scary *for now*

If your adolescent has limited food intake or worrisome behaviors around food, work with me to help them expand their accepted foods. Schedule a Discovery Call linked in bio today 💖

"My teen rarely chooses a fruit or vegetable when

"My teen rarely chooses a fruit or vegetable when offered. How can I be neutral and not pressure them to eat?"

Have you ever experienced this?

Here are just a few things you can do:

1. Make them taste good.
Vegetables can be really boring! Give them flavor with oils and butter, spices and flavorings, and dips and sauces. Help make the eating experience more enjoyable.

2. Serve them often
Have fruits and vegetables readily available, because the more often they're served, the more often they can be eaten. Make them an easy choice to include when kids & teens are making their own snack choices. Keep them in open bowls, clear containers or have them sliced on the table or counter for simple snacking

3. Change up the way you serve them
Varying the appearance, texture, and taste can impact how your teen does or doesn't enjoy the food.
pictured here: carrot juice, raw carrot slices, carrot muffin, carrot fritter, roasted baby carrots.
Or change the veggie to a whole new option.

4. Enjoy eating them yourself
You can model a good relationship with eating veggies that your kids will pick up on. The way you talk about vegetables and yourself when you do or don't eat them makes a big impression on your family!

If you're concerned with your adolescent's eating habits or beliefs, or are struggling to feed your adolescent to support their full health, follow @adolescent.nutritionist
for more tips on raising adolescents with a good relationship with food, or schedule a Discovery Call today linked in bio, and feel confident raising adolescents free of guilt and shame around food 💖

As the nutrition advisor for @u4uteen I'm excited

As the nutrition advisor for @u4uteen I'm excited to be presenting our first live Zoom session!

Teen and tween girls are experiencing a lot of change in their bodies, and with so many messages out there, it can be so difficult knowing what's normal and what's healthy.

In this session we'll talk about that plus learn how to truly nourish themselves and feel good about it!

Join us August 24 or 25.

DM @u4uteen to sign up 🥰

Last night I was a birthday party with a really st

Last night I was a birthday party with a really stellar icing cake (shoutout to @sobeys !) and it was so interesting watching the little kids eat it.

One licked off all the icing, leaving behind the cake
One ate all the cake first leaving the icing for last - and then lost interest midway through
Some fully finished their cake and went back to playing on the jumping castle.
Some went back for seconds.

None of these actions are better or worse than the other. Each child was doing what felt best to them at that time.

And that's the goal we're going for!

Not that your child or teen never wants dessert
Not that he'll leave sweets behind on the plate
Not even that she'll never overeat or eat past comfort

The goal is that kids and teens eat the amount that satisfies and satiates them IN THE MOMENT and they don't feel guilt or shame for doing so.

If you're concerned with your adolescent's eating habits or beliefs, or are struggling to feed your adolescent to support their full health, follow @adolescent.nutritionist
for more tips on raising adolescents with a good relationship with food, or schedule a Discovery Call today linked in bio, and feel confident raising adolescents free of guilt and shame around food 💖

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